DALLAS \u2014\u00a0Bexar County in San Antonio was set to begin required emissions testing on Nov. 1, but the rollout is now on hold after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted a stay.<\/p>\n
The new requirement has raised questions about what emissions testing could mean for drivers, particularly those with older vehicles that may need repairs to pass.<\/p>\n
At Chris Murphy\u2019s Automotive in East Dallas, emissions testing is nothing new.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe car has a computer in it that scans the systems and will tell you if there’s a fault,\u201d said Nick Murphy of Chris Murphy\u2019s Automotive.<\/p>\n
The test checks a vehicle\u2019s computer for problems that could cause a check engine light to turn on.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe main thing is pollution. If the car is polluting too much, running rich, or the catalytic converter is not doing its job, it will throw a code to notify the driver,\u201d Murphy said.<\/p>\n
If a vehicle fails because of an emissions problem, the driver has to get the issue fixed before the vehicle can pass.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn order to get your vehicle registered, you have to pass the emissions inspection,\u201d Murphy said.<\/p>\n
Emissions testing is already required in a number of Texas counties. Bexar County, where San Antonio is located, was set to join that list of counties on Nov. 1, but that plan is now on hold.<\/p>\n
San Antonio Councilwoman Misty Spears announced that Bexar County leaders traveled to Washington to raise concerns about the impact of the new requirement on drivers. The EPA later granted a stay, delaying the Nov. 1 start date.<\/p>\n
Spears also spoke with a San Antonio news outlet and said Dallas County is looking for a delay as well.<\/p>\n