Published Sunday, December 28, 2003
By Jeff Greenburg
Herald Staff Writer
Mercer County is among eight in Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s designated Northern Region, which contains about 1 million vehicles, that will begin the annual testing program. Erie County is also scheduled for a January implementation, while Blair, Cambria and Centre counties will begin in February and Lackawanna, Luzerne and Lycoming in March.
“Emissions inspection is a federally mandated program,” said Joan Nissley, a media relations representative for PennDOT. “What we did was try to make it as seamless as possible for the customer. It’s a program we were required to implement and we tailored it to meet the specific air quality needs of each region.”
Sixteen counties in all will begin some level of testing in 2004, joining nine others in and around Pittsburgh and Philadelphia that had previously instituted it.
“I don’t understand it all,” said Bill Consiglio, owner of Be Bops Garage, a certified testing station in Salem Township. “I go along with the program because I have to. Mercer County’s not that big of a county and I hate to say it, maybe the state just needs some money. ... But you just have to go along with the program or you’re out of business.”
While the cost of the test will be market driven, Consiglio has already set a price of $36.20. Even exempt vehicles, however, will need an exemption sticker, which Consiglio said will cost $18.10.
