San Ysidro
The U.S. Customs Service and the California Department of Motor Vehicles conducted their third joint inspection Wednesday morning at the San Ysidro port of entry to halt vehicles that fail to meet federal and state emission standards, said Bobbie Cassidy, United States Customs spokeswoman.
From 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., DMV and California Highway Patrol officers issued about 100 citations to drivers without licenses, registrations, or insurance, and to drivers whose vehicles released excessive exhaust fumes, said Curtis Booher, senior investigator for the DMV.
Traffic reportedly flowed as usual, and routine customs and immigration inspections were conducted.
Similar operations were held in October and December. A total of 221 citations were issued for violations.
Recent federal studies have shown that air pollution has reached a serious state at the San Ysidro Port-of-Entry, Cassidy said. The problem is caused by incoming vehicles that do not meet federal emissions standards, he said.
Cassidy said inspectors suffer from coughing spells, nausea, dizziness, headaches, watering eyes and runny noses because of the fumes. Because of the problem, inspectors rotate job duties each day.
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