Governor DeWine Directs Ohio EPA to Begin Process to End E-Check in Northeast Ohio
(CLEVELAND, Ohio)— Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced today that he has directed Ohio EPA to begin the process to end the E-Check vehicle emissions testing program in Northeast Ohio.
The move to end E-Check comes after the U.S. EPA redesignated the region as meeting the federal ozone standard in June. The Cleveland area is now designated as in attainment for all federal air quality standards.
"Decades of work to reduce pollution have finally paid off to the extent that we no longer believe E-Check is needed to maintain federal air quality standards in Northeast Ohio," said Governor DeWine.
The U.S. EPA began mandating emissions testing to reduce ozone in the Cleveland region in the late 1980s. Ohio formally launched the E-Check Program in 1996, requiring certain vehicles to undergo emissions testing every two years. The program is currently active in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit counties.
“Ohio EPA has worked for decades with communities and businesses to improve air quality,” said Ohio EPA Director John Logue. “With the region now meeting federal air quality standards, we’re ready to take the next steps in this process while ensuring those improvements continue in the years to come.”
U.S. EPA approval is required before the program can be eliminated.
Next month, Ohio EPA will issue a notice inviting public comment on the proposal to end E-Check, followed by a public meeting in November to allow for additional input from residents and stakeholders. After considering public comments, Ohio EPA will submit its request to the U.S. EPA before the end of the year.
Ohio must continue operating E-Check until the federal government approves the request to end the program.
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