(The Center Square) — New Hampshire drivers will still need to undergo vehicle emissions tests and get inspection stickers after a federal court judge temporarily blocked a law scrapping the program.
In a ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty issued an injunction Tuesday ordering the state to continue the annual vehicle emissions and safety inspections, which were set to go into effect Saturday. McCafferty’s order requires vehicle inspections to continue until the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency gives the state final approval of the state plan to end the program.
Attorney General John Formella, whose office represents the state, said he will issue guidance in the coming days for New Hampshire motorists affected by the temporary injunction.
“We are reviewing the court’s decision and considering appropriate next steps,” Formella’s office said in a statement. “We note that the order addresses a preliminary matter and does not resolve the merits of the case.”
Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed a two-year budget in June that repealed the mandatory safety and emissions inspection requirements for cars and trucks.
State environmental officials said that, despite the changes, New Hampshire will remain in compliance with Clean Air Act provisions to reduce tailpipe pollution even after the vehicle inspection mandate ends. New Hampshire has applied to the EPA to leave the Ozone Transport Region, a pact that requires states to take steps to reduce tailpipe pollution but hasn’t received approval yet.
The move to ditch the inspection program has also faced a backlash from Democrats and auto dealerships who say it will hurt sales and from environmental groups who say it will contribute to excess carbon emissions that scientists say are contributing to a warmer planet.
Gordon Darby Holdings, Inc., a Kentucky-based firm that conducts the state’s yearly emissions tests of cars, trucks, and SUVs, filed a lawsuit to block a new law ending the mandate, claiming it would violate the federal Clean Air Act.
Last month, the state agency informed Gordon-Darby that it is terminating its agreement with the company, which has administered the inspection program for more than 26 years.
Republican lawmakers who pushed the measure through the GOP-controlled Legislature earlier this year have defended the move, saying it will save Granite Staters money. They’ve argued that the company’s lawsuit is more about money than it is about protecting the environment.
In a social media post, state Sen. Keith Murphy, R-Manchester, said that there is “zero chance of me taking my car in for inspection as a result of this decision.”
