End Outdated Emissions Testing

You Just Lost 2 Hours and $25 to Prove Your Car’s Already Clean.

And you’re not alone. Colorado drivers waste millions of hours and dollars each year complying with a vehicle emissions testing system that:

  • No longer reflects modern technology

  • Doesn’t significantly improve air quality

  • Hits lower-income drivers the hardest

We’re here to change that.

What’s Wrong with Colorado’s Emissions Testing?

It’s Outdated

  • Testing rules are based on car tech from the 1980s.

  • Cars built after 1996 have onboard computers that self-monitor emissions.

  • Most cars now pass easily — we’re spending money to prove the obvious.

It’s Ineffective

  • Colorado’s own audit says the program reduces ozone by less than 1%.

  • Over $50 million per year is spent for minimal environmental impact.

  • Tailpipe tests can even fail clean cars due to testing quirks.

It’s Unfair

  • Heavy diesel trucks and government fleets? Mostly exempt.

  • Low-income drivers with older vehicles? Hit hardest.

  • If you can afford a newer car, you’re exempt. If you can’t, you pay the price.

Other States Have Moved On

Florida, Tennessee, and North Carolina have scaled back or eliminated emissions testing:

  • No spike in pollution

  • No federal penalties

  • No more wasted time and money

There’s a Smarter Way Forward

We want real solutions - not legacy red tape.

  • Exempt newer vehicles for at least 10 years

  • End treadmill tailpipe testing for all OBD-equipped cars

  • Use remote sensing to target actual gross polluters

  • Offer repair assistance or trade-in incentives for dirty cars

  • Focus state resources on major pollution sources (like oil & gas, heavy-duty diesel)

Colorado’s emissions testing system is:

  • A tax on your time and income

  • A penalty for driving a working car you can afford

  • A false promise of environmental protection

PLEASE HELP US END OUTDATED EMISSIONS TESTING

As a 501(c)(4), we are legally allowed to devote a substantial portion of our resources to lobbying and legislative advocacy — far more than charitable 501(c)(3) organizations, which are limited in how much they can spend on such activities. Your support helps us directly influence public policy for cleaner, fairer air in Colorado. THANK YOU!

Fair Air Colorado is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit social welfare organization. Contributions are not tax-deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes. Donations support our advocacy efforts to modernize Colorado’s emissions testing laws. We have submitted the required notice to the IRS and are operating as a tax-exempt entity under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.As a 501(c)(4), we are legally allowed to devote a substantial portion of our resources to lobbying and legislative advocacy — far more than charitable 501(c)(3) organizations, which are limited in how much they can spend on such activities. Your support helps us directly influence public policy for cleaner, fairer air in Colorado.

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