Federal Highway Administration Tennessee Department of Transportation Tennessee Department of Enviro

1
Federal Highway AdministrationTennessee
Department of TransportationTennessee Department
of Environment and Conservation

• Air Quality
• for
• Decision Makers

2
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• What Are The Issues?
• EPA recently revised the standard for Ozone to
  reflect exposure over an eight hour period to
  ensure public health protection from the adverse
  effects of ozone pollution
• EPA is working with State Governors to determine
  appropriate non-attainment boundaries for the new
  8-hour ozone standard
• Several counties in Tennessee have exceeded the
  8-hour standard and are currently proposed for
  non-attainment.

3
Tennessee Proposed Ozone Non-attainment Areas
Tennessee Non-attainment Areas
Areas Outside of Tennessee
4
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• What is the Timeline?
• EPA has set the following timelines
• Non-Attainment Designations
• Mid - Late 2001
• Grace Period
• Agencies have one year from designation to make a
  conformity determination - if conformity is not
  met within this time, your projects may not be
  able to move forward
• Deadline for Conformity
• One Year after Designation

5
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• What is Ozone?
• Ozone is a gas formed by the reaction of
  volatile organic compounds (vapors from solvents
  and gasoline, etc.) And nitrogen oxides
  (combustion from cars, buses, powerplants) when
  exposed to sunlight.

6
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• What are the Health Effects of Ozone?
• Ozone irritates the eyes, impairs the lungs and
  aggravates respiratory problems - especially in
  children and the elderly
• Ozone can cause chest pain, coughing, nausea,
  pulmonary congestion and possible long-term lung
  damage.
• Ozone also promotes rust, damages vegetation and
  speeds up the deterioration of vinyl and rubber.

7
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• How is Ozone Detected?
• The State and local air agencies have implemented
  a network of monitors across the state
• Data is collected continuously and reported in
  hourly averages
• Validated data is compared to the air quality
  standard for ozone.

8
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• What is the Ozone Standard?
• The standard for Ozone is set by the
  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the
  National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS)
• When monitor data exceeds the Ozone standard the
  area is designated as non-attainment.

9
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• What Does A Non-Attainment
• Designation Mean?
• Non-Attainment areas cannot make air quality
  worse
• More difficult to build or expand new
  transportation facilities for single occupant
  vehicles
• Non-Attainment areas must demonstrate conformity
  to air quality goals.

10
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• What is Being Done Now for Ozone?
• EPA, States and Industries have initiated a long
  term plan to reduce NOx from industry
• Cleaner running automobiles and off road vehicles
  are entering the national fleet
• Most other emission sources are operating with
  optimum control equipment.

11
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• What Else Can Be Done?
• Reduce emissions from automobiles and other
  mobile sources
• Vehicle emission inspections
• Reduce the number of miles traveled by vehicles
• Both are important for Conformity.

12
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• What is Transportation Conformity?
• Conformity ensures that Federal funding and
  approvals are given to those transportation
  activities that are consistent with air quality
  goals.

13
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• Key Elements of the
• Conformity Process

14
Interagency Consultation
15
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• As part of the conformity rule, the State has
  developed an Interagency Consultation Regulation
  (1200.3.34.01)
• The State Regulation outlines the
  responsibilities of all agencies affected by
  Conformity
• Agencies are encouraged to build upon the State
  Regulation to address their own areas needs.

16
Regional Emissions Analysis
Vehicle Miles Traveled
Mode Split
Travel Speed
Emissions Model
Vehicle Mix
Emissions Inventories

• Transportation
• Network

17
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• How Do We Test
• for Conformity?

18
Nashvilles Current Transportation System
19
Nashvilles Proposed Transportation System
20
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• Conformity Applies To
• The Long Range Transportation Plan and
  Transportation Improvement Program
• Includes the entire transportation system
• All Federally funded, regionally significant and
  non-exempt projects.

21
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• Regionally Significant
• A project that is on a facility which serves
  regional transportation needs and would normally
  be included in the modeling of a metropolitan
  areas transportation network, including, as a
  minimum, all principal arterial highways and all
  fixed guideway transit facilities that offer a
  significant alternative to regional highway
  travel.

22
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• Conformity Testing Tools
• Latest Air Quality Model MOBILE6
• Interagency Consultation
• List of projects to be analyzed (Plan or TIP)
• Staff or Consultants to complete analysis

23
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• Emissions Analysis Outcomes
• In Conformity Federal approval to take action.
• Non-Conforming Severe limitations for any
  action.

24
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• Non-Conforming Conformity Lapse
• Only exempt projects may be approved for Federal
  funding
• Projects that are in PSE or have a FFGA may
  continue to move forward
• Non-Federal Regionally Significant Projects that
  are not fully approved are subject to conformity
  lapse.

25
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• How Do We Resolve a Conformity Lapse?
• Modify the plan, program or project to offset the
  expected emissions
• Select options to reduce motor vehicle emissions.

26
(No Transcript)
27
(No Transcript)
28
(No Transcript)
29
(No Transcript)
30
(No Transcript)
31
(No Transcript)
32
(No Transcript)
33
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• Next Steps

34
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• What is the Timeline?
• Non-Attainment Designations
• Mid - Late 2001
• Deadline for Conformity
• One Year After Designation

35
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• What Resources Are Available?
• Monthly Conference Calls
• University of Tennessee is under contract through
  TDOT to provide technical assistance to work
  through the conformity process
• TDEC and Local Air Agencies
• FHWA, TDOT and EPA.

36
Air Quality for Decision Makers

• Ideas For Success
• Commit Staff or Consultants to do the Air Quality
  Analysis
• Create Standing Agenda Item for Air Quality
  updates at MPO Technical Staff and Board
  meetings
• Begin Interagency Consultation
• Participate in Monthly Conference Calls
• Communicate and Coordinate Early and Often.