The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will lift the reformulated gasoline requirement for the Louisville, Kentucky metropolitan area this spring, a move officials say will likely lower prices at the pump for local drivers.
The change, announced this week, ends a long-standing federal requirement for Louisville-area gasoline to contain special additives designed to reduce smog. Mayor Craig Greenberg stated the EPA’s decision is expected to result in lower gas prices for Louisville residents. “This is good news for the people of Louisville,” Greenberg said in a statement reported by the Courier-Journal.
The reformulated gas requirement had been in place to address air quality concerns in the Louisville region. According to reporting from WAVE News, the EPA estimates the change will save Louisville drivers millions of dollars annually. The specific amount of savings was not detailed in available reports.
WLKY News reported that the EPA’s decision is scheduled to take effect this spring, though a precise date has not been announced. WDRB News noted the EPA formally announced the finish of the requirement later this year.
The EPA did not immediately respond to requests for further comment regarding the specific factors leading to the decision or the anticipated impact on regional air quality.
