Air Quality

Recent developments concerning air quality and climate impacts are presented in the recent issue of the Air Quality and Climate Change Highlights newsletter from the Federal Highway Administration. Topics covered include CMAQ computation guidance, alternative fuel corridor nominations, and renewable energy in rights-of-way. The newsletter also spotlights various meetings, conferences, symposia, workshops, and training opportunities. For more information, read the January/February 2019 issue. (4-4-19)

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The World Resources Institute has created a Costs and Emissions Appraisal Tool for Transit Buses. The Excel-based tool allows users to compare the costs and emissions reductions of two bus fleets, each composed of up to three bus types. Bus types can differ in terms of fuel type, the technology used to achieve different emissions standards, and bus length. Users can input fuel and vehicle unit cost data for a city or country and the tool calculates the costs and emissions of each bus type and the total costs and emissions of each fleet. To access the tool and a related discussion paper, link here. (March 2019)

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A review of transportation-related air pollution across the globe has been issued by the International Council on Clean Transportation. The transportation sector produces multiple pollutants such as dust and other airborne particles, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide from vehicle exhaust, vapor from fuels, and dust from unpaved roads, tire wear, and brake wear. The analysis provides updated estimates of the impacts of transportation sector emissions and their health impacts in 2010 and 2015 by linking state-of-the-art models on vehicle emissions, air pollution, and epidemiological analysis to determine the impact on air quality and public health. The report found that 84 percent of global transportation-attributable deaths occurred in G20 countries, and 70 percent occurred in the four largest vehicle markets: China, India, the European Union, and the United States. For more information, link to the report. (3-11-19)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has extended the deadline to apply for competitive grant funding through its Diesel Emissions Reductions Act Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program. The program is soliciting applications for projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions in terms of tons of pollution produced and exposure, particularly from fleets operating in areas designated as having poor air quality. Applications are due March 26. For more information, link to the extension notice. (2-21-19)

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Guidance on calculating the total emissions reduction measure to assess on-road mobile source emissions under the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program has been issued by the Federal Highway Administration. The measure is the 2-year and 4-year cumulative reported emission reductions, for all projects funded by CMAQ funds, by applicable criteria pollutant and precursors for which the area is designated nonattainment or maintenance. The guidance provides a calculation formula as well as frequently asked questions. For more information, link to the guidance. (December 2018)

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The Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory has announced a new online version of a tool to compare alternative fuel and vehicle technologies. Alternative Fuel Life-Cycle Environmental and Economic Transportation (AFLEET) is a free, publicly available spreadsheet-based tool to help fleet managers optimize their purchasing decisions to reduce their environmental impacts and save money. AFLEET was originally launched in 2013 and is now issued as a web-based option. For more information, link to the AFLEET tool. (2-1-19)

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The Federal Highway Administration has released a new module of the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Emissions Calculator Toolkit. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements module is one of a series of spreadsheet-based tools that can be used to facilitate the calculation of representative air quality benefit data, for CMAQ project justification, as well as the annual reporting requirements. The update includes a user guide and supplemental documentation. The toolkit is a resource to help with the implementation of the CMAQ program, which supports surface transportation projects and related efforts that contribute to improved air quality and reduce congestion. To access this and other modules, link to the toolkit. (1-24-19)

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The Federal Highway Administration has released a new module of the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Emissions Calculator Toolkit. The Diesel Idle Reduction Technologies tool is one of a series of spreadsheet-based tools that can be used to facilitate the calculation of representative air quality benefit data, for CMAQ project justification, as well as the annual reporting requirements. The toolkit is a resource to help with the implementation of the CMAQ program, which supports surface transportation projects and related efforts that contribute to improved air quality and reduce congestion. Additional toolkit modules are released as they become available. For more information, link to the toolkit. (1-3-19)

