Environmentalists argue in court against highway

October 2, 2007

GREENBELT - Environmental groups argued yesterday that federal and state planners did not properly study the impact a new 18-mile highway would have on the environment and on the health of residents living nearby.

The Audubon Naturalist Society, Environmental Defense and other groups told a federal judge that highway officials placed too much emphasis on building the Intercounty Connector and not enough on exploring other options, such as mass transit.

The $2.4 billion highway is designed to link Interstates 270 and 95.

Critics argued that the state did not look hard enough at the potentially harmful effects from the highway, such as emissions from cars.

U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams Jr. heard the first arguments yesterday in a consolidated lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Army Corps of Engineers.

The lawsuit seeks to force another federal review, a step that would probably force a major delay in work that is to begin this fall.

Lawyers for the government said the environmental review was comprehensive and thorough. They said claims that air pollution from the road would cause major health problems for nearby residents were exaggerated.

[Associated Press