Placard on exterior of EPA Building in Washington DC.
SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — A new vehicle emissions testing requirement set to take effect Nov. 1 in Bexar County has been put on hold after the Environmental Protection Agency granted a stay, giving federal and state officials more time to review the program.
The requirement would have forced Bexar County drivers to undergo emissions testing at an estimated cost of $20, plus a $7.50 fee when registering a vehicle.
San Antonio District 9 Councilwoman Misty Spears and Bexar County Precinct 3 Commissioner Grant Moody traveled to Washington, D.C., to press EPA officials to reconsider the requirement.
Spears said the testing could create a financial burden for residents who depend on older vehicles, particularly if their cars require costly repairs to pass.
Local officials are also pursuing an exemption under Section 179B of the federal Clean Air Act, which can provide relief when pollution contributing to an area’s air-quality problems originates outside the region.
Spears has argued that pollution from Mexico and the area’s geography contribute to Bexar County’s air-quality challenges. She also pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic, when vehicle traffic dropped sharply but, according to her, local air-quality levels did not significantly change.
The issue now moves to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which is expected to address Bexar County’s request for an exemption with the EPA.
Spears said the process could take 18 to 24 months or longer as officials continue pushing to remove the testing requirement from Bexar County.
For now, drivers in Bexar County will not be required to undergo emissions testing beginning Nov. 1.
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