In early December, the EPA announced that the nine smoggiest cities in the nation must do more, including detailing their plans, to clean up the air. The nine cities are Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Hartford, Houston, Milwaukee, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington.

According the EPA Administrator Carol Browner, the problems between the discrepancies in state plans and the federal government's estimates of the air pollution problems can be resolved by year's end.

States that fail to meet federal smog limits and cleanup timetables by May 2000 could lose a portion of the state's federal highway funds and be subjected to federally crafted cleanup plans. However, Browner said, "that is not a good idea" because the states could develop better, more flexible plans.