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General Air Quality PublicationsBelow are abstracts for products produced by or for the Federal Highway Administration. As electronic versions become available, links will be made so that you may download them. For products not available in this manner, please contact the party listed for that abstract. Challenges and Opportunities for Transportation Implementation of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991--published in "Transportation": An International Journal Devoted to the Improvement of Transportation Planning and Practice. Abstract: The Federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA) may be the most powerful of all environmental laws affecting transportation. They are intended to significantly affect transportation decision-making, not only to achieve air quality goals but also to affect broader environmental goals related to land-use, travel mode choice, and reductions in vehicle miles traveled. The CAAA require greater integration of transportation and air quality planning, and assign a greater responsibility to transportation plans and programs for reducing mobile source emissions. By expanding the requirements for determining the conformity of transportation plans, programs, and projects with State Implementation Plans for air quality, and by expanding the use of highway funding sanctions to enforce those requirements, the CAAA ensure a continuing linkage between transportation and environmental goals. While the CAAA give transportation and air quality decision-makers the mandate to better coordinate their respective planning processes, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 offers the tools to help carry out that mandate. Consequently, this paper summarizes the transportation and air quality provisions of both of these Acts and their relationships. Author: James M. Shrouds Contact: The Office of Natural Environment Clean Air Briefs Abstract: The National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) is a non-profit, membership organization serving the nation's regional councils and metropolitan planning organizations across the country, with affiliate and associate membership from other public and private organizations interested in planning, development, and governance at the regional level. The Clean Air Briefs are a series of public information documents to better inform state and local planning officials of the issues related to transportation conformity, transportation control measures, and the implications of highway sanctions, and other health risk issues. The Clean Air Briefs are intended to give MPO public officials some straight information about some very complex issues while using basic terminology for laypersons involved in the transportation/air quality planning processes. Author: National Association of Regional Councils (NARC)-John Swanson Ordering Information: Clean Air Through Transportation Abstract: This triennial report submitted to Congress in August of 1993 per the Clean Air Act Amendments summarizes the efforts of State and local transportation agencies to implement clean air programs and projects in conjunction with the CAAA and ISTEA. The report summarizes the first three years of implementation of the ISTEA metropolitan planning requirements, transportation conformity issues, effectiveness of transportation control measures, and various funding provisions of ISTEA, and CMAQ program expenditures. This report was jointly developed by DOT (FHWA, FTA) and EPA. Author: DOT and EPA Contact: The Office of Natural Environment FHWA Air Quality Performance Measures Abstract: FHWA Human and Natural Environment Goal: To protect and enhance the natural environment and communities affected by highway transportation. In support of this goal, FHWA is committed to enhancing the community and social benefits of highway transportation, and improving the quality of the natural environment by reducing highway-related pollution and by protecting and enhancing ecosystems. Two air quality indicators currently measure our performance in meeting this strategic goal and objective: reducing on-road mobile source emission by 20 percent in 10 years, and improving each year the percentage of nonattainment and maintenance areas that are meeting their mobile source emissions budgets. A Guide to Metropolitan Transportation Planning Under ISTEA: How the Pieces Fit Together Abstract: This report presents an overview of the ISTEA metropolitan planning process and how Clean Air Act and EPA transportation conformity requirements interrelate to the state and local transportation planning efforts. Implications of transportation conformity, highway sanctions, and other planning requirements of the CAA and ISTEA are presented in summary form. The report also provides a general overview of the major investment study process, and how it serves to advance intermodal objectives into the metropolitan planning process. Both long-range planning requirements and short-term programming requirements of ISTEA's metropolitan planning regulations are discussed. The ISTEA's six management systems and how these efforts relate back to the transportation planning process are also presented. Author: Siwek and Associates for FHWA, FTA Contact: The Office of Natural Environment The following file is in Adobe Portable Document Format, "PDF." Download Adobe Reader here. A Summary: Air Quality Programs and Provisions of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 PDF (631 KB) Abstract: The Federal Highway Administration developed this pamphlet for the purpose of providing a general overview of the programs offered under the 1991 ISTEA pertaining to air quality programs under the Clean Air Act Amendments. The basic goals of ISTEA and the CAAA are outlined and the document discusses the funding flexibilities offered by various program categories. The implications of increased funding levels for planning and the strengthened role of the metropolitan planning organizations are discussed, and new programs such as the CMAQ program are highlighted as a source of potential funding for TCM implementation under the Clean Air Act. Author: Federal Highway Administration The following file is in Adobe Portable Document Format, "PDF." Download Adobe Reader here. A Summary: Transportation Programs and Provisions of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 PDF (1,943 KB) Abstract: This FHWA brochure provides an excellent overview of the Clean Air Act Amendments and its planning requirements for SIP development. It discusses the effects of pollution on human health and how transportation planning assists in advancing clean air goals of the CAAA. The fold outs of the pamphlets provide colorized tables illustrating the necessary planning requirements by severity and pollutant types. The brochure also attempts to provide definitions of the transportation conformity process and how ISTEA planning interrelates to the development of SIPs for attainment of the NAAQS. Author: FHWA Transportation Air Quality: Selected Facts and Figures Abstract: This updated brochure provides an overview of recent transportation and air quality trends from across the Nation. Information regarding new federal tailpipe control standards, new air quality standards, recent travel and congestion rates by city, sources of greenhouse gas emissions, transportation policy strategies, and other useful sources of air quality-related information are provided. The resource section of this brochure provides a useful listing of relevant web sites that can link you to up-to-date transportation and air quality reports and information. Author: Federal Highway Administration "Transportation Planning Requirements of the Federal Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAAs) of 1990: A Highway Perspective"--conference proceedings published in ASCE's Transportation Planning and Air Quality. Abstract: The report summarizes the transportation conformity requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act and the implications of highway sanctions as part of the metropolitan planning process prior to issuance of the EPA final rule. The more stringent tests of conformity are discussed in relation to transportation plans, transportation improvement programs (TIPs), and transportation projects under the 1990 CAAAs. The conformity implications have placed a greater emphasis on demand management and operational improvements for the existing transportation infrastructure. The report presents some of the new major challenges befallen on the transportation community to ensure conformity to the purpose of the SIP and the need to establish new partnerships, improve communications, and to identify innovative solutions to improve air quality through landuse planning and during SIP development for attainment of the NAAQS. Author: Federal Highway Administration Contact: The Office of Natural Environment Link to other related publications: |
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