Revised National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

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Revised National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS)

• Cecilia Ho
• Office of Natural and Human Environment
• Environmental Conference
• Washington DC
• June 2008

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Revised Air Quality Standards

• 8-hour Ozone Standard (March 2008 May 2008 eff.)
• Lowered to 0.075 ppm (from 0.08 ppm)
• PM-2.5 Standard
• Annual standard retained at 15 mg/m3
• Lowered daily standard to 35 mg/m3 (65 mg/m3)
• PM-10 Standard (Sept 2006 Dec 2006 eff.)
• Annual standard revoked
• Daily standard retained at 150 mg/m3

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EPAs Preliminary Implementation Timeline
Milestone 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS
Promulgation of standard Sept. 2006 March 2008
Effective date of standard Dec. 2006 May 2008
State designation recommendations to EPA Dec. 2007 No later than March 2009
Final designations (may extend up to 1 yr) No later than Dec 2008 No later than March 2010
Designations effective March 2009 June 2010
SIPs due March 2012 June 2013
Attainment dates 2013-2030 (depends on severity) No later than 5 years after effective date of designation may extend up to 5 more yrs

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Revised NAAQS Implications

• Conformity Applies 1-Year After Effective Date of
  Designations
• PM2.5 March 2010
• 8-hour ozone June 2011
• Until EPA revokes the old standards, they are
  still officially in effect.
• NEPA
• EPA guidance on PM2.5 standards issued on June
  25, 2007

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Other NAAQS

• Lead NAAQS
• EPA proposes to lower the standards to within a
  range of 0.1 and 03 mg/m3 (from the existing 1.5
  mg/m3)
• Final rule expected in Sept. 2008
• May not have direct impacts on highway projects
  but may impact projects that are subject to
  general conformity (e.g., intermodal facilities)
• Others CO, NO2, and PM.

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What are the issues?

• Transition from the old to the revised (new
  standards)
• Depends on whether the old standards will be
  retained or revoked
• Possible impacts on conformity and NEPA
• Anticipation of another round of conformity rule
  amendments

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How can we assist and prepare State DOTs and MPOs?

• Provide information/update
• Encourage them to work with air agencies on
  designations
• Establish interagency consultation (especially
  for new nonattainment areas)
• Educate new areas on potentially new air quality
  analysis (both for conformity and NEPA)
• Provide information on flexibility
• Ozone flex program available
• Identify training needs

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Upcoming Issues

• REAUTHORIZATION OF SAFETEA-LU!!
• Possible conformity rule amendments
• New emissions model (MOVES) expected in 2009
• New project level hot-spot analysis guidance

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Questions??