MEETING NOTICE AND AGENDA

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1 MEETING NOTICE AND AGENDA SAN DIEGO CONFORMITY WORKING GROUP The San Dieg Cnfrmity Wrking Grup may take actin n any item appearing n this agenda. Wednesday, April 2, :30 a.m. t 12 nn SANDAG, Cnference Rm 8C 401 B Street, Suite 800 San Dieg, CA Staff Cntact: Rachel Kennedy (619) rke@sandag.rg AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS 2008 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (RTIP) CONSULTATION ON CONFORMITY CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES FINAL NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS FOR GROUND-LEVEL OZONE Please cntact Rachel Kennedy prir t the meeting if yu wish t participate by cnference call. SANDAG ffices are accessible by public transit. Phne COMMUTE r see fr rute infrmatin. In cmpliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), SANDAG will accmmdate persns wh require assistance in rder t participate in SANDAG meetings. If such assistance is required, please cntact SANDAG at (619) at least 72 hurs in advance f the meeting. T request this dcument r related reprts in an alternative frmat, please call (619) , (619) (TTY), r fax (619)

2 SAN DIEGO CONFORMITY WORKING GROUP (CWG) Wednesday, April 2, 2008 ITEM # RECOMMENDATION 1. INTRODUCTIONS +2. SUMMARY OF FEBRUARY 6, 2008, MEETING INFORMATION 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS/COMMUNICATIONS REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (RTIP) CONSULTATION ON CONFORMITY CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES DISCUSSION SANDAG has requested submittal f new prjects r revisins t prjects fr inclusin in the 2008 RTIP. Prject submittals are due April 23, The CWG will discuss the cnfrmity criteria and prcedures t be fllwed t determine cnfrmity f the 2008 RTIP. SANDAG staff will prvide brief presentatins n: a) Mtr Vehicle Emissins Mdeling b) Reginal Emissins Frecast c) Public Participatin 5. 8-HOUR OZONE ATTAINMENT PLAN FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY STATUS UPDATE DISCUSSION On January 31, 2008, the U.S. Envirnmental Prtectin Agency (EPA) initiated a budget adequacy review fr the 8-hur Ozne Attainment Plan fr San Dieg Cunty. Staff will prvide an update n the budget adequacy finding. +6. FINAL NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS FOR GROUND-LEVEL OZONE DISCUSSION On March 12, 2008, EPA significantly strengthened the Natinal Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) fr grund-level zne. Staff will prvide the CWG with an verview f the adpted final rule fr eight-hur zne and the expected implementatin timeline. 7. OTHER BUSINESS DISCUSSION 8. ADJOURNMENT INFORMATION The next meeting f the San Dieg Regin Cnfrmity Wrking Grup is scheduled fr Wednesday, May 7, 2008, frm 10:30 a.m. t 12 nn, at SANDAG. + next t an item indicates an attachment. 2

