The Ridge administration's proposed $145 million settlement with an auto emissions test firm was handled largely by LeRoy S. Zimmerman, a top Republican and campaign contributor to the governor.

Zimmerman was hired by the governor's office.

Ridge aides acknowledged yesterday that Zimmerman and his Pittsburgh-based law firm, Eckert, Seamans, were paid more than $300,000 since March to represent the state in efforts to block a lawsuit by Envirotest Systems.

Zimmerman was state attorney general from 1981 to 1989. He has held a variety of top posts in the Republican Party. He and his law firm gave nearly $20,000 to Ridge's campaign for governor last year.

Ridge's general counsel, Paul A. Tufano, confirmed the contract with Zimmerman and said an agreement with Eckert, Seamans caps payments at $450,000.

Tufano said, "It's a significant amount of money," but "they did an excellent job, worth every penny."

Tufano said Zimmerman was selected because "as a former state attorney general he knows the state very well, and because the firm has an excellent reputation."

Zimmerman and his wife, Mary, are listed as contributing $2,200 to Ridge. The law firm, for which Zimmerman is one of two lawyers listed as a contact to the Ridge campaign, gave $9,650. Individual firm members other than Zimmerman gave $7,700 - for a total of $19,550.

Zimmerman, who runs the firm's Harrisburg office, could not be reached for comment.

Tufano said the state got a good deal on both the settlement and the Zimmerman contract.

Envirotest, he noted, hired three major firms: Dilworth, Paxson of Philadelphia; Akin Gump of Washington, D.C.; and Sidley & Austin of Los Angeles. He said the state's potential "exposure" approached several hundred million dollars.

Envirotest, of Maryland, sued the state after the Legislature last year cancelled a contract estimated at $390 million to test millions of vehicles over seven years for compliance with federal clean air mandates.

Then-Gov. Casey vetoed the action but was overridden. Ridge inherited the problem.

Ridge announced Wednesday the state and Envirotest agreed to a $145 million settlement - believed to be the largest state settlement offer ever - to be paid over 2 1/2 years with interest. The deal still needs state legislative approval.

Tufano said Zimmerman and his firm worked for a reduced rate, capped at $185 an hour. Tufano said rates for such firms can run as high as $350 an hour.