RESOLUTION NO. _________, SERIES 2020
TITLE
A RESOLUTION CALLING ON MAYOR FISCHER TO EXPEDITE NECESSARY ACTIONS BY METRO AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT TO END THE MANDATED USE OF REFORMULATED GAS IN LOUISVILLE QUANTIFY AND ANALYZE SPECIFIED INFORMATION RELATED TO RFG REQUIREMENTS AND REPORT THEIR FINDINGS TO COUNCIL (AS AMENDED).
BODY
SPONSORED BY: COUNCILMEMBER PIAGENTINI
WHEREAS, Former Kentucky Gov. Brereton Jones in 1993 exercised his power under the federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 to require that gasoline sold in Louisville Metro be Reformulated Gasoline (RFG), and as this program is strictly voluntary, the current Governor of Kentucky may under federal EPA regulations “opt=out” or change the type of boutique fuel utilized to achieve Louisville’s clean air goals;
WHEREAS, the RFG decision is 26 years old and when first implemented, gave the Louisville Metro an estimated 17 percent reduction in VOC emissions over regular gasoline. But today proves a benefit of only 2 percent;
WHEREAS, since implementation there has been an increase in hybrid and electric cars and gasoline is much cleaner as a result of the Energy Act of 2005. Now the requirements for federal RFG and conventional gasoline with respect to NOx, toxics emissions performance and renewable fuel content are essentially the same. The extra processing and paper-work certifications required for RFG that creates the price difference is not yielding an decreasing environmental benefit;
WHEREAS, Louisville’s gas is up to approximately twenty-five cents ($.25) per gallon more expensive than the surrounding communities where other fuel is sold, because of the limited and expensive RFG fuel;
WHEREAS, each day that Louisville Metro area drivers and motorists pay for RFG it costs them an average of $200,915 which costs the citizens of Louisville $73,000,000 a year; and,
WHEREAS, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) standards for clean air can be met without RFG by enlisting alternative means for reducing emissions that are more affordable. The EPA has already removed the requirement to sell federal RFG for Boone, Campbell, and Kentucky counties in Kentucky. The Energy Environment Cabinet and Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District have been directed to find the most cost-effective pollution offsets.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF THE LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT AS FOLLOWS:
The Council urges Mayor Greg Fischer and the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District to seek out alternatives to allow for the elimination of RFG requirements in Louisville/Jefferson County.
SECTION I: The Council urges Mayor Greg Fischer and the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District to (i) quantify the health and environmental benefits, related costs, and potential alternatives to the RFG requirements currently imposed in Louisville/Jefferson County, and (ii) once that analysis is complete, to report those findings back to the Council.
SECTION II: This Resolution shall be effective upon its passage and approval.
_______________________________ ________________________________
Sonya Harward David James
Metro Council Clerk President of the Council
_______________________________ ________________________________
Greg Fischer Approval Date
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
Michael J. O’Connell
Jefferson County Attorney
By: ____________________________
R-158-19 Alternatives to RFG (as amended) v3 lf 021720.docx