3 San Dieg Assciatin f Gvernments CONFORMITY WORKING GROUP April 2, 2008 AGENDA ITEM NO.: 2 Actin Requested: INFORMATION SUMMARY OF FEBRUARY 6, 2008, MEETING File Number Item #1: Intrductins Self-intrductins were made. See attached attendance list. Item #2: Summary f Octber 17, 2007, Meeting N cmments were made. Item #3: Public Cmments/Cmmunicatins There were nne. Item #4: 2030 Reginal Transprtatin Plan (RTP) and Reginal Transprtatin Imprvement Prgram (RTIP) Amendment N. 9 Finding f Cnfrmity Elisa Arias, SANDAG, annunced that n December 10, 2007, the U.S. Department f Transprtatin (DOT), in cnsultatin with the U.S. Envirnmental Prtectin Agency (EPA), issued a cnfrmity finding fr the SANDAG 2030 RTP and Amendment N. 9 f the RTIP. Item #5: 2008 Reginal Transprtatin Imprvement Prgram (RTIP) Schedule and Cnsultatin n Cnfrmity Criteria and Prcedures Ms. Arias reminded members that SANDAG has started the 2008 RTIP update. SANDAG requested the submittal f prjects frm lcal jurisdictins, transit agencies, and Caltrans by April 23, The full RTIP schedule was prvided n page 9 f the agenda packet. a) Latest Planning Assumptins: Reginal Grwth Frecast and Transprtatin Mdel Ed Schafer, SANDAG, prvided an verview f the Reginal Grwth Frecast mdel that will be used fr the 2008 RTIP update. The hrizn date is 2030, and the base date is The mdel is updated every five years. In terms f land use assumptins, SANDAG uses the lcal jurisdictin s General Plans and plicies fr the land use inputs. Additinally, SANDAG uses an inter-reginal cmmunity mdel because many f the wrkers that wrk in San Dieg reside utside f the regin. The mdel takes apprximately 100,000 husehlds with ne r mre residents wrking in San Dieg Cunty, and places thse husehlds utside f the cunty. The purpse is t demnstrate the future demand n the majr crridrs used by cmmuters t enter the regin. 3

4 Mr. Schafer clarified that the cunty has been in the prcess f updating their General Plan, s a June 2005 versin f their plan was used. This plan is nt adpted, but was recmmended by the Bard f Supervisrs and the Cunty Planning Department staff. Rick Curry, SANDAG, prvided infrmatin n the fur-step transprtatin mdel being used fr the 2008 RTIP update. The mdel includes feedback thrughut the prcess t allw fr the incrpratin f initial cngested cnditins. The standard steps that ccur in the transprtatin mdel are trip generatin, trip distributin, mde chice, and highway assignment. Mr. Curry stated that this is a standard mdel used by the majrity f Metrplitan Planning Organizatins thrughut the U.S. The base year used is The utputs frm the inter-reginal cmmunity mdel are als used t help accunt fr peple residing utside the cunty but wrking in the cunty. The netwrk used is based ff f the circulatin elements prvided frm each f the lcal jurisdictins cmbined with infrmatin and valid assumptins frm the RTIP and RTP. The nly change that has been implemented since the adptin f the RTP is that the cnvergence criteria in the highway assignment were reduced s that the mdel is stricter. The result is that running the highway assignment will take fur times lnger and will g thrugh fur times as many iteratins. Hwever, the pssibility f errr is als reduced by fur times, resulting in better assignment and calibratin. The mdel will mre than likely take 16 hurs t d a standard run. Mr. Curry als annunced that Bill McFarlane retired last April, s any questin regarding the transprtatin mdel can be directed t Mr. Curry. b) Transprtatin Cntrl Measures (TCMs): Ms. Arias explained that there are fur TCMs established in the 1982 State Implementatin Plan (SIP) (ridesharing, transit service imprvements, traffic flw imprvements, and bicycle facilities and prgrams) that have been implemented in San Dieg. The level f implementatin established in the SIP has been surpassed; hwever, these prgrams cntinue t be funded. Item #6: Final Rule: Transprtatin Cnfrmity Rule Amendments t Implement Prvisins Cntained in the Safe, Accuntable, Flexible, Efficient Transprtatin Equity Act: A Legacy fr Users (SAFETEA-LU) Karina O Cnnr, U.S. EPA, explained that the EPA had finalized and published the transprtatin cnfrmity rule in respnse t the changes required by SAFETEA-LU. Beynd SAFETEA-LU, the new rule n lnger allws areas t use alternative tests beynd the ne-hur budget test fr eight-hur cnfrmity. Ms. O Cnnr said that the majrity f the changes were already in effect but nw they are in the final rule. Mike Brady, Caltrans, asked if the Federal Highway Administratin (FHWA) had expressed interest in ding a categrical cnfrmity SIP. Ms. O Cnnr said she has nt heard f anyne ding it. Mr. Brady asked if this prpsal wuld have t g thrugh the DOT. Ms. O Cnnr said it wuld, and a federal register ntice wuld als be required. Item #7: U.S. EPA Apprval f EMFAC2007 and 8-Hur Ozne Attainment Plan fr San Dieg Cunty Status Update Ms. O Cnnr reprted that the EMFAC2007 apprval ntice was published in the federal register and was effective as f January 18, All cnfrmity findings that did nt begin by August 1, 4

