Federal highway funds for hundreds of metropolitan regions across the nation would be put at risk by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposal to tighten ozone standards, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association warned last week.

Nick Goldstein, ARTBA's assistant general counsel and director of regulatory affairs, spoke at a meeting of EPA's Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee. Goldstein cautioned that compliance with the stricter proposed standards could be difficult for many communities and that federal law requires they be penalized by losing highway money if they are unable to comply.

"Jeopardizing highway funding in new areas through implementation of the EPA's recommendations is self-defeating and would impose new obstacles for needed transportation improvements that can cut both harmful emissions and billions of dollars in wasted motor fuel caused by traffic congestion," Goldstein said.

In the Jan. 19 Federal Register, EPA published its proposal to strengthen the primary eight-hour ozone standard. In addition, EPA is proposing to revise the secondary eight-hour ozone standard for protecting public welfare.

AASHTO has formed a workgroup of state DOT environment officials to develop comments in response to EPA's proposal. That workgroup held a conference call Wednesday.