Smog Testing Centers Will Add Pollution, Foes Say : Environment: Larger, centralized facilities would increase neighborhood traffic, a coalition says. Finding sites in Southland may also be difficult, some say at hearing.

A federally backed testing program designed to cut pollution from automobiles would increase smog and traffic congestion in Los Angeles neighborhoods where the large-scale, centralized test centers would be located, planning experts and homeowners representatives said Friday.

In fact, state government would be hard-pressed to find suitable Southland sites for some of the estimated 300 centers statewide that are proposed to replace 9,000 independent Smog Check stations, according to testimony at a Westwood hearing sponsored by Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar).

“These facilities would be as popular as a prison or hazardous waste facility and create a great deal of litigation” during the siting process, said Dale Goldsmith, a Los Angeles attorney specializing in land use issues.

Amendments to the federal Clean Air Act require much of California and the other smoggiest spots in the nation to come up with enhanced emissions testing programs that are centralized, in addition to separating auto testing from repair to cut pollution and fraud.

California has until Nov. 15 to adopt its plan, but the Legislature recessed until January without succeeding. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had threatened to sanction the state but backed down as long as negotiations continue.

State officials, including Katz, have balked because of fears that a centralized system would put service stations out of business.

“We are very much aware that we need to comply with federal standards and improve air quality,” said Bill Christopher, coordinator for PLAN L.A., a coalition of 250 neighborhood and homeowners associations. “We’re not convinced that going to centralized testing with such great neighborhood impacts is the way to go.”

Residents fear that air pollution will increase in their neighborhoods as thousands of cars idle their engines while waiting and being tested. They also are concerned about increased noise, traffic and long lines. Those who attended the hearing saw videotaped news programs from Vancouver, where a similar program resulted in customer delays of up to three hours.

Representatives from two corporations that run centralized emissions testing programs in other states said a revamped Smog Check program could be in place in California in two years, with 10 to 16 months spent on site selection, environmental review and permitting.

But Goldsmith said the process would take at least a year or two more--even if there are no lawsuits--because of environmental concerns and the difficulty of finding several-acre industrial sites far enough from homes, schools and hospitals.