5 2007, are required t use EMFAC2007. There is a three-mnth grace perid (thrugh April 18, 2007) t finish wrk started befre August 1, The EPA will als be wrking with the (Califrnia) Air Resurces Bard (ARB) and the Office f Transprtatin and Air Quality (OTAQ) n quantitative emissins guidance fr Particulate Matter (PM) ht spt analysis. Althugh quantitative analysis will nt be required until the guidance is dne, they will start wrking n it this year. Ms. Arias asked if the PM ht spt analysis is fr thse areas that are nn-attainment fr PM. Ms. O Cnnr replied that the analysis nly applies t thse areas that are nn-attainment r maintenance fr PM. Jhn Kelly, EPA, described the budget adequacy prcess. The prcess starts nce the adequacy ntice has been psted t the OTAQ transprtatin cnfrmity Web site. San Dieg submitted the attainment demnstratin fr 8-hur zne, and it was psted t the Web site n January 31, If there are n adverse cmments by March 1, an adequacy finding will be made by the EPA. At that time, a federal register ntice will be published that states that the adequacy finding has been made, and that an effective date has been given. Upn that effective date, thse budgets must be used in future cnfrmity determinatins. Althugh the attainment demnstratin is nt required fr sub-part ne, basic 8-hur zne areas, the EPA views it as a SIP strengthening measure. Ms. Arias asked hw lng it wuld take t make the adequacy finding, assuming there are n adverse cmments. Mr. Kelly stated that it wuld prbably take tw mnths. Ms. Arias asked if Carl Selnick, Air Pllutin Cntrl District, had any news n air quality mnitring in San Dieg. Mr. Selnick stated that the 2007 air quality was fairly similar t 2005, which demnstrated that the high values in 2006 were anmalus. Item #8: Other Business Ms. Arias annunced that Aimee Kratvil, FHWA, was the cmmittee s new FHWA representative fr cnfrmity. The next meeting f the San Dieg Regin Cnfrmity Wrking Grup is scheduled fr Wednesday, March 5, 2007, frm 10:30 a.m. t 12 nn, at SANDAG. 5

6 San Dieg Regin Cnfrmity Wrking Grup Meeting Attendance February 6, 2008 Name Carl Selnick Dennis Wade (phne) Mike Brady (phne) Rafael Ambrsi Sandy Jhnsn Jhn Kelly (phne) Karina O Cnnr (phne) Aimee Kratvil (phne) Elisa Arias Rick Curry Antinette Meier Jse Nunci Ed Schafer Carla Walecka (phne) Agency APCD ARB Caltrans Caltrans Caltrans EPA EPA FHWA SANDAG SANDAG SANDAG SANDAG SANDAG TCA Key Staff Cntact: Rachel Kennedy, (619) ; rke@sandag.rg 6

