SACRAMENTO – The California Environmental Protection Agency's Air Resources Board (ARB) today announced a $250,000 settlement with Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America Inc. in connection with violations of California air emissions regulations.

        The settlement with Mitsubishi alleges that the company did not follow required procedures to test some 1994 and 1995 model year vehicles coming off the assembly line at its Normal, Illinois assembly plant to assure that these vehicles met California emission standards. The vehicles were to be sold in California.

        "Assembly line testing is extremely important to assure that vehicles sold in California meet the state's strict air emissions regulations," said ARB Chairman John Dunlap.

        ARB claims Mitsubishi intentionally failed to report prematurely halted and failed vehicle emissions tests as required under ARB regulations, repaired and retested vehicles that had failed initial tests, and allowed outside air to contaminate some bagged test samples of exhaust.

        Mitsubishi has agreed to institute management practices to prevent similar problems in the future. The settlement agreement was signed on July 22.