OKC, Tulsa Wait To See If They Meet Air Standards

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- State environmental officials say they are playing a waiting game to see if the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metropolitan areas continue to meet federal clean air standards.

Speaking at a forum yesterday at Oklahoma Christian University, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality executive director Steve Thompson said the state's air quality has improved the last two years.

But Thompson says that because of stricter standards put into place last year by the EPA, there is a question as to whether the state's two largest metro areas will be able to meet those standards.

Doug Rex, the division director for transportation planning and data services for the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments, said consequences of failing to meet the standards could include higher gasoline prices for consumers and lower speed limits.