Overview
- A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on Jan. 27 requiring the state to continue vehicle safety and emissions inspections until the EPA approves any change.
- The Attorney General’s Office said inspection stickers expiring before March 26 now have until April 10, while the Department of Safety cited an April 10 extension for stickers expiring prior to March 1.
- State officials plan to appeal the ruling, and the Executive Council is expected to consider extending the contract needed to operate the inspection system.
- The EPA confirmed New Hampshire requested approval in December to alter its plan and to exit the Ozone Transport Region, with a decision timeline that could stretch up to 18 months.
- Political tensions and enforcement questions have surfaced as Republican leaders criticize the ruling and some local police signal lower priority for ticketing overdue stickers.