For Immediate Release
Date: August 20, 2007
Contact: Maura Browning
Phone: (573) 751-8222
New Schedule for Emissions Program Implementation Announced
JEFFERSON CITY – St. Louis area motorists required to obtain an emissions inspection in September have a reprieve, albeit a short one. Residents of the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, and Franklin County currently participate in the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Gateway Clean Air Program, which will end September 1, 2007.
The new emissions program, called the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program (GVIP), will be fully implemented October 1, 2007. According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in September, participating emissions-testing facilities will finalize equipment installation, training, and licensing to ensure a smoother transition to the new, decentralized emissions testing requirements. Thus, no emissions inspections will be conducted in September. Such inspections must occur prior to September 1, 2007, or on or after October 1, 2007.
Motorists would be required to obtain emissions inspections if they:
· Live in the City of
· Have an odd-numbered model year vehicle 1996 or newer (such as 1999, 2001 or 2003).
· Have a vehicle registration that expires in 2007 or are registering a newly-purchased used vehicle.
Vehicle owners whose plates expire in September should already have received a registration renewal notice from the Missouri Department of Revenue. To St. Louis area residents who renew or register vehicles in September and are required to obtain an emissions inspection, this means:
· Affected vehicle owners may either:
o Obtain the emissions testing early, prior to September 1, or;
o Obtain the required safety inspection, renew/register the vehicle in September, and obtain an emissions test prior to December 1, 2007.
· If the customer elects to delay the vehicle’s emissions inspection, the vehicle still must pass a safety inspection prior to registration renewal. The emissions inspection extension does not apply to the safety inspection.
The Department of Natural Resources will send a notice to September registrants to remind them to visit a participating Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program testing station prior to December 1 to fulfill their emissions testing requirements. The GVIP is jointly administered by DNR and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The program is a key component of the ongoing effort to improve air quality in the St. Louis region.
Vehicle owners may register online at www.plates.mo.gov. The Department of Revenue will mail your renewal license tabs soon after finalizing your online renewal. Please allow 10 days for license tabs to arrive and plan renewals accordingly. Vehicle owners may also visit a license office for vehicle registration and plate renewal. For a list of the motor vehicle and driver license offices, visit www.dor.mo.gov/mvdl/offloc.
For more information about the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program, please visit www.GatewayVIP.com or call the Department of Natural Resources at (573) 751-4817 or toll free at (800) 361-4827.
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