Diesel-Powered Commercial Motor Vehicle Emissions Standards

For the purposes of Sections 14-164i-1 through 14-164i-11, inclusive, of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

1. (1) "Air pollution control system or mechanism" means a system or mechanism as defined by subsection (a) of section 22a-174-200 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.
2. (2) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles or the commissioner's authorized representative.
3. (3) "Compliance" means meeting the inspection standards for diesel-powered commercial motor vehicles as specified in section 14-164i-2 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, or meeting the alternative opacity standards as specified in section 14-164i-10 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.
4. (4) "Dealer and repairer emissions examiner" means a person employed by a Connecticut dealer and repairer emissions station who is certified by the commissioner to conduct an inspection.
5. (5) "Dealer and repairer diesel emissions inspection station" means a Connecticut dealer and repairer licensee approved by the commissioner to conduct an inspection.
6. (6) "Department" means the Department of Motor Vehicles.
7. (7) "Diesel emissions" means diesel smoke that is emitted into the environment from any diesel-powered commercial motor vehicle.
8. (8) "Diesel emissions inspection report" or "Inspection report" means a document, issued by the commissioner at the time of inspection, in such form as the commissioner shall prescribe, containing a designation of pass or fail, which shall constitute proof of inspection.

9. (9) "Diesel powered commercial motor vehicle" or "Vehicle" means a vehicle powered by a diesel engine and designed or used to transport passengers or property, except a vehicle used within one hundred fifty miles of a farm in connection with the operation of such farm, fire fighting apparatus or other authorized emergency vehicles, or a recreational vehicle in private use, which (A) has a gross vehicle weight rating of twenty-six thousand and one pounds or more;

   1. (B) is designed to transport sixteen or more passengers, including the driver, but does not include a school bus, as defined in section 14-1(a)(74) of the Connecticut General Statutes.
10. (10) "Emissions inspector" means an employee of the Department of Motor Vehicles in the inspector job classification.
11. (11) "Emissions related repairs" means any emissions repair intended to bring a diesel-powered commercial motor vehicle, which has received a fail designation during an inspection, into compliance with the established inspection standards.
12. (12) "Fail designation" means a designation on an inspection report which signifies that the diesel-powered commercial motor vehicle does not meet the inspection standards specified in section 14-164i-2 or section 14-164i-10 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.
13. (13) "Fleet" means a group of ten (10) or more diesel-powered commercial motor vehicles.
14. (14) "Fleet emissions examiner" means the owner or lessee of a fleet or a designated employee of the owner or lessee certified by the commissioner to conduct an inspection.
15. (15) "Initial inspection" means the first diesel emissions inspection of a diesel-powered commercial motor vehicle at a roadside inspection, fleet inspection, or dealer inspection.
16. (16) "Inspection" means a snap-acceleration smoke opacity test, developed by the commissioner in relation to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J1667 Recommended Practice, and conducted according to established test and administrative procedures.
17. (17) "Inspection standards" means the acceptable level of peak smoke opacity for diesel-powered commercial motor vehicles as determined in accordance with section 14-164I(a) of the Connecticut General Statutes.
18. (18) "Invalid test" means the diesel-powered commercial motor vehicle's exhaust sample which does not meet the prerequisite opacity sample volume for a proper emissions test reading.
19. (19) "Model year" means the year designated by the manufacturer or distributor of a diesel-powered commercial motor vehicle in accordance with the requirements of federal law.
20. (20) "Motor vehicle inspector" means an employee of the Department having inspection authority pursuant to section 14-163c-9 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.
21. (21) "Opacity" means the percentage of light transmitted from a source, which is prevented from reaching a light detector.
22. (22) "Operator" means the person driving the diesel-powered commercial motor vehicle or operating the vehicle during a diesel-powered commercial motor vehicle emissions roadside inspection.
23. (23) "Pass designation" means a designation on an inspection report which signifies that the diesel-powered commercial motor vehicle has met the inspection standards on the date the inspection was conducted.
24. (24) "Peak smoke opacity" means the highest numerical value of smoke opacity obtained through the testing procedures for the snap-acceleration smoke opacity test.
25. (25) "Person" shall have the meaning set forth in section 14-164i(g) of the Connecticut General Statutes.
26. (26) "Preliminary snap-acceleration test cycles" means a procedure utilized to clean out the exhaust of a diesel-powered commercial motor vehicle and to stabilize the engines exhaust emissions.
27. (27) "Roadside inspection" means a diesel emissions inspection authorized by section 14-164i(b) of the Connecticut General Statutes.
28. (28) "SAE"' means the Society of Automotive Engineers.
29. (29) "Smoke opacimeter" means a type of smokemeter, approved by the commissioner, designed to measure the opacity of a plume or sample of smoke by means of a light extinction principle.
30. (30) "Snap-acceleration smoke opacity test" means a test adopted by the Society of Automotive Engineers for the testing of diesel-powered commercial motor vehicles, known as the SAE J1667 Recommended Practice test. The test includes five phases: vehicle preparation and safety check; test preparation and equipment set-up; driver familiarization and vehicle preconditioning; execution of the snap-acceleration test; and calculation and reporting of final results.

(Effective September 28, 1998; Amended December 29, 2006)