[ADEQ Media] ADEQ Director Owens Dedicates New Vehicle Emission Inspection Station in Apache Junction

[media@lists.azdeq.gov]

ADEQ Director Owens Dedicates New Vehicle Emission Inspection Station in
Apache Junction

PHOENIX (Dec. 22, 2008) - Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
(ADEQ) Director Steve Owens on Monday dedicated the Valley's latest
vehicle inspection (VEI) station, located at 525 E. 38th Street in
Apache Junction. 

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning, Director Owens said the
station officially will be open for business to motorists on Jan. 2. The
three-lane station, which is expected to handle about 80,000 inspections
annually, will serve the outreaches of the rapidly growing Southeast
Valley when the department's new contract with Gordon-Darby, Inc. goes
into effect on Jan. 1. More than one million vehicles are inspected
annually in the Valley.   

"This new station will make it easier for people who live and work in
Apache Junction and other parts of the Southeast Valley to get their
vehicles inspected," Director Owens said. "This station will help
protect the Valley's air quality while making the inspection more
convenient." 
 
Each inspection lane at the new station will have the capability to
perform all types of emissions inspections including two on-board
diagnostic (OBD) inspections simultaneously on each inspection lane. The
station will be able to quickly and efficiently inspect both
conventional- and OBD-equipped vehicles.
 
Owens said that ADEQ included a requirement that an additional VEI
station be built in the Southeast Valley when the VEI contract was sent
out for bids last year.

"This is one of the fastest growing parts of the Valley and we are
committed to giving the people of this area the service they need and
deserve," Director Owens said. "They will have shorter wait times as
well as electronic signs with updated information on wait times to help
them know the best time to come to the station."

Another new VEI station was dedicated at 16140 W. Eddie Albert Way in
Goodyear Dec. 19 to serve the Southwest Valley. 

For more information on ADEQ's VEI program, including locations of all
inspection stations and wait-time updates, please visit our Web page:
http://www.myazcar.com/.

-30-

News media interested in additional information on this or any other
topic concerning the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality should
contact the Office of Communications at (602) 771-2215 or via email at
communications@azdeq.gov.

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