Gasoline-Fueled Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance
The Federal Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1990 required New Jersey to establish the Enhanced Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program (I/M) to ensure regular monitoring of gasoline fueled motor vehicle emissions by requiring that vehicles undergo periodic emissions testing. This emissions testing ensures that vehicles are well maintained and operating as designed and do not exceed established pollutant limits. Our goal is to implement an Enhanced I/M program in accordance with the State Implementation Plan that reduces ozone precursors, particulates and air toxics. This program also reduces carbon dioxide through improved fuel efficiency.
OBD Simulator Fraud
The Bureau of Mobile Sources (BMS) is responsible for quality assurance oversight of emissions tests performed in the State’s motor vehicle inspection program. BMS personnel developed a method to detect fraudulent inspections that are performed using an electronic simulator in lieu of a vehicle’s on-board diagnostic system, which is the required inspection for most cars and light trucks manufactured after model year 1995. An investigation by BMS, the Division of Criminal Justice and the Motor Vehicle Commission resulted in three men who formerly operated a private auto inspection business in Paterson being sentenced to jail for fraudulently using data simulators to generate false passing results for motor vehicle emissions inspections during 2010-2014. The men took payments of $80-150 from customers in return for using the electronic devices to generate passing results for vehicles that had failed emissions inspections. BMS recently finalized the Environmental Impact Analysis identifying the damage caused by fraudulent emissions inspections performed in Passaic County and determined it had caused a 104 ton per year increase in nitric oxide (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions throughout the county and surrounding areas during 2013 alone. NOx and VOCs are precursors to ground-level ozone formation. New Jersey is in non-attainment for the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ground-level ozone.
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Diesel-Fueled Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance
The Diesel Inspection and Maintenance unit administers the Heavy Duty Diesel Inspection and Maintenance (HDDVIP) program, which was one of the first programs in the country. Established by law in 1995, the Diesel Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) program requires that all heavy-duty diesel powered motor vehicles (HDDVs) with a manufacturers gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 18,000 pounds or more be annually inspected by one of the 300 licensed diesel Private Inspection Facilities (PIFs) throughout the state. The GVWR may be different from the vehicles' registered weight. All diesel-powered trucks, commercial buses and school buses including private and government vehicles are subject to regulation. Emergency vehicles such as ambulances and fire trucks are exempted.
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