LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Drivers in Louisville and surrounding counties could soon see lower prices at the pump as a decades-old fuel requirement officially comes to an end Wednesday.
The change marks the end of the reformulated gasoline requirement in Jefferson County and parts of Bullitt and Oldham counties. The program had been in place since the 1990s as part of an effort to reduce air pollution in the region.
Reformulated gasoline is designed to burn cleaner than conventional fuel, but it also typically costs more to produce. Officials said the requirement often made gas prices in the Louisville area up to 35 cents per gallon higher than nearby counties.
State and local leaders said improvements in fuel technology and broader environmental regulations made the program unnecessary.
Kentucky lawmakers had pushed federal officials for years to remove the requirement, and the Environmental Protection Agency approved the change in February.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said ending the requirement could save drivers across the region an estimated $137 million each year.
Officials said it may take some time for lower wholesale fuel costs to fully reach consumers at local gas stations.
Kentucky's Energy and Environmental Cabinet Secretary John Lyon said he's hopeful people in Louisville with see a small drop. He said gas prices in areas like Frankfort, which were never under a reformulated gas mandate, are just a smidge cheaper than what people see in Louisville.
"Will the average person recognize that the gas has gone down 10 to 25 cents because we've gotten rid of the reformulated gasoline that's probably in the eye of the beholder how much you drive," he said.
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