Emissions Startup Delayed To Oct. 17

WATERBURY –– The state emissions testing program, scheduled to start September 19, will be delayed to October 17, the Department of Motor Vehicles announced this week.

The DMV urged garage owners to call customers who may have already made appointments and tell them that the startup will be delayed.

Motorists who already received test notices should discard them, the DMV said. A revised notice will be sent with an extension of the time by which they must have the test. All motorists should scrape off their old emission test stickers and wait for a test notice.

The delay stems from a decision to ensure a smooth startup of the testing process and to give garage owners more time to have the equipment readied for testing, the DMV said. In addition, Agbar Technologies, the state’s contractor for overseeing the testing process, told the DMV on Wednesday that it needed more time to coordinate the various installation processes with garages.

The construction of the statewide network requires the installation of computerized analysis software, training and on-site review of garage staff who will operate the equipment, and various kinds of modifications to prepare the garages for administering the tests. In addition, the startup of the statewide network requires a number of follow-up visits to the garages to ensure that garage owners have all the material needed.