Air Quality Conformity
The Air Quality Index is an tool for measuring daily
air quality. It determines how clean or polluted the air
is, and what associated health effects might be a
concern for you.
Air Quality Conformity is a process which ensures
federal funding and approval goes to transportation activities that are consistent with
our air
quality goals. This process applies to both the long range
Regional
Transportation Plan (RTP) and the
Transportation
Improvement
Program (TIP).
Known as "non-attainment areas" or
"maintenance areas," respectively, the Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA) and
the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) jointly determine conformity within these regions
which do not meet air quality standards to
ensure that federal actions conform to the purpose of
the State Implementation Plan (SIP). The US
Department of Transportation cannot fund, authorize, or
approve federal actions to support projects that do not
conform to Clean Air Act requirements governing the
current National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
While ozone and fine particulate emissions have
and continue to drop dramatically, the WILMAPCO region still does not
meet the rigorous federal air quality standards.
Both New Castle and Cecil Counties are designated in
moderate non-attainment for ozone.
New Castle County is considered in non-attainment for
fine particulate matter (PM2.5). WILMAPCO is
responsible for ensuring a plan in place to meet the
attainment levels in these counties.
To help reduce the impact these pollutants have on
your health, the
Air Quality Partnership
of Delaware alerts people when the air
reaches unhealthy levels.
How Does Ozone Effect Us?
While naturally produced ozone in the upper atmosphere protects life by filtering out ultraviolet radiation from
the sun, ozone at ground level is a noxious pollutant. Ground level ozone is the major component of smog and can damage lung tissue,
aggravate respiratory disease, and make people more susceptible to respiratory infections. One of the most common ways this
harmful pollutant is created is through automobile emissions.
People most affected by high ozone levels include:
children, the elderly, people with respiratory diseases,
healthy adults who exercise or work outdoors and
individuals who are just overly sensitive to ozone. In
unusually high doses, it
can cause shortness of breath, wheezing, headaches and
asthma attacks.
Plants and wildlife are also at risk because high ozone
levels can stunt plant growth and damage leaves.
This could have a permanent affect on the food chain.
Ozone is formed when Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) [both results of "imperfect" combustion] combine with heat and sunlight:
NOx + VOC + Heat + Sunlight = O3
How Does Particulate Matter Effect Us?
Particulate matter (PM) is a mixture of solid particles
and liquid droplets which can be found suspended in the
air. Fine particulate matter, under 2.5 microns in
diameter (PM2.5), result from fuel combustion by
automobiles and other sources, as well as the
transformation of gaseous emissions. Irritating
the membranes of the respiratory system, high levels of particulate
matter can result in increased respiratory problems and
disease, decreased lung function, alterations of the
body's defense systems, and early death.
People most sensitive to exposure to particulate
matter include: the elderly, individuals with
cardiopulmonary disease such as asthma, and children.
Particulate matter can also cause reduced driver visibility
(haze), cause harm to the natural environment by
settling into water bodies, and stain monuments and
buildings.
PM is produced from both direct and indirect
sources. Particles which are directly
emitted into the air come from a variety of sources
such as: cars, trucks, buses, factories, construction
sites, tilled fields, roadways, stone crushing and wood
burning. Those which are indirectly emitted
are formed when gases from burning fuels (from
combustion, power plants, industry, etc.) react with
sunlight and water vapor. Learn more about
particulate matter here:
FHWA's PM Brochure
;
EPA's PM Brochure
How and When Do We Demonstrate Transportation Conformity?
Air Quality Conformity effects all of our upcoming transportation plans. Before approving any transportation
plan, WILMAPCO, as the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization, must determine that the plan is constrained fiscally and is within
the air quality budget. Mobile source emissions projected in a given transportation plan must fall below the current on-road
mobile budget. If we do not meet the standards, federal dollars for expansion projects would be frozen and federal permits denied. Many of the transportation projects that we are waiting to implement would be stopped.
What about Climate Change and Peak Oil?
The consequences of
climate
change and the arrival of
peak oil are serious. Continued warming of the
Earth will lead to more unstable weather, species
extinction and famine, while a dwindling supply of oil
would result in higher consumer costs, inflation, and
lower capital investments. By planning now we can
work to mitigate these scenarios. Experts agree
that reducing rising greenhouse gas emissions (such as
carbon dioxide and methane), by curtailing our thirst
for fossil fuels, will best help offset the impacts of both
climate change and peak oil. Unfortunately, the
federal government does not yet regulate these greenhouse gases as they
do other pollutants, like ozone and fine particulate
matter. It is thus up to regions, states, cities
and individuals to begin taking action!
WILMAPCO's long-standing initiatives to promote
transportation choice, limit investment outside of
center and core Transportation Investment Areas (TIAs), curb vehicle miles traveled and to prioritize the
maintenance of our existing network all work to offset
the impacts of climate change and peak oil. In the
coming years, however, we will have to do more. WILMAPCO
is
beginning to support regional initiatives already
underway and work with local municipalities on promoting
energy-efficient buildings through the
ENERGY STAR program. We will also be
incorporating issues associated with climate change and peak oil into our
public outreach campaign.
Across the nation and region, other agencies have
also begun to address these issues. Follow the
links below to learn more about them:
Together we can solve it!
We, the residents of New Castle County, Cecil County and all the surrounding areas need to work together to develop ways to reduce air
pollution. This means easy, day-to-day solutions like keeping your tires properly inflated
and limiting automobile trips, as well as more
comprehensive solutions such as better land use development
and the continued implementation of cleaner engines and
fuels.
For more information that will help you to understand
this problem, or for some more suggestions that you can help in your daily
lives, visit the EPA's
Clean Air Act website!
If you have any questions regarding WILMAPCO's programs or policies in our region,
please email us at:
wilmapco@wilmapco.org
The adopted air quality conformity determinations for the
region's FY 2010-13 TIP and 2030 RTP can be accessed in
PDF format below. The latest PM2.5 determination
for New Castle County was adopted
by the WILMAPCO Council on July 9, 2009; the latest
ozone determinations for the region on March 12, 2009.
An earlier ozone conformity determination--which includes the
latest emissions analysis--can also be viewed below.
-
New Castle County, Delaware PM2.5 Conformity
Determination, FY 2010-2013 TIP and 2030 RTP:
PDF
-
Regional Conformity Determination, FY 2010-2013 TIP
and 2030 RTP:
PDF
- New Castle County, Delaware Conformity
Determination, FY 2009-2012 TIP and
2030 RTP:
PDF
-
MOBILE input files:
PDF
- Cecil County, Maryland Conformity Determination, FY 2009-2012 TIP and 2030 RTP:
PDF
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07/13/2009
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