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Air Quality Issues on Highway Projects

Air Quality Issues on Highway Projects. April Marchese Director, Office of Natural And Human Environment June, 2006. An Overview. Why this is a highway concern Why this is a NEPA issue What the future holds How we can help.

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Air Quality Issues on Highway Projects

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  1. Air Quality Issues on Highway Projects April Marchese Director, Office of Natural And Human Environment June, 2006

  2. An Overview • Why this is a highway concern • Why this is a NEPA issue • What the future holds • How we can help

  3. On-road sources contribute toMobile Source Air Toxics emissions For the Year 1999

  4. …and to Particulate Matter PM 2.5 Emissions 2002—National Emissions Trends

  5. There are adverse health effects from MSATs

  6. …and adverse health effects from Particulate Matter • Asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other respiratory problems and disease • Decreased lung function • Alteration of the body’s defense system • Premature mortality

  7. But project-level impacts are difficult to measure Levels of Emissions Emission Dispersion Length of Exposure Health Effects

  8. Why is this a NEPA issue?(didn’t the conformity process take care of this?) • Conformity process requires a regional analysis but also some project-specific analyses • Air Toxics pose a potential health hazard but are not covered in the conformity process • MSATs are not criteria pollutants, no NAAQS

  9. NEPA document should discuss impacts that can inform decision-making • Impact analysis and comparison of impacts of project alternatives • Public disclosure and information dissemination • Discussion of uncertainties

  10. And another good reason—we’re getting sued Four lawsuits against FHWA raising MSAT issues— • US-95 (Nevada) • CCCH (Vermont) • Katy Freeway (Texas) • I-93 (New Hampshire) PM 2.5 analysis already front and center in comments on NEPA document for a major highway project in Maryland

  11. There are solutions on the horizon…

  12. …but also new issues • New NAAQS • More stringent PM 2.5 standard • New PM coarse standard • Revised ozone standard • Global Climate Change • About 27% of greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation sources • New Emissions Model

  13. But Cindy said these trends would be going down…. How we can help • Technical assistance (with RC staff) and policy guidance in conducting an analysis

  14. How we can help Maybe it’s time for a diesel retrofit • Developing mitigation strategies… • And finding ways to pay for them

  15. How we can help AHA! A particulate matter! • Providing answers through research and data collection… • and explaining uncertainties.

  16. How we can help Hello FHWA, how is the family? EPA, so nice to see you • Facilitating positive dialogues with other Federal agencies

  17. Give us a call

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