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The National Center for Sustainable Transportation has issued a research study on the development of a method for combining high-resolution vehicle activity data with the EPA’s MOtor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) model to assess the environmental impacts of transportation design and operation strategies. Using traffic simulation model outputs and smartphone GPS data, the researchers developed the MOVES-Matrix system that can be used to perform emissions modeling in a fraction of the time it takes to perform even one MOVES run. The MOVES-Matrix approach involves running the MOVES model iteratively across all potential input variable combinations, and using the resulting matrix of pre-run MOVES outputs in emissions modeling. The resulting emission rate matrices allow users to link emission rates to assess big data projects and to support near-real-time evaluations of changes in emissions for large, dynamic transportation systems. For more information, link to the report. (October 2018)

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The National Center for Sustainable Transportation has issued a research study of the potential for using intelligent transportation system (ITS) technologies that take into account the presence of trucks in the traffic flow in order to reduce fuel consumption and pollution levels in areas of high truck volume. According to the study, the sizes and movement dynamics of trucks create traffic disturbances that affect other vehicles and cause increased fuel consumption and pollution. The study proposes an integrated variable speed limit, ramp metering, and lane change controller using feedback linearization. The integrated controller keeps the bottleneck flow at the maximum level and homogenizes the density and speed of the traffic flow along the highway sections. Results show improvements in fuel economy and emissions under different levels of perturbation and noise. For more information, link to the report. (2018)

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The National Center for Sustainable Transportation has announced the development of a tool to predict the fleet-wide fuel-saving benefits from low rolling resistance tires. The tool is applicable to both stabilized and transient speed operations. It is based on empirical models that estimate the fuel consumption contribution from tires as a function of vehicle payload, aerodynamic drag, road grade, duration of acceleration and deceleration, and road facility type. The tool can be downloaded as a spreadsheet. For more information, link to the announcement. (Dec. 2018)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has posted guidance on how to address transportation conformity requirements in ozone nonattainment and maintenance areas affected by the South Coast Air Quality Management District v. EPA decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The guidance describes how transportation conformity applies in areas that were nonattainment or maintenance for the 1997 ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) (at the time that standard was revoked) as well as designated attainment for the 2008 ozone NAAQS. For more information, link to the guidance. (11-29-18)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a new push to reduce pollution from on-highway heavy-duty trucks and engines. The “Cleaner Trucks Initiative” will target reductions of smog-forming nitrogen oxide emissions from big rigs and their engines. The initiative will include a future rulemaking that will update the existing NOx standard while also streamlining compliance and certification requirements. It will be the first attempt to update the EPA’s NOx standards for heavy-duty trucks in nearly two decades. For more information, link to the announcement. (11-13-18)

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The Federal Highway Administration has issued an updated question and answer document regarding the FAST Act Section 1413 Alternative Fuel Corridor Designations. The document covers general questions, questions specific to the three different rounds of designations, fuel-specific questions, questions about signage, coordination with the Energy Department, and resources such as FHWA contacts and information about the Alternative Fuel Corridor Convenings. The FAQ has been updated in connection with the request for nominations for the third round of nominations. For more information, link the FAQ. (11-8-18)

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A study from the Environmental Defense Fund suggests that mobile air pollution measurement combined with statistical modeling can be used to develop an accurate, high-resolution picture of local urban air quality. The study found that models trained with data from about 30 percent of streets randomly sampled at a minimum of four times was sufficient to predict the key patterns of how air pollution varied across the city. Air quality can vary locally due to traffic patterns, atmospheric conditions, and industry operations. For more information, link to the published study and the EDF’s announcement. (10-24-18)

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The Transportation Research Board has released a series of recordings that examine the Alternative Fuels Corridor Program established under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. This series discusses the background of the program, including the nomination process for alternative fuels corridors, the facility types along which the corridors can be designated, the criteria associated with the designation of a corridor, the signage for the corridors, and possible funding sources. Presenters from FHWA, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and the Georgetown Climate Center also describe several states’ experiences with the designation process and development of the corridor. The TRB Standing Committee on Transportation and Air Quality organized the series. (10-19-18)

