Day 1: Tackling Southern Nevada Gas Prices

Why Your Gas Prices in Clark County, NV, Are Sky-High—and What’s Being Done About It

If you’ve filled up your tank in Clark County, Nevada, lately, you’ve probably winced at the pump. In Laughlin, a Chevron station is charging a steep $4.30 per gallon, while just across the river in Bullhead City, Arizona, the same brand’s gas is only $3.10. That’s a $1.20 difference for a five-minute drive! So, what’s driving these crazy prices in places like Las Vegas and Laughlin, and is anyone doing anything to fix it? Let’s break down my research and see what’s up.

The Big Culprit: California’s Fuel Grip

Clark County gets about 88–90% of its gasoline from California through the Kinder Morgan Calnev Pipeline, which hauls fuel from refineries in places like El Segundo and Richmond. Why’s that a problem? California’s gas is pricey due to its strict environmental rules, which require reformulated gasoline (RFG) to reduce smog-causing emissions. This RFG, mandated by the federal Clean Air Act for areas like Clark County (a “serious” ozone nonattainment zone), costs 10–20 cents more per gallon to produce than regular gas. Add in California’s high taxes and production costs, and you’re looking at a big chunk of why Laughlin’s gas is so much pricier than Bullhead City’s, where Arizona uses cheaper conventional gasoline.

To make matters worse, California’s refineries are facing significant changes. Major players like Phillips 66 (Wilmington) and Valero (Benicia) are set to close by late 2025 and April 2026, potentially slashing refining capacity by 17–21%. If supply gets tight, experts warn, Nevada gas prices could hit $7 a gallon by 2026. Yikes!

Taxes and Logistics: Piling on the Pain

Nevada’s state and local taxes don’t help. Clark County tacks on about 64 cents per gallon (including federal and state levies), compared to Arizona’s 36 cents. That’s a 28-cent gap right there. Plus, getting fuel to remote spots like Laughlin is costlier because it’s trucked or piped from far-off California refineries, adding another 10–20 cents per gallon. In contrast, Bullhead City benefits from Arizona’s closer ties to Texas and New Mexico refineries, which are cheaper and less regulated.

Limited competition in smaller towns like Laughlin also lets stations like Chevron (operated by Terrible Herbst) charge more. Meanwhile, Bullhead City has discounters like Sam’s Club and Circle K keeping prices competitive, sometimes as low as $2.96 per gallon.

Clark County’s Ozone Problem

Why the RFG mandate? Clark County’s air quality isn’t excellent—it’s classified as a “serious” ozone nonattainment area under the EPA’s 2015 standards (70 parts per billion). This means the feds require cleaner-burning RFG to reduce ozone-forming pollutants like volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The Clark County Department of Environment and Sustainability (DES) enforces this, and retailers have no choice but to comply or face hefty fines—up to $51,796 per day from the EPA or $500–$5,000 from DES for selling non-compliant fuel.

The good news? DES is working on a Serious Ozone Attainment Plan to hit the ozone standard by August 2027. If they succeed, Clark County could get redesignated as an “attainment” area, potentially allowing cheaper conventional gasoline like Arizona’s. This plan includes more rigid emissions controls, better vehicle inspections, and public workshops to get community input. Success could mean lower prices in the long term, but it’s a slow process.

Can Retailers Ditch the Calnev Pipeline?

Most Clark County retailers, like Terrible’s Chevron stations, rely on the Calnev Pipeline because it’s the easiest way to get RFG-compliant fuel. But about 10–12% of the county’s gas comes from other sources, mainly trucked from Arizona (Phoenix or Tucson terminals via the Kinder Morgan East Line) or Utah (Salt Lake City refineries). These alternatives sound great, but there’s a catch: the fuel still has to meet RFG standards, which means extra blending costs and regulatory checks. Trucking also adds 10–20 cents per gallon, making it hard to compete with Calnev’s efficiency.

Retailers like Costco, which offer lower prices ($3.15/gallon in August 2025), might truck some fuel from Arizona to stay competitive. Still, even though they lean on Calnev for most of their supply, for chains like Terrible’s, high-volume stations like the Jean Road House (the world’s largest Chevron) stick with Calnev to avoid supply hiccups and fines.

What’s Being Done?

• Chevron’s Pushback: Chevron, which supplies Terrible’s, is fighting California’s policies with a campaign launched in September 2024. Ads at 240 Nevada stations, including Terrible’s, urge customers to contact lawmakers via QR codes, blaming California’s rules (like minimum fuel inventories) for high prices. Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo even toured Chevron’s El Segundo refinery to discuss the issue.
• Nevada’s Task Force: The Nevada Energy Resiliency Task Force, created by Senate Bill 505 in 2025, is studying ways to reduce reliance on California fuel. This 11-member panel, reporting to the Legislative Counsel Bureau by February 2027, could push for new pipelines or imports from Utah and Texas, but it’s still early days.
• Clark County’s Efforts: DES’s ozone plan is a big deal. By reducing emissions from factories, vehicles, and asphalt manufacturing, they aim to clean the air and potentially eliminate the RFG mandate by 2027–2028, which could lead to cheaper fuel.

What Can You Do?

This price mess won’t fix itself overnight, but there are ways to push for change:

• Support the Task Force: Write to the Legislative Counsel Bureau (401 S. Carson St., Carson City, NV 89701) or Senator Robin Titus (senator.titus@sen.state.nv.us) to back the Task Force’s work on diversifying fuel sources.
• Reach Out to DES: Email AirQuality@ClarkCountyNV.gov to support the ozone attainment plan. Public input can speed things up and maybe get us off RFG sooner.
• Push Kinder Morgan: Send letters to Kinder Morgan (1001 Louisiana St., Suite 1000, Houston, TX 77002), urging them to boost RFG capacity on their East Line pipeline from Texas to Arizona, which could bring cheaper fuel closer to Clark County.
• Shop Smart: Check GasBuddy for deals—Costco and border stations in Bullhead City are often cheaper. If you’re in Laughlin, cross the river to save!

I wrote this letter to Kinder Morgan, which I shared with the Governor’s office and the Clark County DES. It recommends increasing the Kinder Morgan East Line’s capacity for RFG-compliant gas and I offer my help to pave the way here.

Another less likely solution is to persuade the EPA to ease and lift its requirements. Retailers could then sell conventional gas in Clark County.

The $7/Gallon Nightmare

If nothing changes, California’s refinery closures could make $7/gallon gas a reality by 2026, striking tourists and locals. But with Chevron’s advocacy, the Task Force’s research, and DES’s ozone plan, there’s hope. Retailers like Terrible’s are sticking with Calnev for now, but pressure from consumers and policymakers could shift the game. Let’s keep the heat on to bring those pump prices down!

Got thoughts? Hit up GasBuddy or contact DES to stay in the loop!