California Statewide Conformity Working Group 10/13/2011 Teleconference Meeting Notes Times are from the agenda. Meeting moved somewhat faster than planned. 9:00 AM Introductions; housekeeping; agenda review · Remove truck volumes consultation item – EPA unable to review prior to meeting · Ozone implementation handout added this AM – on handouts page and web page agenda only. · NAAQS schedule – no handout at this time · 1-lane bridges – no handout at this time; see CFPG (Caltrans Programming) for copy & details 9:05 AM Public Comment on matters not on the agenda No comments received. 9:10 AM Federal Updates · PM Hot Spot Training report EPA appreciates the participation in the first session; considering what will be in a session next FFY. EPA is considering a webinar. Course templates for the models were not available before the class. Get the web site materials from EPA’s web site as a place to start if unable to attend a class. Caltrans Course Participant: Webinar would be a good idea – for details & review & individual pieces. There was a lot to cover in 3days! But still need more specifics… San Joaquin Valley COGs: Need statewide procedures, especially for PLANNING ASSUMPTIONS & MODELS. Discuss at next meeting to identify common items. Need a form/outline or something else to streamline process. · Effect on conformity of changing a standard where change doesn’t affect actual numeric standard (e.g. CO) – report back from question at March meeting No new conformity triggers since the standard really didn’t change. · EPA Regulatory Update Final Conformity Restructuring rule still @OMB; proposed by EPA in 2010 to standardize transition for new standards. Would restructure & simplify transition procedures so the conformity rule would not need to be amended for each new pollutant and standard change. Continue to use current rule until new one is effective. Does not affect SIPs in process; only conformity for new standards. Conformity SIPs - Ventura like others has an old conformity SIP submitted. What should be done about old submitted SIPs? Can only the appropriate sections be approved and drop the rest? EPA: not clear that can be done – may not be able to partially approve the old SIPs. Ozone: no new info on subpart 1 areas. Ozone implementation handout (not rule or designations) posted at Statewide CWG website this AM. Doing expedited designations for 2008 std – should be released mid-December. 2 rules being expedited: reclassification of Subpart 1 and related ozone SIP requirements. Subpart 1 reclassification is waiting for HQ finalization but is moving again. May have signature around the end of October? Responds to: lawsuit over Subpart 1 use and proposal in 2009. 16 areas in the country will get new classification under Subpart 2; 7 in CA. Most are rural – some marginal, some moderate; SD to be serious. Triggers various SIP requirements, RACT, offsets, etc. SJV: will notice have schedule for SIPs etc.? Yes - 1 year from effective date (December). 1-year conformity trigger?? All areas have clean data (exc SD) – so R9 will do clean data finding right away which tolls many planning requirements?? EPA notes: not a new DESIGNATION so no conformity trigger. Designations for 2008 standard & Ozone NAAQS overall: – moving on completing designations for 2008 standard by mid-2012. Memo (handout) describes the process – resolves lawsuits for missing various deadlines and the end of reconsideration… Will move forward with 2009 state recommendations – if States want to revise must submit by 10/28 – 120day notice letters should be signed by Regional Administrators by 12/15/11. Probably will be a public comment period. All previous nonattainment areas are still there, possibly with some boundary changes. EPA can accept new data (soon!) that could change recommendations. Comment period on intended designations during January 2012. States will get 60 days to comment. CLASSIFICATIONS – most of the country would be marginal based on % above standard approach. R9 areas with higher current classifications would keep them under new rules. Implementation rule will be finalized with or before designations. EPA WILL PROPOSE REVOKING 1997 STANDARD as was done with 1-hour. Plan on final designations by 4/30/12-early May with a midyear effective date - starts conformity clock. Conformity SIP submittal required for new areas. Region9 has about 1/3 of all new ozone areas. New Conformity Analysis probably needed only for new nonattainment areas. Transition otherwise to be like the 1-hour to 8-hour transition. SCAG: will EPA revoke the 1997 standard and keep antibacksliding items as for 1-hour? EPA: Yes, but not sure about the details yet. · NAAQS Review Schedule Update New ozone standard should be