Day 2: A Solution to Vegas Gas Prices

I woke up at 3 am thinking about Day 1, and after staring at the ceiling for a while, I did what anyone would do. I got up and wrote a letter to President Trump, which I then sent by email.

Randell S. Hynes
Former Nevada Team Kennedy Campaign Manager
8229 Nelson Ridge Lane
Las Vegas, NV 89178

August 24, 2025

President Donald J. Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Trump,

I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Randell S. Hynes, and I had the honor of serving as the former Nevada Team Kennedy Campaign manager, working tirelessly to advance principles of independence, innovation, and economic freedom for our state. As a proud Nevadan, I am writing to you today with great respect for your leadership and your commitment to putting American workers and families first.

In Clark County, Nevada—home to Las Vegas and over 2.4 million residents—we are facing a challenging economic situation driven by high retail gasoline prices, which are significantly impacting everyday families, small businesses, and our vital tourism industry. Currently, prices at stations like Chevron in Clark County average $4.20 per gallon, a stark contrast to just $3.10 per gallon at Chevron across the river in Bullhead City, Arizona. This $1.10 per gallon disparity stems mainly from our county’s designation as a “serious” ozone nonattainment area under the EPA’s current 70 parts per billion (ppb) 8-hour ozone standard. This classification mandates the use of reformulated gasoline (RFG), putting us at the mercy of decisions by the State of California, which, combined with higher taxes and limited competition, drives up costs significantly for our residents.

With Clark County’s ozone design value at approximately 74 ppb—close to but exceeding the 70 ppb threshold, a figure inflated by smoke from California and Arizona wildfires—residents are burdened with these elevated costs, amounting to millions in extra expenses annually for our 1.4–1.6 billion gallons of gasoline consumed each year. Compounding this is the looming risk of prices soaring to $7 per gallon by 2026 due to impending California refinery closures, which supply 88–90% of our fuel. These pressures are straining households, reducing disposable income, and threatening the recovery of our tourism sector, which welcomes 45 million visitors annually.

I kindly encourage you to consider directing the EPA to revise the ozone standard to 75 ppb, a level that would align with Clark County’s current air quality improvements and likely remove our nonattainment designation. This change would eliminate the RFG mandate, lower gas prices closer to those in neighboring areas, and provide much-needed economic relief without compromising public health, as evidenced by the ongoing scientific debates around the threshold’s margin of safety.

Thank you for your time and for your dedication to making America safer, stronger and more prosperous. I am confident that your administration’s focus on deregulation and economic growth can help alleviate this burden for Nevadans. I would be grateful for any opportunity to discuss this further.

Sincerely,

Randell S. Hynes
Former Nevada Team Kennedy Campaign Manager
randell@hynes.com
(702)849-4881