PHOENIX (June 1, 2018) -- The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) provides vehicle owners with hundreds of dollars towards repairs after failed emissions tests through the Voluntary Vehicle Repair Program (VVRP). ADEQ understands the financial strain that can come with having to repair a vehicle due to a failed emissions test. Vehicle owners are now able to use VVRP to get back on the road faster, saving money and reducing emissions. With cleaner burning engines, the public and environment benefit with better air quality.
If a vehicle fails to pass testing at an ADEQ Vehicle Emissions Inspection (VEI) Station, owners are immediately provided information about VVRP. Customer vehicles meeting program requirements and co-pay the first $150 toward repairs can receive up to $550 for gasoline vehicles and up to $1000 for heavy duty diesel vehicles to pass the test and get back on the road.
“After failing the test, I applied for the program and was able to repair my car for a fraction of what it would have cost me otherwise,” said Kamella, a VVRP customer in Phoenix. “I was even able to buy a new set of tires with the money I saved.”
If their vehicle qualifies for VVRP, owners can go from ‘failed it to nailed it’ by simply talking with a manager at the VEI Station to get the process started. Once a vehicle is accepted into the program, owners take it to a VVRP Approved Repair Facility, which have been identified to successfully repair vehicles to pass an emissions re-test at least 90 percent of the time.
“All costs for repairs, beyond the $150 copay, are billed directly back to ADEQ,” said Timothy Franquist, ADEQ Air Quality Director. “It was important that Arizona create a program which reduced out-of-pocket costs to the owners, encouraging them to move quickly to repair their vehicles and help us in our mission to improve air quality for all Arizonans.”
Visit azdeq.gov/CarHelp for more information.
Customer testimonial video interview and b-roll of emissions testing at a VEI station are available upon request.
Background
Monitoring of vehicle emissions is required in major metropolitan areas which are not meeting the air quality standards for ozone and other pollutants through the 1990 Clean Air Act (CAA). The CAA outlines a four-point strategy to reduce emissions through cleaner vehicles, cleaner fuels, clean transportation alternatives, plus inspection and maintenance programs. The goal is to improve air quality by reducing hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, which contribute to the formation of ozone.
In Arizona, the Phoenix and Yuma metropolitan areas are classified as nonattainment areas for ozone, meaning those areas do not meet the federal health standard required by the EPA through the CAA. Vehicle emissions testing in Tucson began due to elevated carbon monoxide emissions, however the area is also very close to exceeding the standard for ozone. When the standard is exceeded, a plan to reduce emissions is put into place, which can have negative economic impacts on industry and the general public. If a sufficient reduction in emissions is not achieved, additional restrictions to emission sources could be required by the EPA.
ADEQ Vehicle Emissions Control Section | View >
ADEQ Air Forecasting | View >
Contact
Erin Jordan, ADEQ Public Information Officer | E-mail > | 602-771-2215 desk | 602-540-8072 cell