CHICAGO HEIGHTS—(ENEWSPF)—March 28, 2013. To improve efficiency and accountability, State Representative Anthony DeLuca (D-Chicago Heights) called for an audit of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s (IEPA) Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program in the Chicago metropolitan and East St. Louis areas. DeLuca’s call for transparency and oversight was in turn quickly answered by the IEPA.
“A few weeks ago, I submitted a resolution to audit the IEPA,” said Representative DeLuca. “While the resolution has not been called in the State Government Administration Committee, the IEPA has decided to fully comply with the request. The last audit of the program occurred in 2001. They have provided information for its last five years of activity. It is exciting to see organizations willing to be this cooperative and to answer important questions about how taxpayer dollars are being spent”
DeLuca recently filed House Resolution 19 urging the Illinois Auditor General to conduct a management audit of the IEPA’s Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program in the Chicago metropolitan and East St. Louis areas.
The audit, which is located at www.epa.state.il.us, provides a wealth of information and history of the program, testing requirements, operating statistics and other useful statistics on the program.
The grass roots suggestion to evaluation the necessity of continuing the program came from DeLuca’s Healthcare Advisory Committee. The committee chair, Karen Biesboer of Park Forest, stated that, “At a time when the state needs every dollar it can get to handle the increasing debt load, we must look at ways to simplify high cost programs.”
According to the 2011 Vehicle Emission Testing Program Annual Report, nearly two million vehicles were tested and of the number only 7.1 percent failed the initial inspection and required repairs.
“I will continue pushing for fiscal responsible legislation to save taxpayer dollars,” DeLuca said. “I am pleased and thankful that we were able to get answers in a timely fashion. More accountability and transparency is always a good thing.”
For more information, please contact Representative DeLuca’s constituent service office at 708-754-7900.
