BILL TO EXTEND OHIO EMISSION TESTING TO 1968 AUTOS
by Jack Colegrove, Lotus Club
A bill to extend the Ohio emissions testing program to include
autos as old as 1968 models has been introduced by Sen. Gary
Suhadolnik (R-24) of Parma Heights. The current testing
program only includes vehicles manufactured in 1975 and newer.
The bill, which includes 15 additional counties in the testing
program, may be passed by the Ohio Senate by the end of
January and by the House by the end of February.
Needless to say, this bill will certainly affect many car collectors.
Whether it will have much effect on the environment is doubtful,
since the number of pre-1975 vehicles on the road is very small
compared to the total number of vehicles in use. But, since the
number is small, objections to the bill will probably also be
small and the bill will probably become law. So envision pulling
your old Lotus, TR, MG, Mustang or whatever up to the emissions testing
station later this year.
Hopefully objections will be strongest in the 15 new counties being
mandated to do emissions testing wher none was being done at all before.
That may delay things long enough for car collectors to work on
eliminating the inclusion of the '68 to '4 vehicles in the program.
The 15 counties being added to the testing program are: Lucas (folks
on the british-cars email list, no snide remarks please), Wood, Lorain,
Medina, Summit, Portage, Geuaga, Lake, Butler, Montgomery, Clark,
Hamilton, Clermont, Warren, and Green.
Don't just sit around, call or write your senator and representative
to urge that the new program NOT include the 1968 to 1974 vehicles.
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The above article appeared in the March issue of the North Coast
Triumph Association's newsletter. I don't know the status of the "bill,"
but if you live in Ohio you might want to look further into this.
One compromise position might be to suggest to the lawmakers that
vehicles with historic or antique plates be exempted. That might
mean the 1968 to 1974 collecter cars might have to endure the
testing program until they are eligible for antique plates (this
assumes the age for antique plates in Ohio is 25 years or older.)
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Anyone out in netland able to add more current details to this story.
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Standard Disclaimer- Any opinions, etc. are mine and NOT my employer's.
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Bill Sohl (K2UNK) BELLCORE (Bell Communications Research, Inc.)
Morristown, NJ email via UUCP bcr!dancer!whs70
201-829-2879 Weekdays email via Internet whs70@dancer.cc.bellcore.com
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