States Eye EPA Talks To Boost Support For Vehicle Inspection Programs

State and local air regulators are planning to meet with EPA policymakers next month to discuss ways to boost support for vehicle inspection/maintenance (I/M) programs, which have been increasingly targeted by Midwestern state legislators because of the politically unpopular requirement for vehicle owners to test -- and possibly repair -- their automobiles' emissions systems. "We have been seeking support from EPA on a national basis to reaffirm the importance of I/M and to fend off attacks," says a state official...