Tiffany joins Wisconsin lawmakers' fight to end vehicle emissions testing

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(The Center Square) – Wisconsin congressman and candidate for governor Tom Tiffany said Monday that he plans to work with the federal Environmental Protection Agency in an effort to change Clean Air Act rules and end emissions testing in Wisconsin, calling the program both costly and ineffective.

The proposal was brought to Tiffany and the Wisconsin congressional delegation in December by a group including Rep. Bob Donovan, R-Greenfield. Vehicle emissions testing is currently required in Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Washington and Waukesha counties because the area was designated a non-attainment zone.

Donovan and Tiffany both spoke Monday in front of the History Hose Tower in Greenfield about the costs of the emissions testing, including both a 1-cent per gallon petroleum tax and an estimated $271.4 million spent by Wisconsin residents from 1984 to 2022-23.

Congressman and candidate for governor Tom Tiffany and a group of Wisconsin legislators are pushing for an end to vehicle emissions testing in 7 counties pic.twitter.com/oZylAJEUYT

— Jon Styf (@JonStyf) March 30, 2026

The Wisconsin lawmakers cited advanced technology and a low failure rate of 3.1% and 3.0% in 2021 and 2022 for the program.

“It is not being done in an effective, efficient manner,” Tiffany said. “So, what we should do is set this program aside, try to get a waiver in regards to this, and allocate those resources - both manpower and money - toward things that are actually going to clean the environment because we want to ensure that we have clean air to live in here in Wisconsin.”

Matt Leppard, who owns a repair shop in Eagle, said that the emissions testing ruins the market for used cars with a check engine light on and can lead to costly repairs that need to then be prioritized over safety concerns such as new tires or other expenses for families.

“People should be allowed to drive a safe car,” Leppard said. “They should be able to put a kid in a car and not worry about that being their grocery budget every month. It’s not just the taxpayer that will save money, everybody will save money and it’s not a partisan issue.”

Tiffany said that he would not instead support a subsidy for those who need repairs, saying that would just be another taxpayer cost for a program that has not proven effective.

“Why are we continuing to do this 40 years later if it is ineffective?” Tiffany said.

Rep, Bob Donovan says it’s time to end emissions testing pic.twitter.com/MbIKfIJ7dM

— Jon Styf (@JonStyf) March 30, 2026

Donovan said that he marched in St. Patrick Days parades and heard residents speak up there to him, shouting that he should end the emissions tests.

“I think I speak for most of those residents when I say that each of us is willing to do our fair share of what the government asks of us if it makes sense,” Donovan said. “Well, this doesn’t make sense any longer.”