Editorial: Tie more funds to an audit

Wednesday, March 14, 2001 | 9:32 a.m.

Dirty air is a genuine problem in the Las Vegas Valley, so some of the region's top elected officials made a plea Monday in Carson City to get more state funding to help pay for additional air-pollution control efforts. State legislators were told that unless the valley does something soon to reduce the pollution and meet federal standards, the state could face sanctions, which would include the loss of federal money for roads, sewer expansion and other projects.

The county health district is considering an option of its own to help boost funding of its anti-pollution program, by raising the fees now paid by polluting businesses, which could include higher assessments on construction companies and industrial plants, for instance. If these fees were raised, they could help pay part of the extra $5 million that is needed on top of the existing $8.7 million spent on air-quality control programs.

What could stir the most controversy among valley residents, though, is that local officials are asking the Legislature to hike the annual smog inspection fee by $3 in Clark County, an amount that would go directly to increase air-quality control programs. It's clear that more needs to be done to curb pollution, but before the Air Quality Division gets state money, it's critical that the Health Board agree to an audit of the agency's emissions reduction credit program. So far, County Commissioner Erin Kenny, who is an influential member of the Health Board that sets the policies of the Air Quality Division, has opposed requests by state legislators for a self-examination of the program, which has been dogged by criticism that it was lax on polluters.

Christine Robinson, who became the director of the Air Quality Division late last year, has earned the praise of state legislators and local officials for restoring confidence that the agency will be tough on polluters -- but Robinson can only do so much. The Health Board needs to understand that just adding more employees to the Air Quality Division isn't necessarily going to result in a better environment. These regulators need the support of the board to carry out policies that cut down on pollution. A first step to gain the support of the public -- and state legislators -- would be for the Health Board to back an audit of the emissions reduction credit program. Unless there is a commitment to perform an audit, the board shouldn't be surprised if state legislators balk at providing more money.