Lower Gas Prices or Air Quality?
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Posted By: Steve Adamson
4/29/2008
11Alive.com
The arrival of smog season begins this week and runs May through September.
And as if prices aren't already high enough at the pumps -- "It's terrible, it's horrible," said Andre Coure, while putting gas in his car in Atlanta.
It's the time of year when Atlanta air quality tends to lower, as the combination on warmer temperatures and less wind combine to produce conditions more favorable for increased air pollution.
To help control the smog problem, gasoline is reformulated during this time and is required to be sold in Atlanta and surrounding counties. This special blended fuel also costs more to make.
However, because we're dealing with record high gas prices, it's possible that the federal government may grant waivers that would allow the cheaper gasoline sold during the rest of the year to be used this summer.
The question is, do Atlantans want to trade off lower gas prices for lower air quality?
"I would prefer to have better air quality and still just have to pay more for gas," said Tracy Caswell while filling up her car in Midtown.
"That's a real tough question. Air quality is important; Air quality is going inside of me, so I think I'd probably pay more," Coure said, also filling up in Midtown.
How much do these summer blends add to the price of a gallon of gasoline? On average, about five to nine cents per gallon, so even if you take it away, you're still going to be dealing with record high gas prices.
Federal fuel blend waivers if granted still have to be signed off on by state EPA officials for use of the non-summer blend.
It's indeed a tough question to ask of folks living in areas prone to poor air quality during the summer. In these times of sky high fuel prices where nearly everyone's budget is being affected, adding more to the price of gas to keep the air quality in check only cuts deeper into those budgets.