California pays smoggy car owners to clean up their act

September 14, 2000
Web posted at: 11:29 AM EDT (1529 GMT)

From Correspondent Jennifer Auther

FULLTERTON, California (CNN) -- California initiated an innovative program to reduce smog this summer, paying motorists to fix or retire their polluting vehicles. But environmentalists are preparing to sue the state, saying it has not done enough to clean the air.

About 35 states have programs to check auto emissions, but only California offers up to $500 toward repairs necessary to pass mandatory smog tests every two years, required to renew auto registrations.

Motorists can receive more money if their vehicles are lost causes. For example, one former car owner was paid $1,000 to take her car off the road.

The state began the program on July 1, which is available for low-income motorists and drivers referred by the California Department of Motor Vehicles to statewide "test only" centers.

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The department directs about 15 percent of California's 15 million cars to the state-certified centers, which sends test results via computer to the DMV.

The smog test requirement applies only to middle-aged cars, leading some to question its effectiveness. New cars are exempt for the first four years after purchase. So are vehicles built before 1974, despite the fact they contribute a disproportionate amount of emissions.

"I don't understand why the earlier vehicles don't have to be tested," said Chuck Oehlman, whose 1985 Honda Prelude was directed to a test center.

Researchers have found auto emissions test programs reduce smog, but at much lower levels than expected. For example, California air quality regulators said the current program is much better than the one only a year before, but only achieved 60 percent of the expected emission reductions.

Disappointed environmentalists are poised to sue the state September 18.

"There's more they need to do to bring the program up to 100 percent. If they fix those things, you won't see a lawsuit. If they don't, you will," said Gail Ruderman Feuer, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Without improvements, the state could loose more than $1 billion in federal transportation funding in the Los Angeles area alone.

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Public to get say on smog
August 10, 2000

California Department Of Motor Vehicles
Natural Resources Defense Council

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