DEQ offering free emissions tests

Published 5:00 am Thursday, September 19, 2002

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality this week kicked off an 11-day campaign telling interested motorists whether their cars are clean or dirty.

And they’re not talking about the landfill of fast-food wrappers and other garbage littering your bucket seats.

”The intent of the program is to let people know whether their cars are emitting more pollution than the vehicle was designed to emit,” Greg McClarren of the Bend Clean Air Committee said in a news release.

The free testing program started Wednesday at North Division and Highway 97 near O.B. Riley Road in Bend.

About 8,000 cars stopped by the voluntary testing spots during the program’s last stop in Bend two years ago. The current visit marks the program’s fourth test session in Bend.

The testing will help the DEQ make comparisons for vehicles around Oregon and educate motorists about vehicle emissions, said Larry Calkins of the Bend DEQ Air Quality Program.

The testing is free and quick.

Motorists can have their automobile tested by driving past an infrared beam at a designated site. The site will be in various high-traffic areas around Bend.

The beam can effectively identify pollutants from passing vehicles. The test measures concentrations of chemicals, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide from passing vehicles.

Motorists receive an immediate report of their vehicle’s performance displayed by an electronic sign indicating ”high” or ”low” pollution levels. Wednesday, the sign malfunctioned forcing DEQ workers to hold up hand written signs informing motorists of their vehicle’s emissions.

The DEQ does not issue violations for cars that do not pass, Calkins said.

Portland and Medford are the only cities in Oregon that mandate vehicle emissions testing. Vehicles must pass the test before owners can purchase license plates.

Bend doesn’t require such tests, nor does it plan to because the ozone level for the area is undetermined and probably not in violation as it is in Portland and Medford, Calkins said.

In 2000, twice as many vehicles failed the emissions test in Bend than in Portland, DEQ officials said.

The DEQ finds that unmaintained vehicles with many miles usually run dirty, said Mickey Hunt, fleet manager for the DEQ Vehicle Inspection Program.

The DEQ hopes owners of high-polluting vehicles will fix their cars or trucks, even though it is not required by law, Calkins said.

The repairs, often minor, can be done at several certified repair shops that have partnered with the DEQ to offer discounts on pollution-related work.

But even after testing ”high,” many motorists refuse to repair their vehicle, Calkins said.

Making repairs to a polluting vehicle benefits air quality and saves motorists’ money by improving fuel economy and ensuring the car is running efficiently, Calkins said.

Matthew Taran can be reached at 541-383-0350 or at mtaran@bendbulletin.com.