Comment submitted by Pete Smith Automotive Group

Pete Smith Automotive Group opposes EPA–R04– OAR–2025–0305 to remove OBDII Emission Inspections from 18 NC counties. Pete Smith Automotive Group is a family owned and operated business serving our local communities since 1947. Consisting of 7 automotive repair locations and 1 used automotive sales lot, we are based across Wake, Franklin, Vance, and Warren counties. We have a unique perspective on the proposal to remove the requirement for 18 counties to have Safety and Emission inspections since we currently serve counties of both types; Wake and Franklin require Safety and Emissions Inspections while Vance and Warren counties only require Safety Inspections. What we see in our daily experience is that citizens of Vance and Warren counties defer maintenance at much higher rates than citizens of Wake and Franklin counties since they are not required to remedy their Check Engine Light malfunctions on a yearly basis to pass inspection. While the 18 counties in North Carolina which currently require Emissions and Safety Inspections have met air quality goals, it is Pete Smith Automotive Group’s concern that these counties will regress back to harmful emission levels should citizens begin to defer maintenance at high rates. Pete Smith Automotive Group also believes the proposal will have a negative economic impact on citizens of those 18 counties. While a repair to remedy a Check Engine Light malfunction may be expensive in the short term, deferring the repair often leads to higher long term costs as the malfunction may affect other systems or increase in severity where a more costly repair is needed. The yearly savings of $16.40 from the cost of a Safey Inspection vs Safety and Emissions Inspection may not offset the additional cost incurred from deferring maintenance.