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Transportation Planning Issues Associated with the New Ozone Standards

Transportation Planning Issues Associated with the New Ozone Standards. March 5, 2002, Alexandria VA March 7, 2002, Atlanta GA. Two Issues. (1) Conformity and the options for revoking the 1-hour standard (2) CMAQ eligibility Other issues will be covered in future discussions.

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Transportation Planning Issues Associated with the New Ozone Standards

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  1. Transportation Planning Issues Associated with the New Ozone Standards March 5, 2002, Alexandria VA March 7, 2002, Atlanta GA

  2. Two Issues (1) Conformity and the options for revoking the 1-hour standard (2) CMAQ eligibility • Other issues will be covered in future discussions

  3. Transportation Conformity • Required by Clean Air Act section 176(c) • Ensures that federal funding and approval given to transportation activities that are consistent with air quality goals • Transportation conformity applies to: • nonattainment areas (regardless of classification) • maintenance areas • One-year grace period: • Areas designated nonattainment for the first time for a new standard have a one-year grace period before transportation conformity applies for that standard

  4. Options for revoking the 1-hour ozone standard • Revoking the 1-hour standard is only an issue for areas currently designated under the 1-hour standard • Would not impact brand new 8-hour areas • Option 1: At time of 8-hour ozone nonattainment designation • Option 2: At time of EPA approval of 8-hour ozone SIPs (for 8-hour ozone nonattainment areas) • Option 3: At time EPA determines area meets 1-hour ozone NAAQS (after 8-hr ozone designation)

  5. When the 1-hour ozone standard is revoked, will conformity apply for 1-hour ozone standard: • In nonattainment areas only? • In maintenance areas only? • In both types of areas? • Under Options 2 and 3, both standards (and conformity) would apply for some period of time • For neither type of area? • Under Option 1, then no conformity for either ozone standard would apply until one-year grace period for the 8-hour standard ends • What would be the transportation and air quality impact under any of the options?

  6. The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program • The CMAQ program is funded under TEA-21 • Provides federal money for transportation projects that reduce criteria pollutant emissions in • nonattainment areas, and • maintenance areas

  7. CMAQ Program • Amount of CMAQ funds available to States set by TEA-21 • Funds apportioned to states via a statutory formula • based on 1-hour ozone nonattainment/maintenance area designations • areas designated after 12/31/97 are eligible to receive CMAQ funds, but no additional funding is available • current interpretation holds that areas where the standard is revoked without an approved maintenance plan are no longer eligible for CMAQ funds

  8. TEA-21 Reauthorization (“TEA-3”) • TEA-21 reauthorization work is currently being conducted by DOT • New legislation is expected by fall 2003 • How should funds be apportioned to states, given new 8-hour ozone areas? • How should new legislation consider areas where the 1-hour standard is revoked without a maintenance plan?

  9. Questions ... comments....

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