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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation
Turner-Fairbank logo
OFFICE OF RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND TECHNOLOGY AT THE TURNER-FAIRBANK HIGHWAY RESEARCH CENTER

Conformity Exempt Projects: Emissions Sensitivity Analyses

Project Information

Project ID:
FHWA-PROJ-19-0043
Project Abstract:

Transportation conformity is required under the Clean Air Act (CAA) section 176(c) to ensure that federally funded highway and transit projects conform to a State’s air quality implementation plan. Conformity means that transportation activities will not cause new air quality violations, worsen existing air quality violations, or delay timely attainment of the relevant air quality standard, or any interim milestone.

Several project types are currently exempt from conformity (40 CFR 93.126) or from regional emissions analysis (40 CFR 93.127). However, many of these project types are ambiguous on the specific conditions that meet the exemption. The objective of this project is to identify specific project types that Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) find challenging to classify as exempt or not and to conduct a sensitivity analysis to highlight different conditions that may lead to an exempt status (i.e., the project has negligible changes in emissions).

 

Project Status:
Active
Project Funding Amount (Contract Award Amount):
$75,000.00
Start Date:
End Date:
Public Access Plan:
Yes
Grant/Contract ID:
  • 693JJ319N300053
FHWA Program Area:
  • Planning, Environment, and Realty
Fiscal Year / AMRP Program / AMRP Activity:
  • FY 2002-2022 / Planning, Environment, and Realty / Modeling and Analysis Tools
FHWA Activity:
  • Analysis, Modeling, and Simulation
Project Outputs:
  • List of specific exempt project types that would benefit from sensitivity analysis.
  • Final report of sensitivity analysis findings.
  • Supporting slide deck of sensitivity analysis findings.
Project Outcomes/Impact:

The final report will be available as a resource to MPOs and other regional planning groups to help identify specific conditions of certain transportation projects that may be exempt from transportation conformity. The sensitivity analyses may also help MPOs during the interagency consultation process.

AMRP = Annual Modal Research Plan

Contact Information

First Name:
Cecilia
Last Name:
Ho
Phone Number:
202-366-9862
Email Address:
Cecilia.Ho@dot.gov
Team:
Air Quality and Transportation Conformity Team
Office:
Office of Natural Environment
Office Code:
HEPN-10

Management Organizations

Sponsor Organization

Organization Role:
Sponsor Organization
Organization:
Federal Highway Administration: Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty - Office of Natural Environment
Contact Role:
Contract Office Representative
Contact:
Ho, Cecilia

Managing Organization

Organization Role:
Sponsor Organization
Organization:
Federal Highway Administration: Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty - Office of Natural Environment
Contact Role:
Contract Office Representative

Performing Organization

Organization Role:
Sponsor Organization
Organization:
Federal Highway Administration: Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty - Office of Natural Environment
Contact Role:
Contract Office Representative