7 San Dieg Assciatin f Gvernments CONFORMITY WORKING GROUP April 2, 2008 AGENDA ITEM NO.: 6 Actin Requested: DISCUSSION FINAL NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS FOR File Number GROUND-LEVEL OZONE FACT SHEET: FINAL REVISIONS TO THE NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS FOR OZONE SUMMARY OF ACTION Ozne standards On March 12, 2008, EPA significantly strengthened its natinal ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) fr grund-level zne, the primary cmpnent f smg. These changes will imprve bth public health prtectin and the prtectin f sensitive trees and plants. EPA is revising the 8-hur primary zne standard, designed t prtect public health, t a level f parts per millin (ppm). The previus standard, set in 1997, was 0.08 ppm. Because zne is measured ut t three decimal places, the standard effectively became ppm as a result f runding. EPA is als strengthening the secndary 8-hur zne standard t the level f ppm making it identical t the revised primary standard. EPA decided t strengthen the secndary zne standard after cncluding that the 1997 secndary standard is nt adequate t prtect public welfare. Current zne air quality cncentratins in many areas f the cuntry -- including sme areas that meet the 1997 zne standards -- are high enugh t harm sensitive vegetatin and ecsystems. EPA estimates that the revised standards will yield health benefits valued between $2 billin and $19 billin. Thse benefits include preventing cases f brnchitis, aggravated asthma, hspital and emergency rm visits, nnfatal heart attacks and premature death, amng thers. In additin, EPA is changing the Air Quality Index (AQI) t reflect the new primary standard. The AQI is EPA s clr-cded tl designed fr use by state and lcal authrities t infrm the public abut daily air pllutin levels in their cmmunities. Scientific Review Breathing air cntaining zne can reduce lung functin and increase respiratry symptms, thereby aggravating asthma r ther respiratry cnditins. Ozne expsure als has been assciated with increased susceptibility t respiratry infectins, medicatin use by asthmatics, 7

8 dctr s visits, and emergency department visits and hspital admissins fr individuals with respiratry disease. Ozne expsure may als cntribute t premature death, especially in peple with heart and lung disease. After evaluating the results f mre than 1,700 new scientific studies available fr this review, EPA cncluded that zne causes adverse health effects at the level f the 1997 standard and belw. This newly available evidence strengthens EPA s cnfidence in the findings f the 1997 review and identifies imprtant new health endpints assciated with zne expsure, including mrtality, increased asthma medicatin use, schl absenteeism, and cardiac-related effects. Furthermre, studies f asthmatics indicate that they experience larger and mre serius respnses t zne that last lnger than respnses fr healthy individuals. In additin, new scientific evidence since the last review f the zne NAAQS cntinues t shw that repeated expsure t zne damages sensitive vegetatin and trees, including thse in frests and parks, leading t reduced grwth and prductivity, increased susceptibility t disease and pests, and damaged fliage. EPA selected levels fr the final standards after cmpleting an extensive review f thusands f scientific studies n the impact f grund level zne n public health and the envirnment. The Agency als carefully reviewed and cnsidered public cmment as well as cmment frm its Clean Air Scientific Advisry Cmmittee (CASAC) n the prpsed standards. EPA held five public hearings and received thusands f written cmments. Clean Air Rules EPA has issued a number f rules that will help states make prgress tward meeting the revised zne standards. These rules will significantly reduce grund-level zne pllutin, bth reginally and natinally, by reducing emissins f NOx. These rules include the Clean Air Interstate Rule t reduce zne frming emissins frm pwer plants in the eastern United States, and the Clean Diesel Prgram t reduce emissins frm highway, nnrad and statinary diesel engines natinwide. DETERMINING COMPLIANCE WITH THE STANDARDS In additin t changing the level f the standards frm 0.08 pm t ppm, EPA is nw specifying the level f the standard t the third decimal. An area will meet the revised standards if the three-year average f the annual furth-highest daily maximum 8-hur average at every zne mnitr is less than r equal t the level f the standard (i.e., ppm). BENEFITS AND COSTS The Clean Air Act prhibits EPA frm cnsidering csts in setting r revising Natinal Ambient Air Quality Standards. T infrm the public, the Agency analyzes the benefits and csts f meeting the standards as required by Executive Order and guidance frm the White Huse Office f Management and Budget. T estimate the benefits f meeting a standard, EPA uses a sphisticated peer-reviewed apprach t mdel the relatinship between air quality and health and welfare effects, the air quality impacts f implementing future pllutin cntrl technlgies, and the dllar values f resulting public health imprvements. 8

