Commission accepts air-quality oversight

Thursday, July 5, 2001 | 10:26 a.m.

The Clark County Commission on Tuesday accepted an executive designation that it will be the new air quality agency for the entire region.

The commissioners voted 7-0 to accept Gov. Kenny Guinn's designation. It means they will take over the policy-making role for air quality decisions from the Clark County District Board of Health, unless opponents to the move can successfully challenge the governor's decision.

Officials from the cities, concerned that oversight from the county on air quality issues would undermine their ability to make independent land-use and development decisions, have said they will ask Guinn to modify his decision and hinted that they could launch a legal challenge.

But Deputy District Attorney Mary Miller told commissioners that the governor's designation is legally solid, and the vote Tuesday cements the commission as the sole unified agency for air pollution issues.

The region is under a federal mandate to clean up air pollution. If plans to deal with air pollution are not approved, sanctions could kick in next year that would strip federal funding for roads and other infrastructure.

Commission Chairman Dario Herrera and Commissioner Erin Kenny said the takeover would not lead to the county second-guessing the cities. The staff, not the commissioners, will issue air pollution permits and fines, they said.