State lawmakers seek to end emissions testing requirement for SE Wisconsin
BUTLER, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A fairly common sight at Butler Auto Body is cars and SUVs pulling in for emissions tests, which are required in southeastern Wisconsin. However, a group of state lawmakers is calling on Congress to remove the region from the list of places where emissions testing is mandated under the Clean Air Act.
In Wisconsin, vehicles registered in Milwaukee, Kenosha, Racine, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington and Sheboygan counties are subject to the testing rules. Owners must take their cars in for testing every other year, as well as at the time of a sale if the vehicle is more than five years old.
State Rep. Bob Donovan (R-Greenfield) is leading the push to end the testing requirement. He, along with 17 other state lawmakers, wrote a letter Monday to the state's congressional delegation calling for them to work toward exempting southeastern Wisconsin from federal vehicle inspection requirements.
Seventeen of the lawmakers are Republicans. The lone Democrat to sign on was Milwaukee State Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez.
The lawmakers pointed to test results from 2021, which found 8.2% of vehicles built between 1996 and 2009 failed tests, but only 1.6% of 2010-2019 models failed.
"Things have changed significantly in 40 years," Donovan said. "The technology in automobiles has improved significantly. We didn't have electric cars 40 years ago."
Environmental groups, such as Clean Wisconsin, are pushing back on the effort.
The group's communication director, Amy Barrilleaux, said the Trump administration's push to undo fuel efficiency standards enacted under former President Joe Biden means now isn't the time to end emissions testing anywhere.
"Those two things combined are gonna lead us on a path straight backwards," Barrilleaux said.
Barrilleaux added regulations should always err on the side of public health, especially in a place like Wisconsin. She pointed to research tying outdoor air pollution to increased instances of breast cancer, as well as its own analysis, which found Wisconsin has the nation's third-largest racial disparity in terms of exposure to air pollution.
"Saying, 'OK, only one percent [of new cars] failed,'" Barrilleaux said. "Is like saying, 'We do water quality testing, and most of the time, that comes out fine, so why do it anymore?'"
In Wisconsin, the state has given an outside company a contract to oversee emissions testing. OPUS Inspections then works with independent shops to administer the program.
According to the Wisconsin Vehicle Inspection Program (WIVIP) website, there are two state facilities with self-serve kiosks, in Milwaukee and Oak Creek, along with 180 other businesses that perform testing on-site.
Greg Gensch at Butler Auto Body said it's a mixed bag from his perspective.
"It's probably 50-50. We do get some business out of it. We don't get paid that well for doing it," Gensch said. "However, it's more of a courtesy and service we can perform for the folks in our area."
Donovan said he's had talks in recent days with GOP Congressmen Bryan Steil and Tom Tiffany, who's running for governor.
In a statement, Tiffany confirmed he supported the lawmakers' efforts and wanted to eliminate emissions testing rules for southeastern Wisconsin.
"Major advancements in vehicle efficiency have reduced emissions," Tiffany said. "But families in seven Wisconsin counties are still punished because of pollution drifting in from Chicago. Wisconsinites shouldn’t have to pay for Illinois’ problems."
Steil also shared a statement with CBS 58, confirming he was open to the lawmakers' request and added, "It’s time to review the ways we can reduce this regulatory burden on families in Southeast Wisconsin.”
Donovan said he was hopeful Republican partners in Congress, along with the Trump administration, would work to exempt Wisconsin from any mandatory emissions tests.
"That's all I want for Christmas," Donovan said. "Is to get rid of the emissions testing!"