Transportation and Air-Quality: Mobile-Source Emissions Regulations

Transportation and Air-Quality: Mobile-Source Emissions Regulations Seungju Yoon, Rosa Chi, Monique Latalladi, Amit Marmur Georgia Institute of Technology

Overview Transportation and air-quality history National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Clean Air Act Transportation Conformity Act (TCA) Current example: Atlantic Station

Transportation and Air Quality History

Transportation and AQ History 1886: The first gasoline powered automobile (Benz) 1900: World production stands at 20,000 vehicles per year (compared to almost 30 million in 1999) 1909: First Ford Model-T manufactured (15 million by 1927). Top speed: 30mph

Transportation and AQ History 1966: First tailpipe emissions standards (CO and HC, in CA), achieved by engine modifications 1975: The catalytic converter is introduced (post combustion control) 1990s: 500 million cars worldwide ( 120 in USA). Emit 77% of national CO, 49% of NOx and 40% of HC

Emission reductions A 1993 car, compared to a 1960 car, emits: 4% of CO 11% of NOX 3% of HC

Current Regulations: Low Emissions Vehicle (LEV) Program In 1990, CARB approved standards for Low and Zero Emissions Vehicles that would apply from 1994 to 2003. Four classes of vehicles were introduced, each with increasingly stringent emissions requirements: TLEV transitional low emissions vehicles LEV low emissions vehicles ULEV ultra low emissions vehicles ZEV zero emissions vehicles

Current Regulations: LEV II Program CARB approved new proposals in November 1998, referred to as LEV II, for a strengthening of the regulations. The new standards will require light trucks, including sports utility vehicles (SUVs), pick-ups and small vans, as well as some vehicles currently in the medium duty class, to meet the same emissions standards as passenger cars. A further significant ruling is that diesels will be subject to the same standards as gasoline powered vehicles.

Current Regulations: Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEV) As part of its 1990 LEV Program, CARB mandated that 2% of passenger cars produced and offered for sale in California in 1998 by the seven major auto manufacturers should be zero emissions vehicles. This percentage was to rise gradually and reach 10% in 2003.

Current Regulations: Emission Factors for Passenger Cars Class NMOG CO NOX (g/mile) (g/mile) (g/mile) TLEV 0.156 4.200 0.600 LEV 0.090 4.200 0.300 ULEV 0.055 2.100 0.300 ZEV zero zero zero based on 100,000 miles durability

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) The first written law to establish broad national framework for protecting environment Basic policy to assure all government agencies to give proper consideration to the environment prior to undertaking any major federal action, significantly affecting the environment.

NEPA Requirements The policies, regulations, and laws of the Federal Government be interpreted and administered in accordance with its environmental protection goals Interdisciplinary approach in planning and decision-making for any action that adversely impacts to the environment The examination and avoidance of potential impacts to the social and natural environment when considering approval of proposed transportation projects.

NEPA Umbrella Title VI of Civil Rights Act of 1964 Americans with Disabilities Act Clean Air Act Safe Water Drinking Act Farmland Protection Policy Act Solid Waste Disposal Act Highway Noise Standards Transportation Equity Act for 21-centuries Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act of 1986 Executive Order 12898 (Environmental Justice) Economic, Social and Environmental Effects of Highways Economic, Social and Environmental Effects of Transit Public Hearing Requirements And more

NEPA Implementation NEPA CEQ TEA21

FHWA Decision Making To Meet NEPA Requirements Balanced transportation decisionmaking that takes into account the potential impacts on the human and natural environment and the public's need for safe and efficient transportation.

Project Development Planning NEPA Process NEPA Approval Final Design Construction System considerations, coordination, conformity, project need Need, alternatives and impact analysis, public / agency coordination, documentation (CE, EA/FONSI, EIS/ROD)

Elements in DecisionMaking Impacts Alternatives Mitigation Public Involvement Interagency Coordination Documentation

Documentations for Decision-Making Proposed Action Coordination and Analysis NO YES Significant Impact ? Unknown Listed CE Documented CE Coordination and analysis as needed Document appropriately Environmental Assessment Significant impact No significant impacts Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) Notice of Intent & Scoping Process Draft EIS Public Comment Final EIS Record of Decision (ROD) Agency Action Agency Action Agency Action

