Comment submitted by Daniel Barringer

I support the EPA’s approval of North Carolina’s removal of vehicle emissions inspections because the program no longer provides a meaningful environmental benefit relative to the burden it places on citizens. Modern vehicles are significantly cleaner and more reliable than those on the road when emissions programs were originally implemented. Advances in engine technology, onboard diagnostics, fuel systems, and federal emissions standards have greatly reduced vehicle emissions without the need for annual inspection programs in many areas. Continuing to require emissions inspections despite these improvements imposes unnecessary costs and inconvenience on working families, senior citizens, and small businesses. Additionally, the inspection process often functions more as a revenue-generating requirement than a substantive environmental protection measure. In many cases, vehicles with legitimate mechanical issues are already identified through onboard diagnostic systems, while properly maintained vehicles are subjected to repetitive testing that yields little measurable public benefit. As someone who is on a fixed income, this change would positively impact me. North Carolina should continue focusing resources on policies and programs that produce measurable environmental improvements rather than maintaining outdated regulatory requirements with diminishing returns. Removing emissions inspections in qualifying counties reflects current vehicle technology, reduces unnecessary government burden, and better aligns regulation with practical outcomes. I encourage the EPA to support North Carolina’s request and allow the state to modernize its vehicle inspection requirements accordingly.