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Programs >> Conformity Analysis
Overview
Northeastern Illinois does not attain national ambient air quality standards for certain pollutants. It is classified as a moderate non-attainment area for the 8-hour ozone standard, and a non-attainment area for the annual fine particulate matter (PM2.5) standard. It must implement a transportation program which will help to reduce levels of these pollutants to national standards by 2010.
As part of the transportation planning and programming process, CATS staff evaluates the impact of proposed transportation activities on the region’s air quality. This evaluation, called a conformity analysis, is submitted to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and US Environmental Protection Agency for their review before a long-range regional transportation plan or Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is approved. The conformity analysis must demonstrate that the emissions resulting from the plan or TIP meet the requirements of (“conform with”) the regulations governing air quality.
Current Conformity Analysis
The current conformity analysis, covering the 2030 Regional Transportation Plan and FY 2007 – 2012 Transportation Improvement Program, consists of these documents:
Hot Spot Analysis
In regions that do not attain the particulate matter air quality standards, some individual transportation projects must be evaluated for local air quality impacts, commonly called a “hot spot analysis.” Projects that are subject to hot spot analysis are called, “projects of air quality concern.” They involve significant levels of diesel vehicle traffic, or are identified in a PM2.5 or PM10 State Implementation Plan as a localized air quality concern.
The hot spot evaluation will be conducted by the agency implementing the project as part of the environmental assessment process. For information about a particular project, contact the implementing agency.
For More Information
To learn more about the effects of air pollution, please see the following documents on the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s web site:
To learn more about conformity requirements, please see the following documents on the Federal Highway Administration’s web site:
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