Air Quality Contacts
For more information, please contact Victoria Martinez (787-771-2524).
EPA Releases Draft MOVES2004 Model and Documentation for Public Review. On January 6, 2005 EPA released the draft version of the Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES), MOVES2004, and supporting documents covering model use, design, and technical inputs. The release initiates a six-month comment period to allow model stakeholders to review and provide comment on any aspect of the model or documentation. Note that the draft MOVES2004 is being released for review purposes and does not affect the official status of MOBILE6. The draft MOVES2004 model has been posted on EPA's website at: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/models/moves/index.htm. Comments are due to EPA on July 15, 2005 and should be sent to mobile@epa.gov or by regular mail to MOVES Team, c/o John Koupal, U.S.EPA, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, Assessment and Standards Division, 2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. EPA plans to hold a MOVES2004 workshop in the spring and will post specifics on its website when the date and location are finalized.
EPA Extends Comment Period for Supplemental Conformity Proposal for PM Hot Spot Analysis. On December 7, EPA released a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) regarding transportation conformity options to address PM-2.5 and PM-10 hot-spot analyses. The comment period has been extended to January 27, 2005. State DOTs and MPOs are strongly encouraged to comment on this SNPRM. The Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) Air Quality Work Group held a conference call to discuss MPO comments on the SNPRM on January 6, 2005. The final option selected could have an impact on both the conformity and NEPA processes, as the hot-spot analyses are typically completed as part of the NEPA process.
Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting - Air Quality Highlights. The Transportation and Air Quality Committee hosted a number of sessions at the TRB Annual meeting, which was held the week of January 9 in Washington, D.C. An all day air toxics workshop was held on Sunday, January 9 titled: Air Toxics and Transportation: How Much Do You Need to Know. The workshop included sessions on air toxics issues in transportation planning, regulatory issues, health effects, emissions models and inventories, exposure and risk assessment, dispersion modeling and case studies. Other sessions hosted or co-hosted by the Committee included International Approaches to Transportation and Air Quality Planning, Air Quality Measurement and Freight Impacts, and Implementing New Policies and Regulations in Transportation Air Quality. In addition, the Committee had more than a dozen papers presented in the Environmental Mega Poster Session. Presentations from the workshop and sessions are available on the Committee website at: www.trbairquality.com.
EPA Finalizes PM-2.5 Designations. On January 5, 2005, the Federal Register posted EPA's final PM-2.5 designations, which are effective April 5, 2005. Transportation conformity requirements for PM-2.5 areas must be met within 12 months of the effective date of designations or by April 5, 2006. For information on the designations see: www.epa.gov/pmdesignations/index.htm.
NTI Course: Introduction to Transportation Conformity. Courses will be offered in Montgomery, AL on January 25 - 27, Houston, TX on March 21-23, and St. Louis, MO on April 18-20. One additional course will be scheduled in May or June. For information and to register go to: www.ntionline.com/CourseInfo.asp?CourseNumber=FP213.
FHWA Resource Center Training Activities. FHWA's Resource Center Air Quality Technical Services Team will be conducting the following air quality-related training opportunities over the next several months.
If you have any suggestions for future monthly conformity highlights, please email: ssiwek@aol.com.
FHWA Resource Center Air Quality Team Contacts:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/resourcecenter/teams/airquality/index.cfm.