proposed in 2013 under normal schedule. The standard would be final in 2014 leading to 2016 designations and a new conformity clock. The new standard will be more stringent/lower. · Significant Litigation & Other Matters Litigation driving Region 9 SIP actions – SJV/South Coast PM & ozone SIPs top priority. National: finished arguing case re 2010 ozone reconsideration – see above for local results. No word on TCM litigation for South Coast. · Federal Highways & Other Updates Rural One-Lane Bridges –policy regarding use of conformity exemption FHWA won’t send out as a formal policy– it’s only interpretation. CT to revise funding/TIP policy. Affects conformity areas statewide. Basically, provides conditions under which replacing a remote rural 1-lane bridge with a 2-lane bridge would be exempt from conformity. Details circulated to programming staff via CFPG. Reauthorization progress: Current authority goes to end of March 2012. New bill prospects unknown … taking things day by day. Other Issues SACOG: Some issues with FHWA guides regarding 1-lane bridges – may not fit group programs? SANDAG – did consultation regarding a replacement rather than use FHWA guidance. FHWA: SANDAG first to elevate it? FOLLOW UP in March or at CFPG: disconnect between Programming & Local Assistance? 10:00 AM ARB Updates · EMFAC 2011 is here! (ARB web page) EMFAC 2011 was released on 9/30/11 – replaces EMFAC 2007. Web site rebuilt; now includes some tutorials, downloadable modules, and SG version to support regional conformity analysis. ARB is meeting soon with EPA & FHWA regarding a transition period; will talk with MPOs after that. FHWA won’t send a letter regarding planning assumptions transition until after the meetings. SJV: when will a transition letter be done? ARB: meeting with FHWA 10/25/11, letter will be done after that. SJV: Will ARB have procedures on how to use templates for emission analysis? ARB: Still in process. Caltrans/Community Planning: what will the transition period be? ARB: Law & regulations specify transition period (3-24 months) for old model -> new model. Will consult with Feds about how long etc. EPA: There will be two transition periods: 1) FHWA for latest planning assumptions (because in California fleet assumptions are hard-coded in EMFAC); and 2) EPA for the model itself. EPA-FHWA-ARB in consultation to work out the transitions. They may not precisely line up with each other but ARB & Feds plan to work with MPOs to streamline the transition. SCAG: Timing question. EPA: EPA not ready to talk about model approval yet. HQ coordination & publication in the Federal Register needed. Ventura: so EMFAC 2011 not available for SCAG 2012 update? SCAG: Correct. RTP work started with EMFAC 2007 but testing 2011 for future use. SJV: question regarding EMFAC and 2013 FSTIP schedule – is there an option to use either model? Will schedule allow use of EMFAC 2007? Valley is currently scheduled to maintain use of EMFAC 2007 but how might transition affect that? Does the same EMFAC version have to be used statewide for the 2013 FSTIP? Caltrans Programming: CFPG task force considering the issue; should have a report at next week’s CFPG meeting. Consultant: some possible problems noted with SG – process to submit? ARB: Send to EMFAC contact listed at web site. 10:15 AM Consultation Items INTERAGENCY CONSULTATION Items for Concurrence. These reflect current practice and EPA recommendation, or respond to issues that have come up in regional consultation. Concurrence on a statewide basis sets a baseline for further regional consultation. INTERAGENCY CONSULTATION: Particulate Matter hot spot planning assumptions. RECOMMENDATION: Use current EPA Guidance with EMFAC. Regional consultation is still needed for Projects of Concern (POAQC) for dispersion model choice, and identification of appropriate local data and planning assumptions. Intention is to get this on record in terms of consultation concurrence. This is the standard practice anyway, and will not change unless somebody comes up with a much better way than EPA’s to do the analysis, or EPA issues more changes in the future. EPA: no other procedures, really. If it makes it easier, OK to agree. Refer to Federal Register notices. Discussion/Questions: Ventura APCD: is project/level conformity analysis supposed to be in Conformity SIPs? EPA: no – but some states considering doing that. It is part of conformity procedures & should be in new Conformity SIPs/procedures in some way. MTC did a resolution but not a SIP amendment… Ventura wants a statewide conformity SIP to allow changes to be done once. EPA: there is a potential issue with detailed consultation statewide – there are regional differences – who would put it together and run it? Consider