Shared by IRPO–Emissions Inspections to End in 26 N.C. Counties

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​RALEIGH – The Environmental Protection Agency on Sept. 24 approved a reduction in North Carolina counties required to perform yearly vehicle emissions tests.

Beginning Dec. 1, 2018—26 additional counties will no longer be required to conduct emissions tests.

Those counties include:

  • Brunswick
  • Burke
  • Caldwell
  • Carteret
  • Catawba
  • Chatham

  • Cleveland

  • Craven
  • Edgecombe
  • Granville
  • Harnett
  • Haywood
  • Henderson
  • Lenoir
  • Moore
  • Nash
  • Orange
  • Pitt
  • Robeson

  • Rutherford

  • Stanly
  • Stokes
  • Surry
  • Wayne
  • Wilkes
  • Wilson
Polk and McDowell counties were already exempt from the emissions requirement.

The approval was a result of the passage of Senate Bill 131 (Regulatory Reform Act of 2016-2017) by the General Assembly during the 2017 long session.  Michael Regan, secretary of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, has certified the Implementation Plan to the EPA making Dec. 1 as the date the reduction becomes effective.  Details of the plan can be found on the website of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.

All counties will still require the safety inspection. Fifty-two counties already do not require annual vehicle emissions tests.  After Dec. 1, emissions inspections will still be required in 22 counties. Those include Alamance, Buncombe, Cabarrus, Cumberland, Davidson, Durham, Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Guilford, Iredell, Johnston, Lee, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, New Hanover, Onslow, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Union and Wake counties.

A list of counties required to perform yearly emissions inspections, as well as information on emissions and safety inspections, is available on the NCDMV website.

Shared by IRPO–NCDOT: Stay Off Roads as Conditions Worsen

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Drivers Could Impede Hurricane Response and Recovery

RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Transportation continues to urge drivers to stay off the roads, as the rain continues and conditions are getting worse by the hour. As of Sunday morning, there were more than 600 road closures across the state.

While residents may feel the need to check on homes and vacation properties in southeastern North Carolina, they will likely impede state and local response and recovery.

“The flooding we are seeing in our state is unprecedented and road conditions are changing rapidly,” said state Transportation Secretary Jim Trogdon. “If you are not in an evacuation area, stay in place.”

While some areas might reopen some local roads and bridges later today, travel from central to southeastern North Carolina is dangerous and unreliable.

By traveling in potentially hazardous areas, drivers are putting themselves and others at risk and impeding access for critical personnel – emergency services, utilities, road crews – responding to this storm.

GPS navigation systems also are not able to keep up with the changing road closures and are directing people onto roads that are confirmed closed and/or flooded.

To get an idea on road conditions, which are rapidly changing, go to DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on Twitter.

***NCDOT***