An environmental impact report for the ministry of the environment has given its approval for the route for the extension of the A12 motorway along the Tyrrhenean coast from Tarquinia , north of Rome to Talamone near Porto S. Stefano. The minister for infrastructure, Pietro Lunardi, was in favour of another route through the Maremma countryside, passing attractive Tuscan towns including, Manciano and Scansano.

The Green political party and the regional government of Lazio have both expressed their reservations about the project and along with residents' committees, farmers and wine growers, claim that the extension is useless and will be very expensive. They claim that it would be safer and cheaper to add two traffic lanes to the existing Via Aurelia, so saving 13 sites of special interest, such as the lagoon at Orbetello, the salt marshes at Tarquinia and the sand dunes at Feniglia.