Agenda - 05-05-2009 - Information Item

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Conformity Analysis and Determination Report 2035 Long Range Transportation Plans: • Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization • Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization • Burlington-Graham Metropolitan Planning Organization FY 2009 - 2015 Transportation Improvement Programs ^ Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization ^ Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization ^ Burlington Graham Metropolitan Planning Organization Projects from the FY 2009-2015 State Transportation Improvement Program: • The portions of Chatham, Franklin, Granville, Johnston, Orange and Person Counties that are within the Triangle Ozone Maintenance Area but Outside the Capital Area, Durham- Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Burlington-Graham Metropolitan Planning Organization Areas Overview Transportation conformity ("conformity") is a way to ensure that Federal funding and approval goes to transportation activities that aze consistent with air quality goals. Conformity applies to transportation plans, transportation improvement programs (TIPs), and projects funded or approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) or the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in areas that do not meet or previously have not met air quality standards for ozone, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, or nitrogen dioxide. These areas are known as "non-attainment azeas" or "maintenance areas," respectively. A conformity determination demonstrates that the total emissions projected for a plan or program aze within the emissions limits ("budgets") established by the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for air quality, and that transportation control measures (TCMs) -specific projects or programs enumerated in the SIP that aze designed to improve air quality -are implemented in a timely fashion. Counties within the Triangle were designated as a maintenance area for the 8-hour ozone standard and the effective date of the designation was December 26, 2007. The Capital Area MPO (CAMPO), Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO (DCHCMPO) and Burlington-Graham MPO are adopting new 2035 Long Range Transportation Plans, requiring a new regional emissions analysis and conformity determination. This document. addresses .these plans and the previously adopted 2009-15 Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs), which are conforming direct subsets of the Long Range Transportation Plans. Determining Conformity Regional emissions aze estimated based on highway and transit usage according to transportation plans and TIPs. The projected emissions for the plan and TIP must not exceed the emissions limits (or "budgets") established by the SIP (or interim emissions tests, in areas where no SIP has yet been approved or found adequate by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)). Where TCMs aze included, responsible MPOs and the North Cazolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) aze required to demonstrate that TCMs aze implemented in a timely fashion. In North Cazolina there aze currently no TCMs included in SIl's. The Decision Process A formal interagency consultation process involving the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), FHWA, FTA and state and local transportation and air quality agencies is required in developing SIPs, TIPS, and transportation plans, and in making conformity determinations. Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) policy boazds make initial conformity determinations in metropolitan areas, while the NCDOT does so in azeas outside of MPOs, in consultation with affected Rural Planning Organizations (RPOs).