Comment submitted by Mandy Ramsay

I am a resident of Forsyth County, North Carolina, and I support EPA's approval of North Carolina's request to remove vehicle emissions testing requirements in our county and the other affected counties. Vehicle emissions testing may have served an important purpose in the past, but air quality has improved significantly over the years, and modern vehicles are built with advanced emissions-control systems that continuously monitor performance. The State of North Carolina and EPA have determined that removing this requirement will not interfere with maintaining federal air quality standards. For working families, emissions testing creates an unnecessary expense and inconvenience. Residents must take time away from work and personal responsibilities, pay additional inspection fees, and sometimes make multiple trips to inspection stations. Eliminating emissions testing would reduce these burdens while still maintaining vehicle safety inspections and environmental protections required under federal law. I believe regulatory requirements should be based on current data and actual environmental needs. If our county can continue to meet federal air quality standards without mandatory emissions testing, then residents should not be required to bear the cost and inconvenience of a program that is no longer necessary. I respectfully encourage EPA to approve North Carolina's request and allow the removal of vehicle emissions testing requirements in Forsyth County and the other affected counties. Thank you for your consideration