By Derrick Max and Gabrielle Brohard
For more than four decades, Northern Virginia drivers have dutifully lined up every two years to have their vehicles inspected for emissions (separate from the equally onerous safety inspections required throughout Virginia). The mandate, which only applies to localities in Northern Virginia, was enacted in 1982 under the 1970 Clean Air Act and was once a reasonable response to the air quality crisis of its time.
That era is long gone. Today’s vehicles are technological marvels compared to those on the road when Ronald Reagan was in the White House, and the region’s air quality has dramatically improved. Yet Virginians are still footing the bill—over $50 million every two years—for a regulatory program that delivers almost no environmental benefit. It’s time for policymakers to acknowledge the program’s success and retire it altogether.
The results speak for themselves. Cars manufactured today emit 98–99% fewer pollutants than their mid-20th-century predecessors. Air quality in Northern Virginia now consistently meets the federal National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), even accounting for anomalies like the recent Canadian wildfires which blew into our region.
Cleaner Cars, Cleaner Air
The program’s original goal was clear: reduce the smog and pollution caused by older, less efficient vehicles. At the time, many cars lacked catalytic converters, and even newer models had no sophisticated onboard diagnostics. That’s no longer the case.
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