Reacting to motorists' anger over controversial new emissions tests, Maryland officials announced yesterday that they would relax requirements for more than 40 percent of the 1.4 million cars and light trucks originally slated to get smog checks next year.
The changes, giving breaks to owners of new and older vehicles, are intended to make the emissions tests more "consumer-friendly" without significantly weakening the state's push to clean up air pollution in the Baltimore and Washington areas, said W. Marshall Rickert, chief of the state Motor Vehicle Administration.
Testing requirements have been dropped or modified for two major categories of vehicles. Specifically:
* A projected 200,000 new 1995 model cars and light trucks that have been bought or will be purchased next year will not have to be tested for at least two years.
* About 400,000 vehicles that are 1977 to 1983 models will get only the tailpipe exhaust test that has been standard in Maryland for more than a decade. They will not have to undergo two new tests that are planned for newer vehicles under the expanded emissions inspections.
About 150,000 vehicles built before 1977 will be exempted from any emissions testing, state officials say, because they lack the pollution controls installed on later models.
State officials say they made the changes after consulting with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which in recent weeks has signaled its willingness to give states more "flexibility" in imposing the new vehicle emissions tests.
Mary Nichols, assistant EPA administrator for air quality, joined state officials at an Annapolis news conference to hail Maryland's testing program as a model for other states. Unlike other states, which have openly rebelled against the federal requirements, Maryland has chosen to work with the EPA on crafting modifications to the program.
The new emissions testing has stirred a furor in Maryland, as motorists have peppered radio talk shows and newspapers with complaints about the costs, inconvenience and intrusiveness of the biennial inspections. The new tests will cost $17, up from $8.50 now, and will take 10 to 15 minutes, with drivers required to turn their vehicles over to testing technicians.
The tests also will be tougher to pass. Up to one vehicle out of every five is expected to fail, nearly twice the failure rate of the old inspections.