NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro Council voted to defer voting on a resolution that would end vehicle emissions testing requirements in Davidson County.
The council will pick back up on the discussion during its meeting on January 4.
If the resolution passes, the county would join several other areas in Tennessee where they are planning to get rid of the testing next year. During Tuesday night's meeting, Metro Council approved an amendment on the bill that would end the program in Davidson County on January 14, 2022.
Long lines and not enough people working at vehicle emissions sites in Davidson County are the reasons why some people would like to see this requirement go away.
The EPA has given Davidson and surrounding counties the green light to end vehicle emissions testing.
Hamilton, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson counties will get rid of the requirement on January 14, 2022.
Emissions testing has been a requirement since 1984 but the number of failures is gradually decreasing.
In 2017, about 8.5% of vehicles failed and in 2020 just under 7.5% did.
Environmental health officials NewsChannel 5 spoke with say they still want testing. According to Hugh Atkins, Environmental Health Bureau director, vehicle emissions testing helps the city stay in compliance with the EPA's clean-air standard.
