Blumenthal Calls For Corruption

Probe Of Emissions Testing

By John Christoffersen

Associated Press Writer

HARTFORD (AP) — Citing reports of widespread corruption and criminal activity, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is calling for an investigation of the vehicle emissions testing and safety inspection program.

Blumenthal said Tuesday he has received reports of bribes and demands for payment for emission stickers as well as theft of stickers, which are then sold on the street. The reports have come from state police, consumers, and emissions testing employees, he said.

“These reports are extraordinarily credible, widespread, and alarming in their scope and magnitude and clearly warrant a full investigation,” Blumenthal said. “These reports are very troubling and even alarming because they mean a serious loss of money due to the state and credibility significant to the program.”

Blumenthal, who requested the probe in a letter last week to Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Jose Salinas, said his office has received reports of Envirotest inspectors improving cars with serious safety and emissions problems. His letter cites reports of “widespread corruption and criminal activity” in the emissions program run by Envirotest System Corp. in East Granby.

Envirotest, which received a 10-year, $25 million state contract in 1994 to run the emissions testing and safety inspections, denied there is widespread fraud in the program.

“We had two isolated incidents,” said company spokeswoman Martha Sanders. “To me that does not mean widespread.”

Those incidents, which occurred in Bridgeport and Darien, were brought to light by the company, Sanders said. Employees were arrested and fired, she said.

Envirotest, which tests more than 1.2 million vehicles annually at 25 stations, has a quality assurance department which conducts daily record audits that look for irregularities, Sanders said. Surveillance cameras monitor safety lanes, she said.

Envirotest also had an independent company recently conduct 34 covert audits at all stations, Sanders said. Employees were offered $50 bribes to pass a vehicle and none took them, she said.

Blumenthal said that since 1995 Envirotest has been fined $425,000 by the state for its test records, inspection procedures, and record keeping. Envirotest officials said the fines resulted from procedural issues, not fraud.

DMV spokesman Bill Seymour could not be reached for comment yesterday.