About Us

Albuquerque, located in Bernalillo County, is the largest metropolitan area in New Mexico and accounts for over one-third of New Mexico's population. Bernalillo County's air quality problem is largely derived from the rapid growth of the area with its accompanying increases in transportation sources of pollution. Mobile sources are responsible for 80% of the total wintertime carbon monoxide (CO) pollution in Bernalillo County.

Because of continued population growth and urban sprawl, the number of vehicles and vehicle miles traveled in Bernalillo County continue to increase. Albuquerque also captures considerable commuter and through traffic due to its large employment centers and location as a major crossroad on the Interstate highway system. The growth of Albuquerque and surrounding areas has led to air quality problems principally derived from the large automobile fleet. The unique topography and climate predispose Albuquerque to temperature inversions in the winter months. Automobile emissions and other pollutants are trapped within a stagnant air mass.

Bernalillo County was designated as a non-attainment area for carbon monoxide from 1978 to 1996. The chart shows the number of exceedances of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards from 1983 through 1998. Control strategies were implemented at both the national and local levels to reduce the amount of CO emitted from motor vehicles

The Federal Motor Vehicle Control Program required automobile manufacturers to install pollution control devices in all newly manufactured vehicles. These pollution control devices (from catalytic converters to onboard diagnostic systems) have resulted in 1998 vehicles emitting a fraction of the CO emitted by 1970 model year vehicles.

At the local level, a centralized vehicle emissions testing program was started in 1982. This program was based on an annual dynamometer test operated by a contractor with oversight by the City of Albuquerque. In 1984, the New Mexico Supreme Court declared the vehicle testing program unconstitutional due to the manner in which the test fee was collected and the program was shut down. The Federal Highway Administration imposed funding sanctions from 1985-88 due to the lack of a vehicle emissions testing program.

In 1989, the biennial, decentralized Air Care program was started. The program remains in place today and aims to identify and repair polluting vehicles. In spite of growth in vehicle miles traveled, the carbon monoxide levels in Albuquerque have decreased and the federal CO standards have not been exceeded since 1991.

In July 1996, Albuquerque was designated in attainment of federal CO standards. To stay in attainment, the State Implementation Plan (SIP) specifies that several programs, including vehicle inspection, remain in place for 10 years. The SIP also contains a contingency measure calling for annual, rather than biennial, emissions testing should there be a CO violation.

Emissions Testing Resources

• Nationwide Emissions Testing Areas
• OBDII Information
• List of Air Care Stations
• Information for Air Care Stations
• Information for Inspectors
• Emission Testing Regulation