U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty has granted a preliminary injunction prohibiting the state of New Hampshire from ending its motor vehicle inspection program, which was set to be discontinued on Saturday.

She ruled Tuesday on a lawsuit brought by Gordon-Darby Inc., the company that administers the inspection program, which checks for vehicle safety and proper operation of components to reduce vehicle emissions.

In her ruling, McCafferty ordered the state “to take all steps necessary to resume and ensure the continued implementation and enforcement of the State of New Hampshire’s vehicle inspection and maintenance program …”

McCafferty said in her ruling that both sides in the case agree that the state would be in violation of the federal Clean Air Act if it were to abolish the program without approval of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
 

The N.H. Department of Environmental Services requested this approval on Dec. 24, but the EPA has not yet acted on that request, the ruling said.

 

Rick Green can be reached at 603-352-1234, extension 1435, or rgreen@keenesentinel.com.

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