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Wisconsin emissions testing requirement; state lawmakers push to repeal

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Published  March 30, 2026 12:27pm CDT
Wisconsin
FOX6 News Milwaukee
article

Getting an emissions test

The Brief

    • State Rep. Bob Donovan and Congressman Tom Tiffany are urging Congress and the EPA to end Wisconsin’s mandatory vehicle emissions testing.
    • Proponents argue the 40-year-old program is an outdated, costly burden on drivers in seven counties that lacks clear evidence of meaningful impact.
    • Tiffany, a candidate for governor, plans to seek a federal waiver from EPA Director Lee Zeldin and focus on cross-state pollution from the Chicago area instead.

GREENDALE, Wis. - Wisconsin lawmakers and Milwaukee-area business leaders are urging Congress to support an end to the state’s vehicle emissions testing requirement.

Emissions testing debate

What we know:

Back on Dec. 2, 2025, State Rep. Bob Donovan (R-Greenfield) and 17 other state legislators sent a letter to Congress, urging lawmakers to support legislation repealing the vehicle inspection and maintenance program requirements under the Clean Air Act. 

On Monday, March 30, State Rep. Donovan and Congressman Tim Tiffany (R-Minocqua), candidate for governor, talked about the reasons for this push. 

What they're saying:

"This is an issue that the residents and the driving public of southeastern Wisconsin has put up with for 40 years," Donovan said. "Science has advanced. Technology has advanced. Our engineering of vehicles has advanced. And it is literally less than 1%, is my understanding, of all the automobiles that somehow don't make the grade in this emissions testing…It's not getting the job done. And it's a burden on our residents and taxpayers."

State Rep. Bob Donovan

"I think it goes back to a fundamental question. Why? Why are we continuing to do this 40 years later if it is simply ineffective?" Congressman Tiffany asked. "There's very few automobiles that fail these tests. But because of the regulation, they are required to do time-consuming test and expensive repairs. And it hits those people who are of lesser means the most."

Congressman Tim Tiffany (R-Minocqua)

What's next:

Congressman Tiffany outlined the following steps he would take as governor in a news release:

  • Pursue a federal waiver: Work directly with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to secure a waiver ending Wisconsin’s outdated emissions testing requirement. Tiffany noted his working relationship with EPA Director Lee Zeldin and his commitment to seeing the effort through.
  • Address the real sources of pollution: Collaborate with federal officials and neighboring states, including Illinois and Indiana, to confront cross-state emissions that impact Wisconsin, particularly pollution originating from the Chicago area that travels north along Lake Michigan.

Emissions testing kiosk

The Source: Information in this post was provided by the news conference featuring Congressman Tom Tiffany and State Rep. Bob Donovan.

WisconsinNews