Air Quality Conformity

About Air Quality Conformity

It is important to consider air quality when planning transportation projects because motorized vehicles emit pollutants, and therefore, affects air quality. Projects that remove motorized vehicles from the road can reduce harmful emissions while projects that add capacity to roadways will often increase harmful emissions.

Federal transportation conformity (“conformity”) requirements ensure that federal funding and approval go to those transportation activities that are consistent with air quality goals. Conformity requirements apply to transportation plans, the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), 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. Regulations governing transportation conformity are found in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR Parts 51 and 93).

Geographic areas that do not meet the federal air quality standards are designated as “nonattainment areas”. Geographic areas that at one time violated air quality standards, but no longer do, are designated as “maintenance areas”. FAMPO is designated as a maintenance area. Nonattainment and maintenance areas have special transportation planning requirements to help them conform to air quality standards. For example, new transportation plans must undergo an air quality conformity analysis.

Air Quality Conformity Analysis Documents for FAMPO

Find the draft report for FAMPO’s 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan and Fiscal Years 2024-2027 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) located here. This draft report is open for the public to comment on for thirty days, starting March 9, 2023 and ending April 8, 2023.

The air quality conformity assessment for FAMPO’s 2045 LRTP and Fiscal Years 2021-2024 TIP is located here. The report indicates that the FAMPO 2045 LRTP and Fiscal Years 2021-2024 TIP demonstrate conformity with the Environmental Protection Agency’s transportation conformity rule and related guidance. Additionally, find the resolution adopting the conformity report here.