News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Beth Gorman (520) 740-3343
Tucson, Arizona (September 28, 2006) – The Pima
County Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Air
Program is holding a Free Car Care Check-up at Pima Community
College Downtown Campus west parking lot (near Speedway and Stone)
on Saturday, October 28th. The Automotive Service Association
is co-sponsoring the event along with Pima Community College,
and volunteers from local automotive repair shops and other agencies
will provide the check-ups. The purpose of the event is to encourage
good car maintenance for a healthier environment. Qualified volunteers
will perform safety, under-the-hood, tire, gas cap, and emissions
checks on vehicles from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. In addition,
the Tucson/Pima County Household Hazardous Waste Program will
provide a collection of unwanted household hazardous waste such
as automotive fluids, paints, and solvents.
“Approximately 60 percent of our air pollution is caused
by motor vehicle use in our community and leaking vehicular fluids
cause contamination of storm water,” said Beth Gorman,
Pima County Department of Environmental Quality Program Manager. “By
keeping our vehicles well maintained, we can reduce problems
that cause unhealthy air and degrade our environment,” Gorman
continued. Volunteers from the Automotive Service Association,
Pima Community College Automotive Program, Jack Furrier’s
Western Tire Centers, and others will staff the under-the-hood,
tires, emission testing, gas cap, and safety stations.
Similar evaluations could cost about $60 if done by a car repair
shop. “The true savings come with preventive maintenance
on your vehicle,” said Dave Shinkel, past President of
the Tucson Chapter of the Automotive Services Association. “Preventive
maintenance helps to reduce air pollution, increase fuel mileage,
and reduces unexpected breakdowns that are inconvenient and sometimes
dangerous,” said Shinkel. Participants in the Car Care
Check-up will receive a status check sheet of many aspects of
their vehicle to use for preventive maintenance, and will have
a chance to win a free set of tires from Jack Furriers Western
Tire. The Car Care Check-up will be held in the west parking
lot of the ST Building at Pima Community College Downtown Campus,
entering at Speedway and 11th, just west of Stone Ave. For more
information please contact the PDEQ Clean Air Program at 740-3118
or visit www.deq.pima.gov/air.
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