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A white paper describing the use of in-vehicle information systems to modify driver behavior in order to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions has been issued by the National Center for Sustainable Transportation. “Eco-driving”—suites of behavior a driver can engage in to improve fuel economy—is often promoted using such feedback methods as dash or instrument cluster displays, after-market devices, or apps on personal mobile devices. The white paper analyzes a variety of studies of feedback methods to learn what types are most effective for creating better eco-driving. For more information, link to the white paper. (September 2018)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has announced the recipients of the 2018 SmartWay Excellence Awards. The SmartWay Transport Partnership recognizes shipping and logistics companies for improving freight efficiency and contributing to cleaner air within their supply chains. Awardees were chosen based on their effective collaboration, advanced technology and operational practices, system to validate and report their SmartWay data, and communications and public outreach efforts. Fourteen companies will receive the awards on Oct. 29 in Austin, Texas. For more information, link to the SmartWay Excellence Awards. (10-1-18)

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The Federal Highway Administration has announced a third round of nominations for Alternative Fuel Corridor designations. The 2018 Request for Nominations (RFN) seeks to add to the 58 designated Interstate corridors or corridor segments, plus 43 U.S. and state highways, in 44 states (including Hawaii) under the first two rounds of the program. This round of corridor designations may provide an opportunity to nominate additional corridors, extend currently designated corridors, or nominate different fuels along an already designated corridor. Nominations are due on Jan. 31, 2019. For more information, link to the announcement. (10-5-18)

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The Environmental Defense Fund and fleet tracking system provider Geotab have issued a report on the potential for municipal or commercial fleets to monitor and map ambient air quality in cities. The report says that urban air pollution can be highly localized and mobile data collection and monitoring can better map the realities of pollution dispersal. The report also says that existing fleet tracking data indicate that a small or medium-sized North American municipal fleet could map 50 percent or more of a city with just 10 vehicles, and almost 80 percent of a city with 20 vehicles. Additionally, analysis of such data would inform actions to reduce congestion, support bike infrastructure, and electrify freight and transit. For more information, link to the report. (9-24-18)

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A report issued by the Congressional Research Service provides an overview of the current status of the Environmental Protection Agency’s and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Phase 2 greenhouse gas and fuel efficiency rules in relation to new truck chassis installed with remanufactured engines, known as “glider vehicles.” The report explains how glider vehicles are made, their potential impacts on reginal air quality, and how they are regulated under NHTSA safety standards. The report also discusses the proposed repeal of the glider vehicle requirements and actions in Congress both in favor and in opposition to the repeal. For more information, link to the report. (9-10-18)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has issued the latest version of its Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES2014b). The new release does not significantly change the onroad criteria pollutant emissions results of MOVES2014 and is not considered a new model for State Implementation Plan (SIP) and transportation conformity purposes. The agency has issued new question-and-answer guidance, technical guidance, installation instructions, and an update to the MOVES2014 User Interface Reference Manual. State and local agencies use the model to estimate volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and other emissions from cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, and most categories of nonroad equipment. For more information, link to the EPA’s MOVES page. (8-28-18)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a replacement for rules that would control carbon emissions from electric utility generating units. The Affordable Clean Energy Rule would replace the rule known as the Clean Power Plan and create narrower requirements with more modest emissions limits at individual power plants. The EPA proposes guidelines for states to develop plans based on heat rate, or efficiency, and improvements that can be achieved at an individual facility. It would no longer create incentives to switch from coal to natural gas and renewable energy sources. The rule may still allow emissions trading, where power plants that produce fewer emissions than allowed can sell credits to those that emit more. For more information, link to the EPA’s announcement. (8-21-18)

