Transcript SCOE, Shrouds, FHWA, AQ Conformity

Air Quality and Conformity
Issues
James M. Shrouds, Director
Office of Natural and Human Environment
Federal Highway Administration
AASHTO SCOE Meeting
June 9-11, 2004
Objectives

Discuss Air Quality Provisions Being
Considered in Reauthorization
 Discuss Implementation of New Air Quality
Standards
 Discuss On-Road Mobile Source Emission
Reduction Progress
Planning / Conformity Requirements
SAFETEA
 Combines Metropolitan Transportation Plan/TIP
– Requires only one conformity determination
S.1072
 Retains Separate Metropolitan Transportation
Plan/TIP
H.R.3550
 Retains Separate Metropolitan Transportation
Plan/TIP
Planning / Conformity Requirements
SAFETEA
 Horizon of transportation plans for conformity
purposes revised to be the longer of the following:
– 1) Latest year in air quality plan containing motor
vehicle emissions budgets, or
– 2) 10 years, or
– 3) Completion date of a regionally significant project
that requires approval before the subsequent conformity
determination

Regional emissions analysis from end of
conformity period to last year of transportation
plan - for information purposes
Planning / Conformity Requirements
S.1072
 Same as SAFETEA, except it does not
include informational regional emissions
analysis
H.R.3550
 Similar to SAFETEA, but would require
State Air Agency to agree, otherwise
conformity horizon would be the last year
of the transportation plan.
Planning / Conformity Requirements
SAFETEA
 Required frequency for determining conformity of
transportation plans changed from 3 to 5 years, except:
– When MPO chooses to update plan more frequently
– When SIP actions trigger new conformity determination
S.1072
 Basically, same as SAFETEA, except it changes
frequency for determining conformity from 3 to 4 years
H.R.3550
 Basically, same as SAFETEA, except it changes
frequency for determining conformity from 3 to 4 years
Conformity Provisions not
included in SAFETEA
S.1072 and H.R.3550
 New conformity determinations within 2
years of new motor vehicle emissions
budget, instead of regulatory 18 months
 Limits conformity to end of maintenance
period (H.R.3550 would only provide this
flexibility if State air agency agreed)
 TCM Substitution
Conformity Provisions not
included in SAFETEA
S.1072 only
 Requires conformity rule to address
planning assumptions, including induced
travel demand information in the
development and application of the latest
travel and emissions models
Conformity Provisions not
included in SAFETEA
H.R.3550 only

Allows areas 12 months to correct a
conformity problem before they fall into a
conformity lapse
CMAQ Changes
SAFETEA and S.1072

Adds weightings for 8-hr ozone and PM2.5
 Increases the weighting for all maintenance
areas
 Increases the additional weighting for CO
maintenance areas also designated for
Ozone
 Creates a new CMAQ Evaluation Program
Other Air Quality Related
Provisions
SAFETEA, S.1072 and H.R.3550

Adds an exemption for Low emission/ Energyefficient vehicles on HOV lanes
SAFETEA and S.1072

Allows idle reduction measures within Interstate
ROWs
S.1072

Makes alternative fuels eligible for CMAQ
New Air Quality Standards

8-hour Ozone Standard (Consent Decree)
– EPA Final Designations April 15, 2004
– Effective Date June 15, 2004

PM-2.5 Standard
– State Recommendations February 15, 2004
– EPA Preliminary Designations July 2004
– EPA Designations by December 15, 2004

Conformity Applies 1-Year After Effective Date of
Designation
Ozone Nonattainment
1-hour
nonattainment and
maintenance
8-hour
nonattainment
Counties
409
428
8-hour
nonattain.
deferred by
Early Action
Compact
46
Areas
135
113
13
Ozone Nonattainment (cont.)

1-Hour and 8-Hour Areas Do Not
Correspond Exactly
– Many 1-hour areas are not 8-hour areas and
vice versa
– Many 1-Hour and 8-Hour Areas have different
boundaries and/or overlap each other
EPA’s 8-Hour Ozone
Implementation Plan
Final Rule – April 15, 2004
 Conformity will not apply in 1-hour nonattainment
and maintenance areas 1-year from effective date
of 8-hour designations, when the 1-hour standard
is revoked.
 Conformity for 1-hour standard would end when
conformity for 8-hour standard begins.

Conformity Rule Amendments

Final rule expected in June
 Will not finalize PM2.5 precursor or hot-spot
sections, to be finalized later.
 New conformity determinations for 8-hour
standard needed by June 15, 2005.
New Areas Included in CMAQ
Apportionments
FY 2005 – Total of 428 8-hr counties
(117 new ozone counties)
 FY 2006 – Adds between 150 ~ 350 PM2.5
counties*
 Failure to pass reauthorization bill would

– Leave new counties out of the apportionments
– Not affect CMAQ project eligibility
* PM
Counties: State recommendations come to a total of about 150 counties. Based on 2000-2002
monitoring data and including all the counties within the C/MSA, estimates come to about 350
counties.
2.5
AIR QUALITY HAS IMPROVED!

Emissions and concentrations have decreased
across the board.
 On-road sources have accounted for most of
the emissions reductions. From ’80-’01, onroad reductions of VOC and NOx were 68%
and 69% of total reductions, respectively.
 Significant emissions reductions are expected
in the future. By 2030, VOCs and NOx will
be reduced 57% and 83%, respectively.
Percentage of Change in Motor Vehicle
Emissions, Demographics, and Travel
(1980-2001)
100%
88%
82%
80%
60%
40%
48%
33%
32%
26%
20%
0%
-20%
-28%
-40%
-60%
-80%
-50%
-48%
PM-10
CO
-65%
Population
People
Employed
GDP-adjusted for
inflation
Drivers
Vehicles
Vehicle
Miles
Traveled
VOC
NOx
Percent Decrease in Concentration
of Criteria Pollutants
Pollutant
1982-2001
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
62
Lead (Pb)
94
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
24
Ozone (O3) (1-Hour)
18
Particulate Matter (PM10)
14
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
35
6
14
5
12
10
4
8
3
6
2
4
1
0
1970
2
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
Emissions (Millions of tons)
VMT (Trillions of Miles)
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) vs. Vehicle Emissions
0
2030
Source: Statement of Senator Bob Smith, Environment & Public Works Committee Hearing on
Transportation & Air Quality, July 30, 2002
VMT
VOC
NOx
What Should Transportation
Officials Be Doing Now?






Establish/revise interagency consultation
processes
Start defining transportation networks in new
areas
Monitor progress in EACs
Encourage State air quality agencies to submit
SIPs/budgets ASAP
Review/comment on SNPRM for PM-2.5
Work with air quality agencies on PM-2.5
designations