9 EPA s Regulatry Impact Analysis presents a range f benefits fr meeting the revised zne standards: Based n the largest multi-city study used in EPA s risk analysis, an estimated 260 t 2,000 premature deaths wuld be avided annually in When added t the ther prjected benefits frm reduced zne, these avided deaths lead t an estimated ttal znerelated benefit f $3 t $17 billin per year. Using three studies that synthesize data acrss a large number f individual studies, an estimated 420 t 2,300 premature deaths wuld be avided annually in 2020, leading t ttal mnetized zne-related benefits f between $4 and $19 billin per year. Alternatively, if there is n causal relatinship between zne and mrtality, avided premature deaths assciated with reduced zne expsure wuld be zer, and the ttal mnetized zne-related benefits wuld range between $2 billin and $17 billin per year (including 190 t 2,000 deaths per year avided due t reduced particle pllutin). The benefits estimates als include the value f an estimated reductin in the fllwing adverse health effects in 2020: 380 cases f chrnic brnchitis, 890 nnfatal heart attacks, 1,900 hspital and emergency rm visits, 1,000 cases f acute brnchitis, 11,600 cases f upper and lwer respiratry symptms, 6,100 cases f aggravated asthma, 243,000 days when peple miss wrk r schl, and 750,000 days when peple must restrict their activities because f zne-related illnesses Nte: These benefits estimates reflect bth the zne and particle pllutin reductins that wuld result frm a revised zne standard. T estimate the csts f meeting a standard, EPA uses several peer-reviewed appraches fr mdeling the cst f using bth existing cntrls and cntrls that may be develped in the future fr reducing NOx and VOCs. EPA estimates that csts f implementing a standard f ppm wuld range frm a lw f $7.6 billin t a high f $8.5 billin annually in IMPLEMENTING THE STANDARDS These revised standards will lead t substantially imprved air quality in urban and rural areas thrughut the United States. The Clean Air Act requires EPA t designate areas as attainment (meeting the standards), nnattainment (nt meeting the standards), r unclassifiable (insufficient data t classify) after 9

10 the Agency sets a new standard, r revises an existing standard. The fllwing schedule will apply t the revised zne standards: States must make recmmendatins t EPA n later than March 2009 fr areas t be designated attainment, nnattainment and unclassifiable. EPA will issue final designatins f attainment, nnattainment and unclassifiable areas n later than March 2010 unless there is insufficient infrmatin t make these designatin decisins. In that case, EPA will issue designatins n later than March States must submit State Implementatin Plans utlining hw they will reduce pllutin t meet the standards by a date that EPA will establish in a separate rule. That date will be n later than three years after EPA s final designatins. If EPA issues designatins in 2010, then these plans wuld be due n later than States are required t meet the standards by deadlines that may vary based n the severity f the prblem in the area. EPA will issue a separate rule t address mnitring requirements necessary t implement the new standards. EPA intends t prpse a mnitring rule in June 2008 and issue a final rule by March BACKGROUND: WHAT IS OZONE? Ozne is fund in tw regins f the Earth s atmsphere at grund level and in the upper regins f the atmsphere. Bth types f zne have the same chemical cmpsitin (O3). While upper atmspheric zne frms a prtective layer frm the sun s harmful rays, grund level zne is the primary cmpnent f smg. Grund-level zne is nt emitted directly int the air, but frms thrugh a reactin f nitrgen xides (NOx) and vlatile rganic cmpunds (VOCs) in the presence f sunlight. Emissins frm industrial facilities and electric utilities, mtr vehicle exhaust, gasline vaprs, and chemical slvents are the majr man-made surces f NOx and VOCs. Because sunlight and ht weather accelerate its frmatin, zne is mainly a summertime air pllutant. Bth urban and rural areas can have high zne levels, ften due t transprt f zne r its precursrs (NOx and VOCs) frm hundreds f miles away. OZONE AND PUBLIC HEALTH Health effects assciated with expsure t grund-level zne include: Reduced lung functin, making it mre difficult fr peple t breathe as deeply and vigrusly as nrmal; Irritated airways, causing cughing, sre r scratchy thrat, pain when taking a deep breath and shrtness f breath; 10

