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Air Quality

Recent Developments

Listed below are recent developments pertinent to air quality from the past six months.  If you would like to suggest a recent development on this topic, please submit a short description to AASHTO (including any pertinent links) on the Share Info with AASHTO form.

• CMAQ Emissions Tool Updated for Diesel Trucks/Engine Emissions

  The Federal Highway Administration has released a new module of the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Emissions Calculator Toolkit. The Advanced Diesel Truck and Engine 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, and annual reporting. The new module estimates emission reductions from projects that implement diesel retrofitting, diesel repowering, and diesel vehicle replacement. For more information, link to the toolkit. (9-30-19)

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• EPA, DOT Announce Federal Preemption Rule on Fuel Economy, GHG Emissions

  Federal environmental and transportation agencies have issued the One National Program Rule to provide for nationwide fuel economy and greenhouse gas (GHG) standards for automobiles and light trucks. The rule specifies that only the federal government may set fuel economy standards, and state and local governments may not establish their own separate standards. This includes state laws that substantially affect fuel economy standards (such as tailpipe GHG emissions standards and zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandates). In addition, EPA is withdrawing the 2013 Clean Air Act waiver that authorized California to pursue its own tailpipe GHG standard and ZEV mandate. The agencies anticipate issuing a final rule on standards in the near future. For more information, link to the final rule web page. (9-19-19)

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• FHWA Provides Tool, Best Practices for Dust Mitigation

  The Federal Highway Administration has provided a tool to help practitioners calculate emissions from road dust. The dust mitigation tool and associated dust mitigation practices and model documentation were posted as part of FHWA’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) Emissions Calculator Toolkit. The tool allows users to calculate emissions benefits from three different categories of dust mitigation projects: paved roads, unpaved roads, and unpaved to paved roads. The agency also has provided updates to the CMAQ tool for congestion reduction and traffic flow improvements. For more information, link to the toolkit. (8-24-19)

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• GAO Report Evaluates Federal Agency Use of Alternative Fuel Vehicles

  The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on the extent to which federal agencies are using alternative fuel vehicles in their fleets. The report says that federal agency use of alternative fuel vehicles has increased since they were first required to do so in 1988, but that a majority of the fleets are still powered by petroleum. The report also says that of the alternative fuel vehicles in the fleets, most are flex-fuel vehicles that run on gasoline-ethanol blends, with hybrids representing about 11% of federal alternative fuel vehicles and electric vehicles representing less than 1%. The report says that the higher cost of electric vehicles is a factor that keeps agencies from adding more of them to their fleets. For more information, link to the report. (8-26-19)

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• FHWA Publishes Ozone Nonattainment Area Maps

  The Federal Highway Administration has published maps of nonattainment areas for the 2015 eight-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). Each map is intended to depict the boundaries of the designated area, including the boundaries of associated 2015, 2008, and 1997 eight-hour ozone nonattainment and/or maintenance areas (if any), as well as any associated MPOs. The maps are made available to help state DOTs and MPOs identify and understand the boundaries of nonattainment areas and how they intersect with other jurisdictional boundaries when complying with transportation conformity requirements of the Clean Air Act. For more information, link to the maps. (8-19-19)

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• Group Urges Congestion Pricing in Cities

  A report from the National League of Cities encourages cities to consider congestion charging systems as a solution to build communities, calm traffic, and improve quality of life for residents. Congestion pricing is a type of road user charge system in which a flat or variable rate fee is charged to vehicles that drive in a specified area or zone within a city. The report explains how congestion charging works, reviews pilot programs, and shows the potential advantages and barriers to implementation. For more information, link to the report. (8-19-19)

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• EPA Announces Latest Version of Calif. Emissions Model

  The Environmental Protection Agency has announced the availability of the latest version of the California Emission Factor model (EMFAC2017) for use in state implementation plan development and transportation conformity hot-spot analyses. The model is required for all new regional emission analyses that are started after Aug. 16, 2021, and for all new hot-spot analyses for carbon monoxide and particulate matter conducted on or after Aug. 17, 2020. For more information, link to the notice. (8-15-19)

