Legislative Audit Commission

RESOLUTION NO. 119

          WHEREAS, Illinois citizens in the Chicago metropolitan and East Saint Louis area are required by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to have their motor vehicles undergo mandatory emission inspections; and

          WHEREAS, some have argued that the treadmill test (IM-240) employed in the emission inspection and the lack of due care used by the employees of Envirotest, the company that operates the testing stations for the IEPA, has, on numerous occasions, resulted in many vehicles being damaged; and

          WHEREAS, it is unfortunate enough that our citizens must suffer the inconvenience of having their vehicles tested, they should not be further inconvenienced by losing the use of the vehicle due to having their brakes, transmission, tires or other vehicle parts damaged in a testing station; and

          WHEREAS, in many instances, Envirotest denies claims for damages based on a pre-existing condition, while at the same time the vehicle owners state that their vehicles were operating normally prior to the test;

          WHEREAS, it is reported that the State of Ohio has discarded the IM-240 test and replaced it with a test which eliminates most of the causes of vehicle damage; therefore be it

          RESOLVED, BY THE LEGISLATIVE AUDIT COMMISSION that the Auditor General is directed to conduct a management audit of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency's Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program; and be it further

          RESOLVED, that this audit shall include, but need not be limited to, the following determinations:

  • Whether and to what extent IEPA monitors the performance of the selected vendor(s), including whether the vendor's employees are properly trained and are exercising due care in conducting vehicle inspections;

  • Whether the vehicle emission inspection program has an effective process to record and resolve complaints by vehicle owners concerning alleged damage to their vehicles resulting from the inspection program; and

  • A comparison of vehicle emission tests used in Illinois (such as IM-240) with those used in other states,

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and all entities having information relevant to this audit, including vendors, shall cooperate fully and promptly with the Office of the Auditor General in the conduct of this audit; and be it further

          RESOLVED, that the Auditor General commence this audit as soon as possible and report his findings and recommendation upon completion to the Legislative Audit Commission, the Governor and the members of the General Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Illinois State Auditing Act.

          Adopted this 25th day of July, 2000.