ARTBA's concern

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) is voicing opposition to a proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to tighten ozone standards.
February 6, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) is voicing opposition to a proposal from the 1293 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to tighten ozone standards. According to ARTBA, this proposal threatens to put hundreds of communities across America out of compliance with the Clean Air Act (CAA) and, in turn, places federal highway funds for those areas at risk. According to ARTBA, imposing new ozone standards that lead to highway improvements being stalled will be counter-productive. With nearly 42,000 people dying on US highways each year and many federally-funded highway improvements designed specifically to address safety issues, the changes proposed by the EPA could be counterproductive to improving public health. ARTBA added that jeopardising highway funding in new areas through implementation of the EPA's new recommendations would be self-defeating and impose obstacles to transportation improvements that can cut both harmful emissions and billions of dollars in wasted motor fuel caused by traffic congestion. The EPA's own data shows that the transportation sector has reduced ozone levels over the past several decade, a point that ARTBA highlights. Recent regulations to reduce sulphur content in fuels and emissions in heavy-duty diesel engines, trucks and highway vehicles will lead to even more improvements in air quality, claims ARTBA.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • ARTBA addresses wetlands permissions
    April 19, 2012
    The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) is offering the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) advice on reducing unnecessary regulatory red-tape on transportation projects through improving the wetlands permissions process. ARTBA has submitted comments to the Corps in response to a government-wide regulatory review initiated by President Obama in 2011. This advice from ARTBA details specific recommendations to make wetlands permitting more efficient. ARTBA is working on ways to reduce u
    Read More
  • New silica proposal is based on flawed economics, ARTBA tells OSHA
    February 17, 2014
    A proposed Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) regulation concerning exposure to crystalline silica is based on decades old data and flawed economics, claims the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). At issue is OSHA’s plan to regulate the worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica. Crystalline silica is found in nearly all transport construction materials and products and can even be found naturally in the ambient air.
    Read More
  • ARTBA warns of shortfall in funding for US highways
    February 14, 2014
    According to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), fixing the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) without generating any new revenue will be highly challenging. ARTBA president Pete Ruane told a Senate panel that such a move would require the equivalent of the US Congress passing and the president signing a 2013-level Murray-Ryan budget deal every year. And this would be sufficient just to maintain current highway and transit programme investment levels. According to a new Congressional Bud
    Read More
  • Importance of continued transportation investment
    February 27, 2012
    The US infrastructure network requires urgent attention - * T Peter Ruane. America's transportation infrastructure was once the "shining light on top of the hill." Major investments in a national highway, bridge, transit, airport, port and waterway system during the 20th century paid great dividends. The free and efficient flow of goods and people across the 50 states led to unparalleled economic expansion. The mobility and prosperity resulting from an interconnected infrastructure was a model for the world
    Read More

Highlighted Content