Transportation Equity Act for 21st Centuries (TEA21) To meet the challenges of improving safety, protecting and enhancing communities and the natural environment, and advancing national economic growth and competitiveness domestically and internationally through efficient and flexible transportation. Major components Rebuilding infrastructure (surface transportation) Improving safety Protecting the environment 1) Congestion mitigation and air quality improvement program (CMAQ) 2) PM2.5 monitoring program Advancing research and technology

Environmental Justice (EJ) Environmental justice is for fair treatment for people of all races, cultures, and incomes, regarding the development of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. The principals are To avoid, minimize, or mitigate disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental effects, including social and economic effects, on minority populations and low-income populations. Rebuilding infrastructure (surface transportation) To ensure the full and fair participation by all potentially affected communities in the transportation decision-making process. To prevent the denial of, reduction in, or significant delay in the receipt of benefits by minority and lowincome populations.

Clean Air Act

Clean Air Act History 1955 – First national air pollution legislation: Air Pollution Control Act of 1955 1963 – First Clean Air Act Amendments in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969 1970 – Major revision of Clean Air Act Amendments in 1977 1990 – Second major revision of Clean Air Act

CAA of 1963 and Mobile Sources Original did not legislate mobile source emissions! 1965 Amendments – established automobile emission standards 1967 Amendments - established Air Quality Control Regions (AQCRs), dictated the timetable for state implementation plans (SIPs) , and recommended control technologies for use in the SIPs. 1969 Amendments – included more research funding for low-emission strategies involving fuels and automobiles

CAA of 1970 and Mobile Sources Complete revision of CAA Health-based NAAQS Set new automobile emission standards Required the preparation of Transportation Control Plans (TCPs) in ozone non-attainment areas. Allowed citizens the right to sue over non-compliance 1977 Amendments – Extended deadline for meeting automobile emission standards

CAA of 1990 and Mobile Sources Emissions Set stricter automobile emissions standards Set diesel particulate standards Allowed EPA to regulate non-road engine emissions Fuels low-sulfur fuels Required reformulated gasoline in most severely polluted areas Control Strategies and Enforcement Required non-attainment areas to encourage transportation alternatives to reduce number driving trips Established more SIP requirements Gave EPA the power to withhold highway grants from states not in compliance with regulations

State Implementation Plans Plan for how a state will attain/maintain NAAQS Additional requirements for non-attainment areas Must include: emission inventories monitoring network air quality analysis and modeling attainment demonstration control strategies and enforcement state regulations

Transportation Conformity Act

Transportation Conformity Act Under the 1990 CAA amendments, the US DOT cannot fund, authorize, or approve Federal actions to support programs or projects which are not first found to conform to the CAA requirements. Aims: Establish a connection between transportation planning and emission reductions from transportation sources Ensure federal funding and approval are given to those transportation activities that are consistent with air quality goals.

Transportation Conformity Act According to the CAA, transportation activities cannot: Create new violations of the Federal air quality standards Increase the frequency or severity of existing violations of the standards, or Delay attainment of the standards The FHWA and the FTA jointly made conformity determinations within air quality nonattainment and maintenance areas to ensure Federal actions conform to the purpose of the State Implementation Plans (SIPs). August 15, 1997: EPA issued regulations pertaining to the criteria and procedures for transportation conformity

Transportation Conformity Rule Actions Subject to the TCR: Applies to projects in nonattainment or maintenance areas Transportation plans, programs and projects funded or approved by the FHWA or the FTA Regionally significant transportation projects not funded or approved by the FHWA or the FTA, but which are sponsored by traditional recipients of FHWA/FTA funds. “Regionally Significant Project” means one that is on a facilty which serves regional transportation needs and would normally be included in the modeling of a metropolitan area’s transportation network (Ex: all principal arterial highways or all fixed guide way transit facilities that offer a significant alternative to regional highway travel.)

Transportation Conformity Rule Transportation Improvement Program (TIP): A multi-year prioritized list of projects (3 yrs at minimum) proposed to be funded or approved by the FHWA/FTA Under Titles 23 and 49 of USC, MPO’s must have a TIP in place that present a 20-yr perspective in their region TIP must be found to conform to the SIP Project Level Conformity: They must come from a conforming TIP The design concept and scope of project that was in place at the time of the conformity finding must be maintained through implementation The project design concept and scope must be sufficiently defined to determine emissions at the time of the conformity determination. If project does not meet above criteria, its emissions cannot cause the program to exceed the emissions budget in the SIP.

