Responding to industry pleas, Gov. Schwarzenegger has asked state air regulators to postpone for at least six months a regulation requiring gas station owners to upgrade their pumps and gas pipes, according to a report Monday. The regulation is due to take effect on Wednesday.

As of late last week, more than half of the state’s gas stations including an estimated 2,000 of 3,900 service stations in Southern California had not complied with the Air Resources Board regulation. Several hundred service station owners mostly low-volume gasoline sellers have said they intend shut down their pumps by this week rather than comply.

The rule, enacted in 2000, requires service station owners to spend tens of thousands of dollars to capture vapors from pumps, nozzles and underground lines. Shortages of equipment, available contractors and financing have plagued efforts to comply.

On Monday, Capitol Weekly, an online newsletter covering state government, reported that Schwarzenegger sent a letter Friday afternoon to Air Resources Board Chairwoman Mary Nichols requesting the delay. “Significantly more time is needed before it can be successfully enforced without significant negative effects on our state economy,” according to a copy of the letter obtained by Capitol Weekly.

The Air Resources Board was reviewing the governor’s request. In addition, two bills have been introduced in the Legislature seeking a delay.