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Technology and the Effectiveness of Regulatory Programs over Time: Vehicle Emissions and Smog Checks with a Changing Fleet

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  • Nicholas J. Sanders
  • Ryan Sandler

Abstract

Many regional and local governments across the United States (US), Europe, and Asia have inspection and maintenance (I/M) programs designed to reduce pollution from personal transportation. To test for a link between I/M and local air pollution levels, we estimate the contemporaneous effect of inspections on local air quality in the US state of California. We use day-to-day, within-county variation in the number of vehicles certified after failing an initial emissions inspection as a proxy for emissions-related repairs. Additional passed reinspections of older vehicles with inferior emissions technology (pre-1985 model year) reduce local carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and particulate matter levels, but passed reinspections of newer vehicles with more modern engine technology have no economically significant effect on air pollution. This suggests that biannual emissions inspections as currently implemented will play less of a role in reducing local air pollution as polluting vehicles from the 1970s and 1980s leave the road.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicholas J. Sanders & Ryan Sandler, 2020. "Technology and the Effectiveness of Regulatory Programs over Time: Vehicle Emissions and Smog Checks with a Changing Fleet," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 7(3), pages 587-618.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jaerec:doi:10.1086/707954
    DOI: 10.1086/707954
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    Cited by:

    1. Pessoa, Joao Paulo & Santos, Roberto Amaral & Chimeli, Ariaster, 2023. "Natural Gas Vehicles: Consequences to Fuel Markets and the Environment," SocArXiv 7tvgy, Center for Open Science.
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    3. Mathias Reynaert & James M. Sallee, 2021. "Who Benefits When Firms Game Corrective Policies?," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 13(1), pages 372-412, February.
    4. Roberto Amaral-Santos & Ariaster Chimeli & Joao Paulo Pessoa, 2023. "Natural Gas Vehicles: Consequences to Fuel Markets and the Environment," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2023_07, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q52 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Pollution Control Adoption and Costs; Distributional Effects; Employment Effects
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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