EPA proposes to approve emissions testing exemption for Phoenix-area motorcycles

The Environmental Protection Agency has published a Proposed Rule to approve revisions to the Arizona State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to exempt motorcycles in the Phoenix metropolitan area from emissions testing requirements. The MIC’s Government Relations department distributed the news via a Federal Regulatory Action Notice.

Arizona is currently the only state that requires emissions inspections for motorcycles (in the Phoenix metropolitan area only). This year the Arizona legislature passed HB 2073, effective April 11, 2012, authorizing the exemption of motorcycles from emissions testing conditioned upon EPA’s approval of such revision to Arizona’s SIP by July 1, 2014. Previous laws enacted in 2008 and 2010 extended the deadline for EPA’s approval to July 1, 2010 and July 1, 2012, respectively.

EPA is proposing approval of these revisions to Arizona’s SIP because it has found that they meet all applicable requirements and would not interfere with reasonable further progress or attainment of any of the national ambient air quality standards. EPA is proposing this action under the Clean Air Act obligation to take action on State submittals of revisions to SIPs.