OHIO - E-Check, the air-pollution-reduction program which requires automobiles to regularly pass emissions tests, will cease existence in southwest Ohio at the end of 2005. The program will remain in effect only in seven counties in northeast Ohio, where it cannot be revoked due to federal mandate.

To ensure the phasing-out of air pollution controls remains crowd-pleasing, instead of drivers paying to test their vehicles next year, the state will divert roughly $20 million of tobacco settlement money to pay for E-Check's northeast operation.

E-Check has received its share of criticism since its implementation. A 2001 study indicated that public confidence was low in E-Check's ability to help clean the air: the test was too easy to circumvent, and only fourteen counties in Ohio used E-Check instead of the entire state. "It would have taken some work to think of the obvious solutions to these problems, so we quit instead," said Ohio EPA Director Joe Koncelik.