Air Quality Training Opportunities
The FHWA with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Department of Energy offer four new air quality training opportunities. These courses were designed in response to the needs of both public and private entities, and cover a range of topics and levels of proficiency. Additionally, we provide information about related training opportunities offered in conjunction with National Highway Institute (NHI), National Transit Institute (NTI) and the FHWA Resource Center.
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Estimating Regional Mobile Source Emissions
The transportation conformity provisions of Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA) and planning provisions of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) require areas that violate the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to demonstrate that through the transportation conformity process, transportation investments have air quality impacts consistent with the clean air goal of the State Implementation Plan. Estimating the amount of mobile source emissions is a crucial part of this process. Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and State departments of transportation (DOTs) have the responsibility of creating mobile source emissions estimates to support transportation conformity determinations in areas that violate NAAQS. The focus of this training course is to develop the skills of planners and practitioners responsible for estimating mobile source emissions so that they can incorporate these techniques into practice in their areas. This course has been developed in coordination with the EPA.
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Implications of Air Quality Planning for Transportation
The CAAA, the Intermodal Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, and the TEA-21 reinforced the close linkage between clean air goals and transportation investments. This course was designed to educate professionals on how clean air and transportation rules and regulations interrelate.
Additionally, the course goes beyond the statutes to explain how the integrated transportation and air quality planning process has been defined and reinforced over the past decade by regulations, guidance, and litigation. It provides a context for the various statutory and regulatory requirements, provides information on emission trends, forecasting techniques, technology improvements, emerging issues, and demonstrates how transportation planning and air quality planning fit together under the Transportation Conformity Rule. Finally, it includes hands-on information based upon practitioners' experiences, a review of key court cases, and practical exercises, which enable participants to reinforce the classroom instructional materials through addressing real-life challenges they may face within their organizations or agencies.
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Introduction to Transportation/Air Quality Conformity
This course will present basic information about conformity requirements and the relationship of the transportation and air quality planning processes in order to prepare agency staff (federal, state and local) to participate in interagency consultation and work effectively in resolving conformity issues.
The course was designed to help professionals become more familiar with the broad ramifications of the conformity process working in the FHWA, FTA, the EPA, DOTs, MPOs, state/county/local planning agencies, state and local air quality agencies, transit agencies and consultant firms. This course was developed by the FTA and FHWA and is available through NTI.
Related Training Opportunities
FHWA Resource Center - In addition to formal training courses list above, the Resource Center also offer additional training opportunities
FHWA's NHI also offers courses related to transportation, the environment and air quality.
- Environment
- Planning
FTA's NTI also offers a variety of courses related to transportation and the environment.
To provide Feedback, Suggestions or Comments for this page contact Victoria Martinez at Victoria.Martinez@fhwa.dot.gov