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Air quality analysts have help locating the necessary traffic data to perform project-level analysis with a new quick reference guide issued under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program. The quick guide is intended to bridge the gap between the fields of traffic analysis and air quality analysis to ensure that the right traffic inputs are prepared and provided to support the air quality analysis. The guide is organized by air pollutant—carbon monoxide, particulate matter, mobile source air toxics, and greenhouse gases. The guide also provides an overview of traffic data requirements, traffic model advanced methods, reevaluations under NEPA, traffic mitigation measures, and litigation risk management. The quick guide is a supplement to NCHRP Report 765 and was prepared under NCHRP Project 25-25, Task 96. For more information, link to the quick guide. (7-19-18)

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The Federal Highway Administration has released a guidebook to help metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) develop a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) performance plan. Key components of the performance plan are highlighted and include descriptions of conditions and performance, targets established by MPOs, project descriptions, and an assessment of how the listed projects contribute to the established targets. The guide addresses data sources that MPOs must use to calculate condition performance for traffic congestion and on-road mobile source emissions measures, and the submission of the biennial reports. In addition, a timeline for reporting requirements is provided along with additional resources for related rules and training. For more information, link to the guide. (7-11-18)

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The Federal Highway Administration has announced the availability of $60 million in grants under the Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment Program. Eligible applicants include state and local transit agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, and academic institutions. Funds may be used for the development of deployment sites for large scale installation and operation of technologies such as advanced traveler information systems, electronic pricing and payment systems, and integration of intelligent transportation systems with the Smart Grid. Applications are due June 18. For more information, link to the announcement. (6-5-18)

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The Environmental Protection Agency is soliciting proposals for projects that significantly reduce diesel emissions and exposure, especially from freight fleets operating in areas designated as having poor air quality. The agency expects to award about $40 million in fiscal year 2018 competitive grants under the Diesel Emissions Reductions Act Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program. Eligible applicants include regional, state, local, or tribal agencies, or port authorities with jurisdiction over transportation or air quality. Nonprofit organizations with a connection to transportation or air quality also may apply. Priority will be given to projects that engage and benefit local communities and applicants that demonstrate their ability to promote and continue efforts to reduce emissions. Applications are due June 12, 2018. For more information, link to the announcement and the request for proposals. (4-24-18)

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The Federal Highway Administration has announced the availability of $60 million in grants to fund new transportation technologies. The grants are issued under the Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment Program, which provides funding for the development of model deployment sites for the operation of advanced technologies. The agency is looking for eligible projects that focus on integrated corridor management, real-time traveler information, and traffic data collection and dissemination. The program provided $100 million to 13 states in 2016 and 2017. Applications are due June 18, 2018. For more information, link to the announcement. (4-18-18)

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The Federal Transit Administration has selected 51 projects for its Low or No Emissions Grant Program for fiscal year 2017. Recipients in states such as Alaska, New Mexico, and Texas will receive a total of $55 million to purchase battery electric buses and energy storage systems. Projects also address the procurement of charging equipment, staff training, and facility maintenance. The Low-No Program provides funding to state and local governmental authorities for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses in addition to the acquisition, construction, and leasing of supporting facilities. The funding is available until 2020. For more information, link to the announcement and federal register notice. (3-19-18)

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The Federal Highway Administration has announced the second round of designations for Alternative Fuel Corridors. For 2016 and 2017 combined, FHWA has received 58 nominations and designated segments or entire lengths of 71 Interstate corridors (including Hawaii) under the program. So far, 44 states (plus the District of Columbia) have facilities designated as corridor-ready or corridor-pending for one or more alternative fuel types (electric, hydrogen, propane, compressed natural gas, and liquid natural gas). Corridor-ready designees have sufficient fueling facilities on the corridor to warrant highway signage, whereas corridor-pending designees need additional facilities to warrant signage. For more information, link to the Alternative Fuel Corridors website. (3-9-18)

