It's actually up to the state in which you are registered to register your vehicle for an emissions test.
what do emission standards cost per vehicle?
standards cost different amounts. they range from $50,000 to $150,000 per car, with the majority costing $100-$125k
standard costs vary by regional market and make/model of vehicle. studies have concluded that while some standards are cheaper than others, all priced similarly when considering total component impact over a 5-20 year lifespan. the goal behind this type of research is to help manufacturers set appropriate prices for their products based on their value in helping to keep our air clean.
how does the epa regulate emissions?
the epa, the authority in charge of regulating emissions, has three primary goals in collecting data. these goals are to understand the status and trends of air quality, create inventories of polluting sources, and regulate air pollution sources.
to achieve these goals, they take measurements at monitoring stations across the country to track concentrations of six key pollutants–nitrogen dioxide (no2), ozone (o3), sulfur dioxide (so2) particles that cause acid rain (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 micrometers or pm10), particulate matter that is more than 2.5 micrometers but less than 10 micrometers in diameter (pm2.5) carbon monoxide (co)
what are emission fees?
emission fees are when individuals must pay extra in order to compensate for the negative byproducts of driving.
think about it like your home stove or oven or perhaps even your furnace. you have an appliance that burns fuel in order to complete a desired task, which is to produce heat/cook food if you're using the stove, and hot air if you're using your furnace. the only difference with cars is that they emit gases into the air while running, producing carbon emissions (co2) which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions (global warming). that's why pollution taxes can be thought of as our way of compensating for the toxic effects cars inflict upon others when driven outdoors.
who enforces the clean air act?
the environmental protection agency, or epa. it is a national police for environmental protection according to congress who also created it.
