House votes to eliminate emissions testing

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Legislation abolishing mandatory tests for motor vehicle emissions in the St. Louis area won preliminary House approval Monday.

The federal government requires high-pollution cities to test vehicles for emissions as a condition of receiving federal highway dollars.

But some St. Louis-area residents have complained that the emissions tests are cumbersome and expensive since they were instituted in April 2000.

Sponsoring Rep. Jim Lembke, R-St. Louis, said "it's questionable ... whether it's doing anything to clean up our air."

The House gave the bill initial approval on a voice vote after adopting its format on a 76-69 vote.

The bill needs another vote to advance to the Senate, and would go to Gov. Bob Holden if it cleared both chambers in the same form before the legislature adjourns May 14.

Pollution in the St. Louis area is already so high that it exceeds federal standards, Lembke said. Federal regulators have given local officials three years to create new standards to lower pollution, he said.

As long as the state operates in good faith to try to find a new way to improve air quality, the federal government will not withhold funds, Lembke said.

Lembke stressed that he didn't want to end emissions testing forever, but he wanted to end the current program -- which he said isn't doing anything to reduce pollution.

Several lawmakers expressed concerns that the move would cost the state precious federal highway dollars. But Lembke insisted that federal officials had guaranteed him Missouri would not lose funds if emissions tests are ended.

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Emissions testing bill is HB1181.

On the Net:

Missouri Legislature: http://www.moga.state.mo.us