Auto smog inspections could rise

CARSON CITY -- Motorists in Clark County could soon be paying an extra $3 for their annual auto smog inspection, with the money going to clean up the dirty air in Southern Nevada.

And there could be significant increases in fees charged to businesses regulated under the air quality regulations in Clark County.

Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury and Mayors Oscar Goodman of Las Vegas and Jim Gibson of Henderson met with state legislators Monday, asking for their help. If the pollution is not cleaned up, the county could lose millions of federal dollars for road construction, sewer expansion and other projects.

Woodbury said $8.7 million was being spent on air quality control programs each year in Clark County and local governments need another $5 million. These programs need more staff, he said.

Goodman said federal air quality standards would be achieved within five years if the extra money is available.

The bill, to be introduced by the Senate Natural Resources Committee, would permit the Clark County Commission to impose the extra $3 fee. At present there is a $5 government fee attached to an emissions inspection. Of that, $4 goes to the state and $1 to Clark County. The new bill would raise the fee to $8.

Woodbury said, "I can't tell you absolutely it will pass the County Commission. But I will vote for it."

The three officials met with Gov. Kenny Guinn. "It was fine with him (Guinn),"Woodbury said.

Gibson said the added money is needed to "draft the permits the way they ought to be done and to do consulting and to do compliance and to do enforcement."

Assemblyman David Goldwater, D-Las Vegas, suggested that some businesses received "leeway" in granting of their air quality permits and in enforcement of the regulations. Gibson replied, "The criticism is valid." But the mayor added, "It's a new day and new standards. We have to become compliant."

Gibson cited three instances where businesses received clearance by county officials but ended up getting fined by the federal government for being out of compliance.

In one instance, the air quality division decided some air pollution equipment was not necessary for a business, which, however, ended up being fined $500,000.

In another case, a company was fined $80,000, even though it cleared county regulations. And these didn't include the costs of attorneys and other fees. In the third case the company ended up with a $1 million bill, including the fines, lawyer costs and other fees.

Gibson said the economy of Southern Nevada could be damaged because companies may not want to move or start up in Clark County because of the credibility of the air control pollution program.

"We have to have the resources," he said. "We need more people."

There are not the required people to review the permits and visit the sites to check for compliance, Gibson said.

Each $1 from the smog check inspection fee amounts to about $750,000. So the full $3 would give Clark County close to half of what it needs to improve its air pollution enforcement and monitoring. County officials will seek federal grants in addition to boosting the fees of those who are regulated by the county.

To help reduce the air pollution program, Woodbury said plans call for a major expansion of the express bus system and enlarging the area served by the planned monorail to include downtown Las Vegas, all around the Strip and the airport.

There also would be creation of more "park and ride" areas where an individual could leave his car, get on a bus and end up on the monorail.

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