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AIR QUALITY AND
TRANSPORTATION
CONFORMITY
Alamo Area Metropolitan
Planning Organization
April 25, 2016
Alamo Area MPO
April 25, 2016
Table of Contents
1
Air Quality and Pending Ozone NAAQS Overview
2
Designation of Non-Attainment Areas
3
Transportation Conformity
4
Schedule and Summary
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Air Quality & Pending NAAQs Standards
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
 The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed
standards for the criteria pollutants, these are called NAAQS
 Primary NAAQS are based on levels expected to be protective of
human health
 Secondary NAAQS are based on levels expected to be protective
of public welfare (e.g., visibility, animal life, vegetation,
buildings)
 EPA will designate areas as nonattainment if they exceed a
NAAQS
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Criteria Pollutants
Criteria Pollutants
Transportation Related
Not Transportation Related
 Ozone (O3)
 Ozone (O3)
 Lead (Pb)
 Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
 Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
 Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
 Carbon Monoxide (CO)
 Carbon Monoxide (CO)
 Particulate Matter (PM)
 Particulate Matter (PM)
 Lead (Pb)
 Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
Criteria Pollutants
 The Clean Air Act (CAA) establishes 6 criteria pollutants, 4 of which are associated
with transportation activities
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Types and Sources of Air Pollution
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Contributors to San Antonio NOx Emissions
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Contributors to San Antonio VOC Emissions
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Designation of Non-Attainment Areas
Designation of Non-Attainment Areas
• EPA will designate areas as nonattainment if they exceed the approved NAAQS
• Transportation plans, programs, and projects which are developed, funded, or approved by the
United States Department of Transportation (DOT), and by metropolitan planning organizations
(MPOs) or other recipients of funds (40 CFR 93.), must follow established policy, criteria, and
procedures for demonstrating and assuring conformity
• The MPO and its governing body, shall make conformity determinations for all Metropolitan
Transportation Plans (MTPs), Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs), regionally significant
projects, and all other events as required (40 CFR Part 93, Subpart A and sub-sections)
• Once determined locally by the MPO, the MPO will submit to the Consultative Partners, the
approved MTP, TIP and Transportation Conformity documents
• Upon completion of the transportation conformity determination review process (including
consultation, public participation, and all other requirements), Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will issue a joint conformity finding, indicating
the transportation conformity status of the document(s) under review.
• The effective date of the conformity determination for an area is the date of the joint conformity
finding made by FHWA-FTA.
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Purpose and Process
Purpose of NAAQS
Regional Support
 1 Protect human health
 AASHTO, FHWA and TRB series of
webinars
 TxDOT, FHWA and TCEQ support
 2 Protect public welfare
Major Milestones
 Oct 2015: EPA Ozone NAAQS Decision
Note:
AASHTO: American
Association of State
Highway and
Transportation Officials
TCEQ: Texas Commission
on Environmental Quality
TRB: Transportation
Research Board
 Oct 2016: Governors propose
nonattainment areas
 Oct 2017: EPA designates nonattainment
areas
 Oct 2018: Transportation Conformity Due
 Oct 2020 Air Quality Plans (SIPs) due and
next NAAQS review is due
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Air Quality & Transportation Conformity
Summary
 There are six criteria pollutants, four of which are transportation
related (ozone, CO, PM, and NO2)
 EPA has developed health-based standards for criteria pollutants
called NAAQS
 The Alamo Area MPO could be designated non-attainment (NA) for
ozone
 Transportation conformity includes conformity of the MTP and TIP
(regional conformity) and conformity of specific projects (project-level
conformity)
 The MPO through its Transportation Policy Board, is responsible for
transportation conformity
 Regional partnering agencies are working together to ensure
transportation projects keep moving forward
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Contact Information
Contact Information:
Timoteo “Tim” Juarez, Jr.
MPO Coordination
TXDOT – Transportation Planning & Programming Division
Work: 512.486.5028 | [email protected]
Bill Frawley, AICP
Research Scientist
Texas A&M Transportation Institute
Work: 817-462-0533 | [email protected]
Todd B. Carlson, AICP
Assistant Research Scientist
Texas A&M Transportation Institute
Work: 817-462-0517 | [email protected]
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