Comments on S.211, Motor Vehicle Inspections
Laura Hill-Eubanks
Northfield, VT
2/22/2026
The Vermont Senate Committee on Transportation is considering a Bill, S.211, that would change the requirement for state inspection of motor vehicles from every year, to every 2 years. My concern is that the state of Vermont may be allowing an increase in emissions of pollutants, as well as in the excessive level of noise coming from motor vehicles. Motor vehicle emissions and noise levels are both regulated under the Federal Clean Air Act; and both are harmful to human health. The legislature should more fully protect the health of Vermonters by requiring that all motor vehicles have adequate mufflers and exhaust systems that prevent increased emissions and noise levels. Modifications to motor vehicles that cause an increase in noise can also increase emissions of pollutants. There are two main sources of loud motor vehicle noise. The first is the practice of modifying mufflers and exhaust systems on motorcycles, cars and trucks to deliberately increase their noise level. The second is large commercial trucks
that do not use mufflers that sufficiently limit the noise coming from their air compression brakes.
Modifications that increase noise levels commonly involve removing, restricting, or bypassing the components responsible for cleaning exhaust emissions (such as the catalytic converter); and the use of straight pipes or high-flow mufflers. This results in more pollutants being released, and/or the vehicle running less efficiently and using more fuel. These modifications to motor vehicles have detrimental effects on public health and the environment.
An increase in emissions of pollutants from motor vehicles increases the levels of carcinogens and can also cause neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive and/or immune system damage.
Excessive noise from motor vehicles is more than merely an annoyance. The Vermont Public Health Association cautions that noise pollution can impair physical health and mental well-being. Exposure to high noise levels is associated with elevated blood pressure, heart disease, sleep deprivation, headaches, and chronic fatigue. Unfortunately, surprisingly little is being done by government officials or law enforcement to stop excessive motor vehicle noise in Vermont. Currently, Vermont state law requires that a motor vehicle will only fail the state inspection if the relevant part or system is related to safety, and its condition “may pose a danger to the operator or to other highway users.” [23 V.S.A. § 1222] This means that modifications to motor vehicle mufflers and exhaust systems that cause an increase in noise or emissions would not fail the inspection.
The state of Vermont should be doing more to protect its residents’ health. I ask that the Senate Committee on Transportation added to the statute the requirement that motor vehicles shall fail inspection if they are modified in such a manner that would pose a danger to both human health and safety. And that a danger to human health includes modifications to mufflers or exhaust systems that would increase noise or emissions levels.
I would also like to take the opportunity to thank the Senate Committee on Transportation for its work and passage of S.66, legislation that would require all motor vehicles that operate on the state’s roads to be equipped with adequate mufflers and exhaust systems, and prevent owners of motor vehicles from modifying their mufflers and exhaust systems to make them louder. As someone who lives in an area
significantly impacted by loud noise from motorcycles, cars and trucks, I was extremely
grateful for the opportunity the Senate Committee provided in hearing from myself and many others on the need for more effective regulation of the noise. Unfortunately, the Chair of the House Transportation Committee has not allowed the Bill to move forward in that committee. This is very disappointing to many of us in the state of Vermont that live with the impacts of loud motor vehicles every day. In refusing to
move the legislation forward, the leadership of the House Transportation Committee is essentially telling us that the resulting impacts are not important and that we must live with them. I see the lack of effort on the part of that committee, and that of the state administration, as a failure of leadership. We deserve better.