DERRY, N.H. (AP) – The town’s new online car registration program could be in jeopardy.

Citing concerns about security and confidentiality, the state has given the town a month to shut down its E-Reg program, which started in early May.

Interim town administrator Jim Turse said the state is off-base.

“Clearly, we do not believe that we are in violation,” he said. “We will use our best efforts to resolve this.”

Virginia Beecher, state motor vehicles director, said the state warned the town its online system was unacceptable before the program began.

In a letter earlier this month, she said the system does not make accommodations for people with special privacy concerns and lets an unapproved company access motor vehicle data.

The town disputes both claims.

The state also said the town is downloading “confidential state information using a connection to the Internet that has very limited security.” The town says no confidential state information is being downloaded, except for registrants’ names.

The state also claims the town’s payment system should have been approved in advance and could cost the state money.

The state is experimenting with its own online renewal program, called COMPASS.

James MacEachern, town council chairman, said Derry is not trying to compete with the state, but should be free to decide how to run its own operations.

AP-ES-06-17-04 0811EDT

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