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The Transportation Research Board has released Research Report 862 to assist in potential deployment of fuel-efficient and low-emission truck freight strategies. The report addresses diversity in the trucking industry and several clean truck strategies. The report also provides an overview of alternative fuels and technologies that target fuel efficiency such as technologies for tractor trailers, tires, and idle-reduction. In addition, operational strategies to reduce travel, idling, and inefficient engine operations are provided and clean truck corridor infrastructure is highlighted. Finally, federal and state agency efforts are illustrated to show best practices. For more information, link to the report. (11-29-17)

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The Transportation Research Board has issued a guide for determining air emissions from airport-related ground access vehicles. The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 180, Guidebook for Quantifying Airport Ground Access Vehicle Activity for Emissions Modeling, provides a set of identified best practices for obtaining emission values for various computer models such as the EPA’s MOVES. The guidebook presents a three-tiered approach for making decisions about the data needed for the analysis and for collaborating on data collection. For more information, link to the guide. (11-28-17)

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The Federal Highway Administration has published a list of state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) that are required to establish targets and report progress for the performance measures related to the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ). Forty-two DOTs and 119 MPOs must establish targets for the On-road Source Emissions measure. Thirty-two DOTs and 44 MPOs must establish targets for the Traffic Congestion Measures. The FHWA is phasing in the requirements to implement CMAQ traffic congestion measures starting with areas with more than 1 million people, then expanding in 2022 to areas with over 200,000 residents. For more information, link to the applicability determination. (11-14-17)

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The National Cooperative Highway Research Program has issued two reports regarding the development of the software tool TFGuide, for travel forecasting. TFGuide aids in the selection of methods and techniques based on application needs, resource constraints, available data, and existing model structure. NCHRP Report 852 provides an overview of how to use the tool and a case study to demonstrate how a metropolitan planning organization used the software to perform a transit corridor study. The report also addresses the role of the travel forecaster, transportation planner, and decision maker. The NCHRP also issued a companion document that addresses the current state of practice in travel demand models, the software design and functionality of TFGuide, pilot tests conducted using the tool, and a history of travel forecasting legislation. For more information, link to the web-only document and the research report. (10-20-17)

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The Energy Department’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has issued a report on the potential for using electric vehicles for government, commercial, and industrial purposes. The report focuses on highway vehicles that are not personal transport; non-highway modes such as rail, watercraft, and airport support; and non-road equipment used directly or in support of other uses. The report finds that electric vehicles are poorly suited for long-haul trucking but have potential for other vehicles where savings on fuel costs could be significant, such as transit buses, school buses, regional and local delivery trucks, utility service vehicles, and refuse trucks. The report also finds that low supply and low demand is hampering the development of options for commercial fleets, and that successful development will be a long process involving research and development, manufacturing, purchasing, and new regulations. For more information, link to the report. (10-20-17)

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The Florida Department of Transportation, along with partners MetroPlan Orlando and the University of Central Florida, will be implementing projects funded by the Federal Highway Administration’s Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment program. FDOT and Orlando will use the nearly $12 million grant to implement and evaluate four intelligent transportation technologies to help reduce congestion and improve safety. GreenWay will use sensors and new traffic signal technology to help the transportation system quickly adapt to real-time traffic conditions. PedSafe will digitally connect vehicles, people, and traffic lights to develop pedestrian and bicycle collision avoidance. SmartCommunity will combine information from many different transportation options into a one-stop shop for trip planning. SunStore will be the FDOT’s integrated central data storage for system management and operations. For more information, link to the announcement. (10-16-17)

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The Federal Highway Administration has announced the 2017 request for nominations for designation of alternative fuel corridors. Alternative fuel corridors provide infrastructure for electric vehicle charging, hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling. States and local officials wishing to provide nominations must submit information concerning the name of the entity presiding over the proposed corridor; the type of fuel to be used; the type, number, and distance between existing alternative fuel facilities; and the estimated/projected cost of the planned facilities. The FHWA also has issued a frequently asked questions document to address the designation process. A webinar on the nomination process is scheduled for Oct. 16, 2017. For more information, link to the announcement.

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