Emissions Testing Report By Stan Dale

The results are frustrating, yet somewhat encouraging for AZ motorcyclists. The study examined air quality in the Pinal County (Tucson) or area B and Maricopa County (Phoenix) or area A. The findings indicate that the exemption in area B would have an insignificant impact on air quality. However, the exemption for motorcycles in area A would have a significant impact. That does not necessarily mean that motorcycles will be exempt from emissions testing in area B any time soon. Go to http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/vei/index.html for full details.

The language of HB 2294 is such that the study included all subject vehicles as a single group and if one fails, all fail. Representatives from ABATE stated that they are already working with legislators (Pierce) to have a 2005 revision of this bill that separates each of the subjects of the study into mutually exclusive entities. Should that legislation pass it is likely that motorcycles will find themselves exempt from emissions testing in Pinal County within 12 to 18 months.

Maricopa motorcyclists face a tougher challenge. The results suggest that exempting motorcycles from emission testing would result in a measurable degradation of air quality. As such the study finds that motorcycles in this area (A) should not be exempted from testing. However, an independent challenge to the results was voiced at the meeting and AZDEQ personal are supposed to conference with these independent sources to review their challenge. The specific challenge is to the baselines and benchmarks used in the study, arguing that the numbers used were invalid. The challengers stated that they have reworked the results and find that the AZDEQ findings may be more than seven-times the actual results published. For example, in the study a performance measure stated that motorcycles average approximately 24.5 MPG when in fact that average fuel consumption is 40+MPG. It is items like this that may severely overstate the results of the study.

The bottom line is this 15-year fight is still no closer to reality but that there is a glimmer of hope for at least the second largest metropolitan area in the state.

We will stay on top of this and other initiatives and keep you informed on the results. As always, if you come across some legislation or initiative that might impact motorcycling in AZ please let us know and we will pursue, investigate and report our findings.

Stan Dale