
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 3, 1994                    TAG: 9406030711 
SECTION: LOCAL                     PAGE: D5    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: WASHINGTON POST 
DATELINE: 940603                                 LENGTH: RICHMOND

EPA THREATENS TO BLOCK N. VIRGINIA ROAD PLANS

{LEAD} Federal officials threatened Thursday to block every major new road project in Northern Virginia, including those needed for the planned Walt Disney Co. theme park near Haymarket, because Gov. George F. Allen has balked at a stringent pollution control program.

In a letter to Allen, Environmental Protection Agency officials declared that Virginia has not met requirements for car emissions tests under the federal Clean Air Act, and announced that they will withhold approval of transportation improvements beginning in 30 days.

{REST} The agency, which sets clean-air standards for projects that add cars to urban roadways, said it would lift the road-building moratorium if Allen were to reverse his stand within the next month.

``We needed to get their attention,'' said Peter H. Kostmayer, the regional EPA administrator who oversees Virginia. ``The governor has given every indication that he does not want to do it our way.''

The unusually aggressive attempt by the EPA to enforce new anti-pollution laws puts Allen in a sticky situation politically.

The new Republican governor does not want to retreat from his opposition to the EPA demands, which have become a cause celebre for GOP lawmakers from Northern Virginia who believe its provisions to toughen car exhaust inspections are too severe.

But Allen is eager to avoid doing anything that would threaten construction of the Disney's America project, which has been the priority of his young administration.

During the recent General Assembly session, Allen joined Disney officials in persuading lawmakers to approve $132 million in road improvements in the area near the 3,000-acre Disney site, about 35 miles west of Washington in Prince William County.

by CNB