This study was requested by the 1992 Session of the General Assembly through the passage of Senate Joint Resolution No. 104. Recognizing the importance of clean air to the health of all Virginians and the significant impact of motor vehicles on the Commonwealth's air quality, this legislation sought the recommendations of a study subcommittee on the development of a cost-effective plan for Virginia's implementation of the federal Clean Air Amendments of 1990.

The work of the SJR 104 Subcommittee focused on three elements whose implementation would require action by the General Assembly:

• Motor vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance (I/M) programs;

• A low-emission vehicle (LEV) program; and

• A motor vehicle scrappage program.

Consideration of a closely related fourth issue, a clean fuel fleet program, was coordinated with the Joint Subcommittee Studying the Use of Vehicles Powered by Clean Transportation Fuels, as provided in House Joint Resolution No. 100 (HJR 100).

After four meetings, two of which were public hearings, the Joint Subcommittee recommended that:

1. A centrally administered (test-only) enhanced I/M program be established to cover vehicles registered in localities within the federally designated ozone nonattainment area in Northern Virginia, the County of Fauquier, and the City of Fredericksburg;

2. A decentralized (test-and-repair) basic I/M program be established to cover vehicles registered in localities within the federally designated ozone nonattainment area in Central Virginia, to become effective at such time as the General Assembly deems appropriate;

3. A LEV program not be supported at the present time;

4. A motor vehicle scrappage program be established to encourage the retirement of older, "dirtier" motor vehicles, including a mechanism by which industries making contributions toward the cost of the program could receive short-term air pollution credits; and

5. A clean fuel fleet program be established for the Northern Virginia ozone nonattainment area in accordance with recommendations of the HJR 100 Clean Fuels Subcommittee.

While agreeing on the elements which I/M, scrappage, and clean fuel fleet programs should include, the Subcommittee neither considered nor recommended specific draft legislation to implement these recommendations.