Abstract:Sometime during 2001 or 2002, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is likely to approve EMFAC-2000 for conformity in California. An EPA EMFAC approval will trigger the beginning of a two-year grace period, after which regional transportation plan (RTP) and transportation improvement program (TIP) conformity findings must be based on EMFAC-2000-modeled mobile source emissions. Depending upon when EPA begins the two-year EMFAC grace period, some metropolitan areas may experience conformity determination problems beginning in 2004. This white paper documents how metropolitan areas have an opportunity to avoid conformity problems by moving aggressively to update, submit, and receive EPA-approval for air quality state implementation plans (SIPs). We recommend that each metropolitan area review their RTP, TIP, and SIP update schedules to determine whether and when conformity problems might occur.

Note:UC Davis-Caltrans Air Quality Project