California Offers New Consumer Assistance Program and Money for Motorists

3 July 2000

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California is launching a new Consumer Assistance 
Program that pays $1,000 to consumers who volunteer their vehicles for 
retirement. Consumers who have received their DMV renewal notice and then failed 
their biennial Smog Check test can jump-start the process by dialing the 
Department of Consumer Affairs' toll-free hotline at 800-952-5210. Eligible 
motorists can receive a check for $1,000.

    What's more, CAP's repair payments are consumer-friendly. Consumers whose
vehicles are directed to Test-Only stations contribute just $100 for any
needed repairs while CAP pays the rest, up to $500. Income-eligible consumers
pay just $20.

    "In keeping with Governor Davis' commitment to environmental protection,
California is paying eligible consumers $1,000 to retire their coughing
clunkers," pledged Kathleen Hamilton, Director of the California Department of
Consumer Affairs. "This investment will help clean the air, give consumers a
break and create a healthier future," Hamilton added. The Consumer Assistance
Program is run by the Department of Consumer Affairs' Bureau of Automotive
Repair.

    The Consumer Assistance Plan seeks to repair or retire 50,000 major
polluters over the next four years. The cars and trucks that CAP retires
instantly become zero-emissions vehicles.

    "The Consumer Assistance Program is a win-win for California consumers and
the environment," said Hamilton. "We are making it easier than ever before for
consumers to become partners against pollution. Consumers are now in the
driver's seat in the race to improve the quality of the air we breathe."