future agenda item: what is needed in each area for consultation with new PM/project-level guidance documents – what would be helpful statewide? Consider consulting online. INTERAGENCY CONSULTATION: truck volume discussion in PM hot spot documentation Removed from agenda. INTERAGENCY CONSULTATION: AP-42 RECOMMENDATION: Use latest EPA AP-42 for paved road dust unless Conformity or other SIP specifies a different version. To be incorporated into Caltrans Standard Environmental Reference and, if desired, local conformity guidance at next regular update. Discussion: EPA: Using local data is not a change to AP-42. SJV: using old method now but when new regional conformity procedures are done will use new – EXCEPT INDIAN WELLS VALLEY because Maintenance SIP specifies a (much older) method. 10:30 AM Break 10:45 AM Caltrans Updates California Interregional Blueprint/California Transportation Plan (CIB/CTP) Update (handout) Pam Korte/Caltrans presentation (see handout). · The CIB takes the Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS) concept to state level. Focus is on interregional travel needs related to greenhouse gases (GHGs). Starts with regional plans & land uses, then adds our plans for highway/rail/freight/aviation & policies regarding bike/walk. · Definitely looking at goods movement – not part of SB375but important in many areas. · Working with ARB & APCDs as mandated. · The various plans (CIB, CTP) must be done before the interim report is filed with the Legislature. · Statewide models & data will not be finished in time for the next round of the plans but are being developed. Discussion: SCAG: Status of CT Earth – currency of data? CT: not clear at this time what the process is for update process & frequency. SJV: what are the analysis years? CT: developing networks for 2015, 20, 35, 40, 50 (combined SB375 & EO analysis years). Base year is currently 2008 but will be 2010 for the CTP. SCAG: how are GHGs estimated for 2050, since EMFAC only goes to 2035-2040). CT: not settled yet; meeting scheduled with ARB to work out. Question: Why 2015? CT: Not sure … others are 375/391 related. Question: Sea Level Rise considered too? CT: Yes in a broad sense – no specifics. Mainly includes existing programs. Question: How often do stakeholders meet? Bimonthly. Conformity Status Table Update (handout) – no discussion. EMFAC version for project-level studies – use EMFAC 2011 instead of CT-EMFAC (which is based on EMFAC 2007) for new environmental studies. There may be a period where EMFAC 2011 is used for environmental studies and 2007 is used for conformity. 11:00 AM Status of Air Quality and Transportation Planning in California MPO & Air District Status Discussion San Joaquin Valley New 8-hr ozone budgets coming – comments due next week – to EPA in December; expect to use for 2013 FTIP. New PM2.5 budgets done but may effective date might be delayed. Locked down for regionally significant amendments to 2013 FTIPs. If schedule holds for 2013 expect to start consultation in Feb 2012 with EMFAC 2007 for this round. Not focused on SIP development yet – will get to that after 2013 TIP process is done. SACOG: Doing a conformity run right now. Also working on TCM substitution. PM10 SIP expected soon – should be able to use a budget test. RTP Draft in November and going to Board in April 2012. BCAG: Next scheduled adoption is December 2012 for RTP. Ozone SIP work kicking off soon. MTC: Starting conformity work for FTIP due for MTC action in Q2 2013. Ventura: Refer to SCAG for conformity. SIP: still waiting to hear about results of EPA proposal for RFP credits outside the nonattainment area – holding up ozone SIP. Working on report to APCD Board on GHG regulations & requirements – plan to make it available online. Working with VCTC on rescission of CMAQ balance – losing about 1.1 million? Merger of VCTC & VCOG being discussed. SCAG: Draft 2012 RTP to be released in early December. Have started conformity work using EMFAC 2007. To be adopted in April 2012. SANDAG: nearing end of 2050 RTP process … to adopt in December 2011. SDAPCD: will be affected by ozone rulemaking but also have clean data this year – so will work on mtc SIP instead of attainment. SCAQMD: 2012 AQMP working – did tech symposium – got SCAG growth factors/projections - brainstorming tech things/mobile source – what measures/strategies. Having EPA.ARB.SCAG mtg to develop strategies afterward. 11:45 AM Information Sharing · Next meeting – March 2012 teleconference · Should we drop back to an annual meeting? -- No. Stay twice a year. EPA: Do need to continue at leas t2/year rate things happening. FHWA: twice is good; not enough material for quarterly. · Chair for Next Year – Continue with Mike Brady. 12:00 Noon Adjourn