Transportation Conformity Rule Emissions Budgets Emissions budget for motor vehicles is the total of all motor vehicle emissions identified in the SIP that an area can produce and still achieve the SIP’s purpose which is to demonstrate attainment/maintenance of the air quality standards i.e. “Carrying capacity of region for each pollutant type.” The principals are: Budgets are developed based upon the emissions inventory in the SIP and depend upon variables such as: number of vehicles in region, age of vehicle, rate of fleet turnover to newer/cleaner vehicles, seasonal temperature changes, ext Budgets reflect effects of control measures and increases due to population growth and expected increases in vehicle miles traveled.

Transportation Conformity Rule Modeling CAA requires that the latest planning assumptions be used in the conformity analysis Travel Demand Models: used in certain nonattainment and maintenance areas to estimate how much travel will occur in the region based on travel characteristics and growth assumptions Emission Models: used to estimate regional emissions (these estimates are derived from grams of pollutant per mile traveled) and are based upon the output of the latest travel demand models Air Quality Dispersion Models: used to evaluate localized impacts (project level impacts)

Transportation Conformity Rule Reduction Targets Vehicle Controls: Implementation of nationwide emissions control strategies have resulted in doubling of VMT nationwide btw 1970 and 1990 Tier II: Both cars and light-duty trucks are subject to the same national pollution control system (take effect 2004) Fuel Based Standards: Stricter Fuel Volatility Requirements Use of Reformulated & Oxygenated Gasoline Stage I & II Vapor Recovery I&M Programs: CAA requires I&M to be adopted in certain O3 and CO nonattainment areas Reduction potential is substantial and critical in many areas.

Transportation Conformity Rule Reduction Targets (cont.) Transportation Control Measures: Ridesharing/Bicycling Programs Expanded Transit Services CAA Section 108(f)(1)(A) – (for severe or extreme): Restriction of Roads Programs for removal of pre-1980 vehicles Trip Reduction ordinances Market-Based TCM’s: Road Pricing Congestion Pricing VMT Fees Parking Pricing

Current Example: Atlantic Station

Atlantic Station A 140-acre mixed-use project is built just west of I-75/85, north of 14th street, on the former Atlantic Steel mill site. 1.5 million square feet of retailentertainment space; 1,000 hotel rooms; 5 million square feet of high-rise office space; up to 4,000 housing units; 2 million square feet of roads, parks, monuments and a lake. 17th st bridge

Atlantic Station The first urban redevelopment under EPA Project XL (eXcellence and Leadership), with a total budget estimated at 2-billion. Its developers are trying to "create a model for smart growth and urban revitalization“ “live, work, and play” – fewer travels, fewer emissions

The problem Atlanta is a non-attainment area (ozone standard), therefore doesn’t receive federal funding for transportation projects (such as the 17th St Bridge)

Overcoming the problem Through Project XL, Atlantic Station becomes a model for Smart Growth and brown-field redevelopment 1998 EPA study found that VMT could be reduced by as much as 61 percent by developing at infill sites compared to outlying greenfields

Overcoming the problem Results of study using the Atlanta regional transportation model and MOBILE5 to compare development at the Atlantic Steel site to similar development at outlying greenfields showed Atlantic Steel project produced: 34 percent fewer VMT and up to 45 percent fewer NOx emissions. Modeling also indicated no CO hot spot problems.

Atlantic Steel 1HR-CO Concentration Analysis (1998)

Atlantic Steel 1HR-CO Concentration Analysis(2005)

Summary and Conclusions

Summary/Conclusion Mobile emissions are major sources to the atmosphere and cause various adverse environmental impact such as ozone and particular matters NEPA process helps federal agencies not commit actions causing significant environmental impact from mobile sources

Summary/Conclusion CAA requires federal and state actions in transportation follow guidance to meet the goal of NAAQS TCR guides agencies follow the environmental impact analysis and decision making processes before they do transportation actions

Real-Life Environmental Decision Making