Wilson Sets Deadline on Smog Check : Environment: The governor agrees to resume negotiations with the EPA on tightening state’s vehicle pollution control program. But he wants a compromise in two days.

Gov. Pete Wilson agreed Tuesday to restart negotiations with the Clinton Administration over strengthening California’s vehicle Smog Check program, but set a deadline of just two days to reach a compromise.

Wilson agreed to the resumption one day after EPA Administrator Carol M. Browner canceled the threatened cutoff this spring of $800 million in federal highway aid to California in a dispute over how the state should conduct vehicle smog checks.

Browner ordered the sanctions scrapped because they could jeopardize economic recovery after the Northridge earthquake.

EPA officials did not return calls seeking comment Tuesday on Wilson’s new demands.

Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar), chief legislative negotiator, said that talks will resume today in Sacramento between state and federal officials. He said he believes the issue can be resolved swiftly.

The governor, through his environmental secretary, James M. Strock, told Browner in a letter Tuesday that California would return to the bargaining table but a “final agreement with appropriate mutual guarantees in writing” must be reached by Thursday afternoon.

Strock also laid out a series of other conditions that he said a settlement must contain, including protection against throwing Smog Check garages out of business.

The Thursday deadline, Strock said, would enable an agreement to be written into urgency legislation and speedily passed to the governor by Feb. 2, the deadline Wilson faces for signing a California Smog Check reform bill passed last week.

That bill, carried by Sen. Newton Russell (R-Glendale), is opposed by the EPA on grounds that it does not go far enough in cleansing California skies of automobile-caused smog. Wilson and others contend that the bill would meet federal standards without further disrupting the economy by putting Smog Check and repair operations out of business.

Now, about 9,000 neighborhood service stations and garages both test and repair California vehicles for compliance with smog standards. The recently passed California bill would retain this system, but adopt a series of other clean air reforms.

The EPA proposal would consolidate the inspection process into a network of about 200 test facilities statewide that would be prohibited from making repairs. Supporters insist that it would be cheaper and more convenient for motorists and do a better job of reducing air pollution. The EPA plan is supported by several environmental organizations.

Katz, who participated in the first round of negotiations until their failure Jan. 7, disclosed the resumption of bargaining several hours after Wilson signaled his willingness to talk.

Katz said Browner agreed to send her chief of staff, Mike Lundenbergh, to represent her along with EPA regional administrator Felicia Marcus. He said other participants will include representatives of the Wilson Administration and key legislators.

“We will resume negotiations to see if we can resolve this,” Katz said. “I think we can fairly soon.”