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SOUTH SALT LAKE — South Salt Lake auto shop owner Jerry Lambert said he hates to deliver the bad news when a customer's car fails its emissions test.
"When I tell them how much it costs just to diagnose it, a lot of times they can't even afford that. That's when you know they're hurting," Lambert said. "There's a lot of people out there who could really use some help."
That reason, paired with an effort to reduce pollutants along the Wasatch Front, is why Salt Lake County officials have partnered with the Tesoro Foundation and local auto repair businesses like Lambert's to help more county residents pay for vehicle emission repairs.
Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams announced Friday that Tesoro is donating $300,000 over three years to fund the county's 1-year-old vehicle repair assistance program, allowing more vehicle owners to qualify for financial assistance to lessen their cars' pollutants and get them back on the road.
"Air pollution raises significant health concerns, and more than 50 percent of the most dangerous air pollution in our valley is due to vehicle emissions," said Gary Edwards, executive director of the Salt Lake County Health Department. "A vehicle that fails an emissions inspection can be up to 100 times more polluting than a vehicle that's operating properly."
While drivers can apply for a waiver to emission tests, they would still be driving a high-polluting vehicle. That's why Salt Lake County initially launched its vehicle repair assistance program last year to use the county's fleet services division to perform repair work on vehicles accepted into the program.
Now Tesoro's grant will allow local auto repair businesses to participate.
In 2015, 48 vehicles were repaired out of 76 applicants, according to county records. Over the next three years, Edwards said the county hopes to help repair about 450 vehicles.
Related:
U of U introduces electric car program to improve Utah's air
Every time someone starts up a gasoline-powered car on the Wasatch Front, tailpipe emissions are pumped into the air we breathe. That's why the University of Utah offered a first of its kind electric vehicle program to encourage members of the U community to drive electric."There are almost 1 million registered vehicles in Salt Lake County today. That's why we must continue to look for ways to get even more out of our emissions control program," McAdams said. "We know that people don't want to drive polluting vehicles, but sometimes they can't afford the necessary repairs to pass their emissions tests."
The program's eligibility is based on federal poverty guidelines, and financial assistance varies based on level of poverty. If an applicant is 200 percent or below the federal poverty level, the county would pay 100 percent of the repair bill to a maximum of $1,000. For more details about application guidelines and requirements, visit the county's website.
Edwards thanked Tesoro for its donation and for having the "foresight" to contribute to a cause that will help struggling Salt Lake County residents and help clean the valley's air.
"We strive to have a positive impact where we operate," said Brian Sullivan, Tesoro vice president of corporate affairs. "We are committed to collaborating with stakeholders to create a cleaner, safer, well-educated community."
