Air Quality Contacts
For more information, please contact Victoria Martinez (787-771-2524).
Prepared by the Office of Natural and Human Environment Federal Highway Administration - Publication Number FHWA-HEP-11-009
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EPA Approves MOVES/EMFAC for Hot-Spot Analyses and Announces Final PM2.5, PM10 and CO Quantitative Modeling Guidance. On December 20 EPA announced in the Federal Register its approvals for using MOVES for PM and CO hot-spot analyses (and EMFAC for PM hot-spot analyses) with a 2-year conformity grace period. EPA also released final guidance for conducting quantitative analyses using the MOVES model in PM2.5, PM10 and CO nonattainment and maintenance areas and in California, the EMFAC model in PM2.5 and PM10 nonattainment and maintenance areas. To access the Federal Register notice, guidance documents, and fact sheets, go to: EPA's Project Level Conformity.
EPA Delays Finalization of 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS to Gain More Scientific Input. On December 8, EPA filed a motion in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit indicating the agency needs more time to allow for the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) to provide further interpretation of epidemiological and clinical studies pertaining the a tightening of the ozone standard. EPA announced that it intends to complete this review by July 29, 2011. For more information, see: Ozone Standard.
EPA Issues Reports on Default Data in MOVES Model. On December 20 EPA issued two reports that describe information included in the MOVES 2010 default database. One report is on vehicle population and activity data and the other report is on air conditioning, Inspection and Maintenance programs and ambient conditions. To access these reports go to: MOVES model reports.
FHWA Research posted on Modifying Link-Level Emissions Modeling Procedures for Applications within the MOVES Framework. Prepared by Eastern Research Group, Inc. for FHWA, the primary goal of the study was to ease the transition to the MOVES model by providing both a road map for developing updated emissions inventories, as well as an analysis of the likely impacts of the transition on the emissions inventories themselves. A link to the main report and appendices can be found on FHWA's website.
EPA Issues Draft School Site Screening Recommendations. On November 17 EPA released a draft framework for environmental considerations in new school construction in an effort to minimize health risks due to contaminants at school sites. The guidelines address air, soil and water pollution as well as contaminants related to national EPA Superfund sites. EPA's guidelines are advisory and will remain so after EPA finalizes the guidelines after the February 18 deadline for public comment. For more information, see: school siting guidelines.
EPA Releases Revised MOVES2010a Installation Suite. U.S. EPA has revised the MOVES2010a Installation Suite to improve model run time and to make it easier to install MOVES. The revised installation suite includes a number of improvements and also upgrades the MOVES default database. No changes were made to calculations in the MOVES code or to the content of the default database. This revision is not a new emissions model for the purposes of conformity or SIP development nor does it change the grace period which end on March 2, 2012 before use of the model is required. The suite is available at: EPA's website.
Continuation of the CMAQ 100 percent Federal Share Flexibility and FY 2010 Supplementary Tables are Available. The Energy Independence & Security Act of 2007 amended Title 23 to provide a temporary full Federal share (at 100 percent) for CMAQ projects obligated in Fiscal Years 2008 and 2009. This increased Federal share will continue to apply to CMAQ projects during the most recent SAFETEA-LU extension. In practice, the Federal share flexibility is continued as it was on September 30, 2009, when SAFETEA-LU expired. Any questions related to the CMAQ program should be directed to Mike Koontz, Michael.Koontz@dot.gov (202)366-2076
MOVES2010's 24-Month Grace Period for Regional Conformity Analysis Started on March 2, 2010. The Federal Register notice includes EPA's announcement of the approval and availability of MOVES2010 for SIPs and regional emissions analyses in all states except California. The notice also starts the two-year transportation conformity grace period that ends on March 2, 2012, after which MOVES2010 is required to be used for new regional emissions analysis for transportation conformity. EPA did not approve the use of MOVES2010 for project-level transportation conformity hot-spot analyses, which will be addressed in a future Federal Register notice. Guidance on implementing MOVES2010 for SIP development and conformity purposes can be found at EPA's website. The MOVES2010 model and supporting materials can be found on the MOVES website.
Introduction to Transportation Conformity. The National Transit Institute sponsored Introduction to Transportation Conformity course will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah and Philadelphia, PA this spring. This two and one-half day introductory course has been recently updated to include MOVES and other developments since earlier this year. To register, go to: NTI Website.
Conformity 101 Training Available On-Line. FHWA has made a short course titled "What is Conformity" available on-line. This course is intended for transportation and air quality practitioners who are new to transportation conformity, those looking for a refresher, or others who only need a brief overview of the rule. The session is approximately 27 minutes long. Handouts are available for download at the same site. This course can be accessed on FHWA's website.
FHWA Resource Center Training Activities. FHWA's Resource Center Air Quality Technical Services Team is available to offer air quality-related training opportunities and information is available at the Resource Center website. For further information, contact: Mike Roberts at 404-562-3928.
EPA and FHWA Offer Two-Day MOVES2010 Training Course. EPA and FHWA have jointly developed a two-day training course on the MOVES2010 model that will be taught at various locations over the coming months. This is a detailed, two-day, hands-on course geared toward state and local agency staff that will use MOVES2010 for developing SIPs and conformity analyses. For additional information on the two-day training sessions, visit EPA's MOVES training website. The materials needed for the course are posted on the MOVES training site.
FHWA HQ Transportation Conformity Team:
FHWA Resource Center Air Quality Team:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/resourcecenter/teams/airquality/index.cfm.
Past issues are available at FHWA's website.If you have any suggestions for future monthly conformity highlights, please email: ssiwek@aol.com.
