Louisville moves to end reformulated gas mandate, promising lower fuel costs

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville is a step closer to ending the mandate for the use of reformulated gas in the city.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Mayor Craig Greenberg said the city has officially submitted the request to withdraw Louisville/Jefferson County from the federal reformulated gas program to the EPA in Washington, D.C.

"For 30 years, all of us in Louisville have paid more at the pump because of the RFG. Sometimes 10, 15, 25, 35 cents more per gallon than drivers in other surrounding counties, and that extra cost adds up incredibly quickly for Louisville families, especially when the cost of everything else continues to rise," he said.

Greenberg said he has been working to cut through the red tape concerning the complicated issue of reformulated gas so RFG can be eliminated in Louisville.

The mayor explained that work over the past several decades has helped improve air quality and meet the requirements to get rid of RFG. "We are on a solid path to meet all of the federal air quality standards, and we can continue to do so without the added burden of RFG. "

Greenberg said he has asked the EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to expedite approval given the impact of RFG locally.

The mayor said Louisville drivers use an estimated 547 million gallons of gas every year. "If lifting this requirement saves 25 cents per gallon, that's a potential of $137 million of annual savings for people and businesses across our community."

The price of gas in Louisville could drop if the city is allowed to switch from reformulated gas to conventional gas.

Greenberg said previously the EPA was concerned with air quality in Louisville in the 1990s and enforced a rule requiring gas stations to sell reformulated gas. But that gas is more expensive.

Mayor Greenberg pushes for cheaper gas in Louisville, citing improved air quality