PICKENS – The results of a possible county traffic light study could reduce traffic jams and help the county lower its air quality rating.

During county council’s meeting Monday, County Administrator J. Chappell Hurst told council they may want to consider undertaking such a study.

“This would save not only gasoline, but it would save emissions,” Hurst said. “It would certainly enhance traffic flow throughout the county.”

Hurst said he has been discussing the possibility of a study with SC Department of Transportation officials, and that funding for such a study could from the Greenville Pickens Area Transit Study or the Appalachian Council of Governments.

Federal funding may also be available to pay for the study, he said.

“The cost is estimated from $1,000 - $2,000 per light,” Hurst said.

The county’s air quality rating is a sore subject with county officials, after officials learned that a map issued by the Department of Health and Environmental Control states the county is in violation of air quality standards as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency.

That map states that Pickens County has worse air quality than Anderson, and officials worry that the designation may cause industry to look elsewhere, thus hurting the local economy.

The designation will also make building roads in the county much more difficult, Hurst said.

During the meeting’s public forum portion, officials with the Pickens County Taxpayers Association suggested the county fight the rating.

“It seems the federal government doesn’t believe we have enough problems creating jobs for our citizens,” said PCTA President Dennis Reinert. “We need the EPA playing around with the air quality standards.”

Non-attainment will hurt the county’s ability to attract new business and jobs, Reinert said.

“With unemployment rising, with another 265,000 American jobs lost in September, the last thing American needs is government bureaucrats justifying their salaries by increasing restrictions on local business,” he said.

Reinert suggested the county join with other counties who are suing the EPA.

PCTA Treasurer Weldon Clark agreed.

“It’s about time you sued some of these people,” he said. “This is ridiculous. We don’t have any heavy industry here, and to say that we’re producing all this particulate matter in the ozone is a bunch of baloney.”

Council voted to send the study to the county Finance Committee for further discussion.