Discontinuation of regulation requiring cleaner burning gasoline sought

Clark County commissioners voted Tuesday to seek the end of a rule requiring cleaner burning gasoline to be used in the winter.

The regulation was adopted in 1999 to reduce carbon monoxide emissions in the Las Vegas Valley, which had exceeded federal standards since the mid-1980s.

Cleaner burning fuel has less sulphur than the typical gasoline sold at that time and, in turn, produces less carbon monoxide, Dennis Ransel, the county's air quality manager, said.

The Environmental Protection Agency determined in 2005 that the valley's carbon monoxide complied with federal standards, Ransel said. About that time, sulphur content in normal gasoline was lowered to the same level as the cleaner burning fuel.

Last year, the county submitted a request to the state and EPA and asked that the cleaner-fuel program be discontinued because it no longer was needed.

The request was part of a larger air quality plan, Ransel said, noting that the EPA has 18 months to approve the plan.

Commissioners voted to suspend the rule in anticipation of the EPA's approval, Ransel said. Their decision will be forwarded to the state and EPA.

The program can be reinstated if carbon monoxide levels rise again, though that's unlikely because cars are more efficient and gasoline is cleaner, he said.