News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Beth Gorman (520) 740-3343
Tucson, Arizona (May 16, 2005) BThe Pima County Department
of Environmental Quality is announcing a pilot program to test
and replace faulty gas caps that release gasoline fumes and cause
air pollution. This program is free and will be open to the public,
with a focus on the Green Valley area. Residents of the Green
Valley area are not required to have their vehicle emissions
tested, and may not be aware that their gas caps are faulty.
The state emissions testing also includes a gas cap test. In
addition, two events will be held in the Tucson area since even
recently tested gas caps can become faulty, depending on the
quality of the gas cap. Vouchers worth up to $10 for the purchase
of a replacement gas cap will be provided to those whose gas
cap fails the test, while supplies last. The Arizona Department
of Environmental Quality has provided funding for this pilot
program.
A faulty gas cap can leak up to 200 pounds of evaporative emissions
annually, increasing air pollution and costing the driver approximately
two tanks of gasoline per year. In addition, gasoline fumes are
an ingredient for ground level ozone air pollution, which causes
health effects in populations at risk including the elderly,
children, and those with heart and lung disease. Other states
that have held similar programs found that the gas caps of recently
purchased vehicles failed along with those of older vehicles
The gas cap testing will be held at six different locations
beginning May 17th and ending June 2nd. All events will be held
from 9:00 a.m. to noon. The locations are:
Tuesday, May 17 at Pima Community College Downtown Campus – enter
at Drachman west of Stone
Thursday, May 19 at Pima Community College Northwest Campus – 7600
N. Shannon Road near Magee
Tuesday, May 24 at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church – 505
N. La Cañada Dr. – Green Valley
Thursday, May 26 at Valley Presbyterian Church – 2800 S.
Camino del Sol – Green Valley
Tuesday, May 31 at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church – 505
N. La Cañada Dr. – Green Valley
Thursday, June 2 at Valley Presbyterian Church – 2800 S.
Camino del Sol – Green Valley
For more information call Pima County Department of Environmental
Quality at 740-3353 or click on www.deq.pima.gov/air.
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