Intercounty Connector Lawsuit By Greens Counterproductive

Hope Babcock surely believes she is right about the Intercounty Connector causing more air pollution, but she is wrong. The pending lawsuit by her Institute for Public Representation at Georgetown University Law Center represents an example of what is wrong with the 21st Century environmental movement. Although we do not expect much out of the Sierra Club in these matters, we are disappointed that Environmental Defense, one of the more sensible environmental groups., is party to this anachronistic litigation. The Intercounty Connector, along with the Woodrow Wilson Bridge replacement and the improvements at the Mixing Bowl will improve environmental conditions in the Washington Metropolitan Area.

The greens are using the Clean Air Act nonattainment status of the Washington Metropolitan Area as the excuse for the litigation. Although the Clean Air Act does call for banning new highway construction for nonattainment areas, the provision is rarely enforced by EPA or Congress. Moreover, highways do not cause air pollution, cars cause air pollution. This flawed 'stick' in the law should be modified or eliminated because it does not work. Nuclear power plants combined with fuel cell plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are real technological solutions to the air pollution and global warming problems. Litigating a dead horse will not help in winning any horse races. The environmental movement should move into the 21st Century.