Clark County mandates cleaner burning fuel through winter

Clark County drivers can breathe a little easier now, at least until they look at gasoline prices.

A new regulation has gone into effect requiring service stations to use the cleaner burning fuel ethanol from November until March.

The new fuel may cost drivers as much as three cents more per gallon.

Clark County Health District board members passed the new regulation in March to fight high levels of carbon monoxide. Levels of carbon monoxide exceeding federal standards were found twice last year.

The cleaner burning fuel is expected to reduce carbon monoxide levels by as much as 10 percent.

Health officials hope the new standards will prevent levels from peaking during the upcoming winter months, when temperature inversion traps gases and creates a brown blanket of air pollution over the valley.

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