PORTLAND, Ore. — Most drivers in the Portland metro area are no doubt familiar with emissions testing, the state requirement that you take in your vehicle for an air pollutant check-up to keep it registered. But more and more there are reasons to ask the question: Why is Oregon still doing this?
Emissions testing in Oregon started back in the mid-’70s as a way to comply with the Clean Air Act and curb air pollution from cars and trucks. Back then, the Portland and Medford metropolitan areas did not meet federal requirements for air quality, which is why those two places are where testing is required to this day.
Every two years, or whenever a new resident wants to register their vehicle in Oregon with the DMV, drivers must go to special testing stations operated by the Department of Environmental Quality. Workers there will plug a machine into your vehicle to ensure that it’s not giving off too many harmful fumes. For older vehicles, they test emissions right from the tailpipe…