Leaving a vehicle's engine idling for more than three minutes now holds a $100 fine for first violations in the city of Ketchum, with second violations running $300.
The City Council unanimously passed the ordinance during a meeting Monday.
It exempts vehicles left running while stopped at traffic lights, construction zones or other conditions over which the driver has no control.
Fines won't be handed out for a year's time. In that interim, officers will issue only warning citations to educate the public. After Oct. 5, 2010, penalties will kick in.
"The idea is not [for it] to be a revenue enhancer," said Councilman Larry Helzel at the ordinance's second reading in September.
The stated purpose of the ordinance is to improve "regional air quality."
Councilman Charles Conn said he often sees idling cars, and it's a problem "all over this town."
"I encountered two today," he said. "One was a giant diesel truck spewing fumes outside the post office."
To support the pollution claim, the ordinance refers to an October 2002 Environmental Protection Agency study. In it, the EPA said a typical 1980s to 2001 diesel truck emits 144 grams per hour of nitrogen oxide and 8,224 grams per hour of carbon dioxide emissions and consumes about 0.82 gallons of diesel fuel while idling.
Conn said at September's second reading that passing the ordinance is a "giant no-brainer."
"You're right," said mayoral candidate Mickey Garcia. "This is a no-brainer. You have to have no brains to vote for it."
Garcia argued that America's a nation of laws. He called this one another unnecessary law without proof that it will improve air quality.
Conn said he also doesn't like making laws the city doesn't need.
"It's not just about CO2," Conn said, "but limiting the enjoyment of our city."
Garcia also argued that enforcing this ordinance would be a waste of officers' time. Officers will have to wait at a car for three minutes or even longer to "educate" people of the new ordinance.
"If you had to do the job you're asking others to do, you wouldn't be so blasé," Garcia said.
Helzel said enforcement shouldn't take much manpower.
"I'm pretty confident, after the education period, this will cease to be an issue," he said.
Not much opposition to the ordinance was raised at the council's three readings.
Trevon Milliard: tmilliard@mtexpress.com
