def METHOD_NAME(env_variable_name):
    conf_file = open(TMP_SNIFFER_CONF_FILE, 'r')
    for env_variable_string in conf_file:
        if env_variable_string.find(env_variable_name) >= 0:
            break
    else:
        env_variable_string = ''
    conf_file.close()
    return env_variable_string