Minor Amendments to Inspection Maintenance Program Evaluation Requirements; Amendment to the Final Rule

Today's action revises the Motor Vehicle Inspection/ Maintenance (I/M) requirements by replacing the I/M rule requirement that the tailpipe portion of the mandatory program evaluation be performed using only an IM240 or equivalent mass-emission transient test with a requirement that states use a sound evaluation methodology capable of providing accurate information about the overall effectiveness of an I/M program. The goal of this action is to allow states additional flexibility to use not only IM240 but other approved alternative methodologies for their program evaluation. Today's action also clarifies that such program evaluation testing shall begin no later than November 30, 1998, and is not required to be coincident with program start up (though the first report is still due two years after program start up). This action also clarifies that ``initial test'' simply means that the test is conducted before repairs for each test cycle, and does not therefore preclude states from using alternative sampling methodologies such as roadside pullover to sample the fleet. Today's action also amends the conditions relating to the program evaluation testing requirements that were part of the conditional interim approval actions taken on the I/M State Implementation Plans (SIPs) for the Commonwealths of Pennsylvania and Virginia and the State of Delaware. States wishing to take advantage of the flexibility provided by today's action should review their implementation plans for any language that conflicts with today's amendments. Such language will need to be amended and the amendment submitted as a SIP revision by November 30, 1998.