CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Air quality in Charlotte is improving and that could make gas prices cheaper, officials said, bringing a welcome sigh of relief for drivers.
"Well, yes, I would like to see gas prices lower next summer," motorist Emmett Stokes said.
Typically, the air quality goes down during the summer months as temperatures and pollutants go up.
Gas stations in Mecklenburg and Gaston counties have been required to sell a special blend of gasoline when air quality is poor, but it costs 5 to 10 cents more per gallon.
Recent environmental efforts, including restrictions on emissions for cars and power plants, have been working to improve air quality.
Last summer, the area only had two days with a heightened alert for air quality, and last year, there were none.
"Recently, our air quality has really been improving,” said Shelley Lanham, Charlotte-Mecklenburg air quality specialist. “Over the past decade, we have really seen a dramatic decrease in the levels of air pollution."
Tom Mather, with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, has been monitoring the air qualities in the state for years.
"The ozone levels have dropped so much that we don't feel there is the need for that special fuel mix during the summer months," Mather said.
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