Emissions program is called outdated

Friday, Feb. 23, 2001 | 10:19 a.m.

A once-important tool to control air pollution doesn't serve a useful role and should be remade or abandoned, a regional air-pollution official told the Clark County District Board of Health on Thursday.

The emissions reduction credit program was designed to reduce air pollution from fine dust; companies were allowed to trade the right to put different kinds of pollution into the air for road paving. A major source of the fine dust, or PM10, was unpaved roads.

But regional air quality agencies have drafted and are enforcing new rules that require any road with more than 150 daily trips to be paved. David Hoke, a permit specialist with the health district's Air Quality Division, said that eliminates the need for the emissions program, at least as once structured.

The program has been the frequent target of scorching criticism from environmental advocates and whistle-blowers within the division. Critics charge that the program essentially gave a license for polluters with few quantifiable benefits for county residents.

A legislative subcommittee and the Clark County District Attorney's office have asked for audits of the program.

The question for policymakers on the health board: If there isn't a need for an emissions program, then is there a need for an audit of the program?

"Doing an audit of something that shouldn't exist in the future isn't reasonable," said health board member and Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny.

Christine Robinson, Air Quality Division director, told the board that the emissions program could be phased out over the next four to six months.

Robinson said after the meeting that it will be up to the board to authorize an audit, but one might be a good idea.

"I think there is enough community concern that an investigation is probably merited," she said.

Advocates who had criticized the program agreed.

"We would like to see the audit done," said Peggy Pierce, conservation committee co-chairwoman for the local arm of the Sierra Club. "Given the considerable and serious criticisms of this program, I think it's important to proceed with the audit, partly as a way for the Air Quality Division to regain some credibility and to let the citizens see that credibility is important."