HR0654LRB097 14811 JDS 59840 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, In 1970, Congress enacted the Clean Air Act to 
3improve air quality and reduce air pollution; and
  
 
4    WHEREAS, In 1977, the Clean Air Act was amended and 
5broadened to include an
Inspection and Maintenance program; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, In 1983, the USEPA began formal sanctions to 
7withhold federal highway funding from Illinois for failure to 
8meet ozone health requirements; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, In response, Public Act 83-1477 created an 
10Inspection and Maintenance program, which began in 1986 and is 
11known as the Illinois Vehicle Emissions Testing Program; and
  
 
12    WHEREAS, Illinois tests the emissions of certain 
13gasoline-powered vehicles that are more than 4 model years old; 
14and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, These tests are performed in Chicago and 
16Metro-East St. Louis areas
that have exceeded federal air 
17quality standards; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency 
19(IEPA) uses a contractor to perform these tests, and the 
 
 
HR0654- 2 -LRB097 14811 JDS 59840 r

1program's total cost is approximately $50 million per year; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, In calendar year 2000, the contractor performed 
31,647,995 emissions tests, and 8.4% of the vehicles tested, 
4most of which had model years earlier than 1990, failed; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, The last time this program was audited was in 
62001; therefore, be it
  
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
8NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
9we urge the Auditor General to conduct a management audit of 
10the Illinois Environmental Protections Agency's Vehicle 
11Emissions Inspection Program in the Chicago metropolitan and 
12East St. Louis areas and to make, at the close of that audit, 
13specific determinations related to: (i) IEPA monitoring of the 
14contractor; (ii) the training of the contractor's employees; 
15(iii) the effectiveness of the contractor's process for 
16responding to damage complaints; and (iv) the differences 
17between tests used in Illinois and those used in other states; 
18and be it further
  
 
19    RESOLVED, That the Office of the Auditor General submit its 
20findings to the House of Representatives as soon as is 
21practical after the conclusion of the audit.