11 Increased frequency f asthma attacks; Inflammatin f and damage t the lining f the lung; Increased susceptibility t respiratry infectin; and Aggravatin f chrnic lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema and brnchitis. In sme peple, these effects can lead t: Increased medicatin use amng asthmatics; Mre frequent dctrs visits; Schl absences; and Increased emergency rm visits and hspital admissins. Ozne may cntinue t cause lung damage even when the symptms have disappeared. Breathing zne may cntribute t premature death, especially in peple with heart and lung disease. OZONE AND THE ENVIRONMENT Grund-level zne can have harmful effects n varius plants and ecsystems. When sufficient zne enters the leaves f a plant, it can: Interfere with the ability f sensitive plants t prduce and stre fd, making them mre susceptible t certain diseases, insects, ther pllutants, cmpetitin and harsh weather Visibly damage the leaves f trees and ther plants, harming the appearance f urban Vegetatin, natinal parks, and recreatin areas; and Reduce frest grwth and crp yields. REVIEW OF THE OZONE STANDARDS The Clean Air Act directs EPA t set Natinal Ambient Air Quality Standards fr pllutants cnsidered harmful t public health and the envirnment. Natinal standards exist fr six pllutants: zne, particulate matter, carbn mnxide, lead, nitrgen dixide, and sulfur dixide. Fr each f these pllutants, the Clean Air Act requires EPA t set the health-based r primary standards at a level judged t be requisite t prtect the public health with an adequate margin f safety and establish secndary standards that are requisite t prtect public welfare frm any knwn r anticipated effects assciated with the pllutant in the ambient air including effects n crps, vegetatin, wildlife, buildings and natinal mnuments, and visibility. 11

12 The law requires EPA t review the standards nce every five years t determine whether revisins t the standards are apprpriate. EPA last updated the zne standards in The decisin t revise the standards was challenged in curt by a number f parties and ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Curt. In 2001, the Curt unanimusly upheld the cnstitutinality f the 1970 Clean Air Act prvisin that authrizes EPA t set NAAQS t prtect public health and welfare. The Curt als affirmed that the Clean Air Act requires EPA t set ambient air quality standards, at levels sufficient but nt mre than necessary, t prtect the public health with an adequate margin f safety, and t prtect the public welfare, withut cnsidering the ecnmic csts f implementing the standards. Under terms f a cnsent decree, EPA agreed t issue a prpsal n the zne standards by June 20, 2007 and a final rule by March 12, The zne review prcess began with an assessment f scientific studies n zne by EPA s Natinal Center fr Envirnmental Assessment. This assessment was published as an Air Quality Criteria Dcument fr Ozne, which explred the scientific data pertaining t the health and envirnmental effects assciated with zne. EPA s Office f Air Quality Planning & Standards then prepared a Staff Paper dcument which presented key plicy-relevant scientific infrmatin, the results f quantitative expsure and risk assessments with assciated uncertainties, and a plicy assessment that identified plicy ptins, including ranges f standards, fr cnsideratin by the Administratr. The Criteria Dcument and Staff Paper underwent extensive scientific and public review, including review by the Clean Air Scientific Advisry Cmmittee (CASAC), EPA s independent scientific advisry bdy established by the Clean Air Act. As part f its mandate, CASAC makes recmmendatins t EPA n the adequacy f the existing standards and revisins it believes wuld be apprpriate. Based n the scientific assessments, and taking int accunt the recmmendatins f CASAC and public cmments, the EPA Administratr must judge whether it is apprpriate t revise the standards. Befre making a final decisin n whether t revise the zne NAAQS, EPA undertk an extensive public review and cmment prcess n its prpsed decisin f June 20, The Agency carefully cnsidered and analyzed issues raised in public cmments during the public cmment perid n the prpsed rule, which ended Octber 9, FOR MORE INFORMATION Interested parties can dwnlad the ntice frm EPA's Web site at: 12

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