Nevada trucking industry will cooperate on air pollution issue

Tuesday, June 8, 1999 | 11:07 a.m.

A bill awaiting Gov. Kenny Guinn's signature would increase inspections of diesel-powered vehicles and commission a study on how much tractor-trailer rigs contribute to Clark County's air pollution.

The Nevada Motor Transport Association, which will meet in Las Vegas in conjunction with a major convention of truckers this week, will apprise its more than 200 members about how Senate Bill 432 could affect the Nevada trucking industry.

Daryl Capurro, managing director of the NMTA, said he plans to give an overview of the legislation when association members gather for the three-day International Trucking Show, which will bring 30,000 truckers to Las Vegas beginning Wednesday.

The study commissioned by SB432 would determine whether it would be cost effective to require annual inspections in Clark County of diesel-powered big rigs. The law also establishes a six-member legislative subcommittee to direct the study and a 16-member advisory group to assist the subcommittee.

Gasoline-powered vehicles already are subject to annual emissions inspections in Clark County and the Department of Motor Vehicles is charged with making on-road inspections of smoking diesel vehicles.

"Part of the reason for the study is to see how serious the problem is," Capurro said. "There's no question that there's a problem with particulates and (carbon monoxide) emissions that could cause sanctions from the Environmental Protection Agency. We need to do everything we can to mitigate that."

Clark County failed to attain federal standards for carbon monoxide, particulate matter and ozone in 1998 and failure to reach the carbon monoxide standard by Dec. 31, 2000, could result in the loss of federal highway funds.

Diesel-powered vehicles accounted for less than 2 percent of the vehicles registered in the Las Vegas Valley in 1996, but the Department of Comprehensive Planning in Clark County believes diesels send substantial amounts of nitrogen oxides, particulates and sulfur dioxides into the air.

Diesels "are a source we can't afford to ignore," said Russell Roberts, assistant planning manager for the Comprehensive Planning agency.

The purpose of the study will be to determine if trucks produce enough pollution to make annual inspections of diesels necessary.

Roberts said at the present time, diesel vehicles that are observed with excessive smoke can be pulled over, tested and ordered to be repaired to meet emission standards.

Part of the approved legislation provides funding for the Department of Motor Vehicles to beef up its inspection program. The law allocates $500,000 to pay for costs associated with its implementation and $100,000 of that is to be dedicated to the DMV's on-road inspection program, including equipment and staffing.

On-road inspections have taken priority over regular inspections of county-based trucks because of the large number of vehicles registered in other states that pass through Nevada on Interstates 15 and 80.

Betsy Fretwell, intergovernmental relations director for the City of Henderson, said the trucking industry has been cooperative in working with government to get gross polluters off the roads and reduce emissions on diesel vehicles.

Fretwell said she began working with the Comprehensive Planning group last fall to begin attacking the air pollution problem from diesel sources, then met up with Capurro and his association in the process of choosing representatives for the legislative commission studying the issue.

The law specifies that the 16-member advisory committee will include a designee from the Motor Transport Association.

Other members of the committee: representatives from the fuel industry, the Nevada Contractors Association, two representing environmental concerns and a chairman, each appointed by the Board of County Commissioners.

Other appointments will come from the Regional Transportation Commission, the Clark County School Board, the Clark County Health Board, the Nevada League of Cities, the Associated General Contractors of America, the Southern Nevada Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors, the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association, the DMV, the Department of Transportation and the state Division of Environmental Protection.

Three senators and three assemblymen will be appointed to the subcomittee. The subcommittee will contract with an independent consultant to conduct the air quality study. A written report is due June 30, 2000, and the subcommittee must make legislative recommendations by Oct. 15, 2000, for consideration in the next legislative session.

A major freight hauler operating in Southern Nevada said most trucking companies support the existing on-road inspection program conducted by the state because it contributes to motor vehicle safety.

Roger Dick, manager of corporate communications for Overland Park, Kan.-based Yellow Freight, said the roadside inspections have worked well in states that conduct them.

The NMTA's Capurro said some truckers with vehicles that don't conform to emissions standards have changed some of the factory-recommended settings to enhance engine performance.

"Messing with those settings can change emissions and actually cause the engines to run less efficiently," Capurro said. "We recommend fleets be maintained to manufacturers' specifications."

Dick said Yellow Freight has not analyzed the financial impact of inspecting trucks annually. He said the only added expense he would anticipate would be the cost of retrofitting new equipment. But he said most trucking companies operate relatively new equipment that conform to existing emissions standards.

Dick and Roberts said they are not aware of any state that requires annual testing of diesel vehicles.

"We don't want to overregulate this," said the City of Henderson's Fretwell. "We currently aren't in compliance and we could lose federal funding, but the reason we're doing this is to get cleaner and healthier air for Southern Nevada to enjoy. We'd rather clean up our own house than have someone else clean it up for us.

"Vehicle registration and emissions testing ... that may be where we end up."