Editorial: Bonus just for doing their job

Monday, Sept. 10, 2001 | 9:20 a.m.

Controversy has dogged Clark County government's air-pollution credit program, a setup that allows companies to pollute as long as they pay money to a business or government that has "earned" credits for reducing pollution on its own. Basically, polluters are allowed to buy their way out of complying with air quality standards, a situation ripe for mischief because it can be next to impossible to measure these so-called "pollution savings." That is why it is mystifying that the Clark County Commission last week approved a continuation of this program, which has been criticized by a bipartisan group of state legislators and environmentalists.

Last week the County Commission approved putting up for sale the rights to 7,250 tons of fine-dust pollution credits, which the county government says it has accumulated by paving what were once dusty roads. A sale of these credits undoubtedly could be lucrative, possibly bringing in $2.1 million, which the county says it would use to pay for more paving, removing even more dust from the air. County officials suggest that unless the pollution credits are sold, air quality in the valley will suffer if more roads aren't paved. But this is a false claim, since the Environmental Protection Agency already requires the county to pave the roads.

The commissioners acknowledge that the air-pollution credit program likely will end soon, but they couldn't pass up the chance to find an easy way to pay for what is already their obligation. The irony is that the County Commission, which just last month assumed new powers to regulate air pollution in the valley, now is proposing to allow more pollution. This is hardly an auspicious start.