Northern Virginia motorists need to be aware that emissions inspection in Fairfax, VA is going remote. The 1990 Federal Clean Air Act Amendments required inspection programs for urban areas exceeding the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone and/or carbon monoxide (CO), including The Washington DC Metropolitan Statistical Area. In Virginia, this area includes the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park, and the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, and Stafford.
Federal regulations also require a nominal 0.5% of the vehicles subject to emissions inspection in Fairfax, VA also be subject to remote-sensory “on-road testing.” According to the EPA, “On-road testing is part of the emissions testing program, but is to compliment emissions testing otherwise required.”
This legislation followed a pilot program by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VA DEQ) to undertake emissions inspection in Fairfax, VA through remote sensing. The study, which took place in Northern Virginia and was conducted by Envirotest, was completed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to prepare for a more comprehensive enhanced vehicle emissions testing program begun in late 1997.
Remote Sensing Technology (RST) measures pollution from vehicle emissions inspection while your vehicle is in motion. Specifically, remote sensing systems use high-speed, high-resolution video camera technology with complex software to record beams of light, emissions levels and vehicle identification information – all while you’re safely on your way to anywhere. The road-side emissions inspection in Fairfax, VA measures and inspects emissions in Fairfax, VA from a thousand vehicles per hour on select Virginia roadways. This program may be expanded in the future, especially with scientific research and federal efforts to reduce pollution from vehicle emissions.
Remote sensing measurements will be used to evaluate the effectiveness and capability of the actual (RTS) program. Positive results may mean the end of the vehicle emissions inspection as we know it. Someday soon, you may just get a text from the VA DEQ telling you your car needs emissions service. For now, you can trust the auto inspections experts at Wiygul Automotive Clinic. Stop by our approved State Inspection and Emissions station anytime you have a vehicle concern, need new tires, have repair work, or face a looming deadline for emissions inspection in Fairfax, VA.