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• Researchers Develop Simplified Tool to Calculate Emission Reductions under CMAQ

  A spreadsheet-based tool to calculate emission reductions for projects under the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program has been developed under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP 25-25, Task 108). To obtain CMAQ funds, states must submit an analysis describing the air quality improvement benefits that the project or program will achieve. The research provides a method to calculate emissions reductions for 16 project types, based on minimized and simplified inputs. For more information, link to the report and related resources. (7-30-19)

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• EPA Outlines Achievements of Diesel Emissions Reduction Act

  The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a report to Congress providing an overview of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act program, from its inception in 2008 through 2016. EPA awarded $629 million to retrofit or replace 67,300 engines in vehicles, vessels, locomotives or other pieces of equipment, with $300 million of this funding coming from the American Recovery and Investment Act. EPA estimates that these projects will reduce emissions by 472,700 tons of NOx and 15,490 tons of PM-2.5 over the lifetime of the affected engines. For more information, link to the report. (7-25-19)

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• EPA Proposes Revised Rule for Sources of Hazardous Air Emissions

  The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a proposed rule to establish requirements for sources of hazardous air pollutants that choose to reduce emissions and be reclassified. The rule would reverse the agency’s policy known as “once-in, always in” regarding toxic air emissions. That policy says industrial sources of toxic air pollution subject to strict “major” source air toxics controls must always meet those limits, even if they reduce emissions below the Clean Air Act’s threshold. The proposal would revise what qualifies as a major source and an area source of hazardous air pollutants. The EPA is expected to publish the rule in an upcoming Federal Register. For more information, link to the EPA web page. (6-25-19)

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• FHWA Posts Resources on Alternative Fuel Corridors

  The Federal Highway Administration has posted several new resources as part of its Alternative Fuel Toolkit. Recently posted items include tools for alternative fuel corridor planning as well as information related to convenings on the South Central, Southeast, and Midwest Alternative Fuel Corridors. For more information, link to the Alternative Fuel Toolkit. (6-13-19) >>See Related AASHTO CEE Resources: AASHTO Air Quality Community of Practice

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• NCHRP Issues Guide on Enhanced Truck Data for Emissions Modeling

  A guide for improving the modeling of commercial truck activity for estimating vehicle emissions from transportation projects is part of a set of resources issued under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program. The guide, NCHRP Research Report 909: Guide to Truck Activity Data for Emissions Modeling, provides a detailed discussion of the methods, procedures, and sources of data that can be used to enhance the truck-specific emissions estimates from the EPA’s Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES2014) model. The project also includes a web-only set of case studies and a collection of MS Excel files that contain data described in the case studies. For more information, link to the NCHRP Research Report 909. (6-12-19) >>See Related AASHTO CEE Resources: AASHTO Air Quality Community of Practice

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• EPA Awards Over $13 Million for Cleaner School Buses, Diesel

  The Environmental Protection Agency has announced awards totaling over $9.3 million to 43 states or territories to purchase hundreds of cleaner school buses. The grants under the EPA’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) funding will allow state, regional, or tribal governments and organizations to purchase buses that use newer, lower emission diesel buses to reduce pollution and improve public health. The EPA also has announced $3.8 million in DERA grants awarded to various groups in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest for the purchase of hybrid electric or cleaner diesel generators, construction equipment, transit buses, short-haul freight trucks, and school buses. For more information, link to the Region 10 and national announcements. (5-2-19)

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• FHWA Newsletter Provides Air Quality, Climate Updates

  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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• WRI Issues Costs and Emissions Appraisal Tool for Transit Buses

  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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• Report Issued on Global Health Impacts of Transportation Pollution

  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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• EPA Extends Deadline for Clean Diesel Grants

  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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• CMAQ Guidance Issued on Total Emissions Reduction Measure

  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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• DOE Launches Web Version of Fleet Life Cycle Tool

  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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• Bike, Pedestrian Module for CMAQ Emissions Calculator Toolkit Released

  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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• Diesel Idle Module for CMAQ Emissions Calculator Toolkit Released

  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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• Smart Transportation Systems Can Improve Truck Environmental Impacts

  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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