Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
A. The
transportation plan, TIP and project not from a conforming transportation plan
and TIP shall be consistent with the motor vehicle emissions budget(s) in the
applicable implementation plan (or implementation plan submission). This
criterion applies as described in Subsections C through G of 20.11.3.109 NMAC.
This criterion is satisfied if it is demonstrated that emissions of the
pollutants or pollutant precursors described in Subsection C of 20.11.3.118
NMAC are less than or equal to the motor vehicle emissions budget(s)
established in the applicable implementation plan or implementation plan
submission.
B. Consistency with the
motor vehicle emissions budget(s) shall be demonstrated for each year for which
the applicable (or submitted) implementation plan specifically establishes a
motor vehicle emissions budget(s), and for each year for which a regional
emissions analysis is performed to fulfill the requirements in Subsection D of
20.11.3.118 NMAC, as follows:
(1) Until a
maintenance plan is submitted:
(a) emissions
in each year (such as milestone years and the attainment year) for which the
control strategy implementation plan revision establishes motor vehicle
emissions budget(s) shall be less than or equal to that years motor vehicle
emissions budget(s); and
(b)
emissions in years for which no motor vehicle emissions budget(s) are
specifically established shall be less than or equal to the motor vehicle
emissions budget(s) established for the most recent prior year; for example,
emissions in years after the attainment year for which the implementation plan
does not establish a budget shall be less than or equal to the motor vehicle
emissions budget(s) for the attainment year.
(2) When a maintenance plan has been
submitted:
(a) emissions shall be less than or
equal to the motor vehicle emissions budget(s) established for the last year of
the maintenance plan, and for any other years for which the maintenance plan
establishes motor vehicle emissions budgets; if the maintenance plan does not
establish motor vehicle emissions budgets for any years other than the last
year of the maintenance plan, the demonstration of consistency with the motor
vehicle emission budget(s) shall be accompanied by a qualitative finding that
there are no factors which would cause or contribute to a new violation or
exacerbate an existing violation in the years before the last year of the
maintenance plan; the interagency consultation process required by 20.11.3.105
NMAC shall determine what shall be considered in order to make such a
finding;
(b) for years after the
last year of the maintenance plan, emissions shall be less than or equal to the
maintenance plan's motor vehicle emissions budget(s) for the last year of the
maintenance plan;
(c) if an
approved or submitted control strategy implementation plan has established
motor vehicle emissions budgets for years in the time frame of the
transportation plan, emissions in these years shall be less than or equal to
the control strategy implementation plan's motor vehicle emissions budget(s)
for these years; and
(d) for any
analysis years before the last year of the maintenance plan, emissions shall be
less than or equal to the motor vehicle emissions budget(s) established for the
most recent prior year.
C. Consistency with the motor vehicle
emissions budget(s) shall be demonstrated for each pollutant or pollutant
precursor in Subsection B of 20.11.3.2 NMAC for which the area is in
nonattainment or maintenance and for which the applicable implementation plan
(or implementation plan submission) establishes a motor vehicle emissions
budget.
D. Consistency with the
motor vehicle emissions budget(s) shall be demonstrated by including emissions
from the entire transportation system, including all regionally significant
projects contained in the transportation plan and all other regionally
significant highway and transit projects expected in the nonattainment or
maintenance area in the time frame of the transportation plan.
(1) Consistency with the motor vehicle
emissions budget(s) shall be demonstrated with a regional emissions analysis
that meets the requirements of 20.11.3.122 NMAC and Subparagraph (a) of
Paragraph (1) of Subsection D of 20.11.3.105 NMAC.
(2) The regional emissions analysis may be
performed for any years in the time frame of the conformity determination (as
described under Subsection D of 20.11.3.106 NMAC) provided they are not more
than 10 years apart and provided the analysis is performed for the attainment
year (if it is in the time frame of the transportation plan and conformity
determination) and the last year of the time frame of the conformity
determination. Emissions in years for which consistency with motor vehicle
emissions budgets shall be demonstrated, as required in Subsection B of
20.11.3.118 NMAC, may be determined by interpolating between the years for
which the regional emissions analysis is performed.
(3) When the time frame of the conformity
determination is shortened under Paragraph (2) of Subsection D of 20.11.3.106
NMAC, the conformity determination shall be accompanied by a regional emissions
analysis (for informational purposes only) for the last year of the
transportation plan, and for any year shown to exceed motor vehicle emissions
budgets in a prior regional emissions analysis (if such a year extends beyond
the time frame of the conformity determination).
E. Motor vehicle emissions budgets in
submitted control strategy implementation plan revisions and submitted
maintenance plans:
(1) Consistency with the
motor vehicle emissions budgets in submitted control strategy implementation
plan revisions or maintenance plans shall be demonstrated if EPA has declared
the motor vehicle emissions budget(s) adequate for transportation conformity
purposes and the adequacy finding is effective. However, motor vehicle emission
budgets in submitted implementation plans do not supersede the motor vehicle
emissions budgets in approved implementation plans for the same Clean Air Act
requirement and the period of years addressed by the previously approved
implementation plan, unless EPA specifies otherwise in its approval of a
SIP.
(2) If EPA has not declared an
implementation plan submission's motor vehicle emissions budget(s) adequate for
transportation conformity purposes, the budget(s) shall not be used to satisfy
the requirements of 20.11.3.118 NMAC. Consistency with the previously
established motor vehicle emissions budget(s) shall be demonstrated. If there
are no previously approved implementation plans or implementation plan
submissions with adequate motor vehicle emissions budgets, the interim emission
tests required by 20.11.3.119 NMAC shall be satisfied.
(3) If EPA declares an implementation plan
submission's motor vehicle emissions budget(s) inadequate for transportation
conformity purposes after EPA had previously found the budget(s) adequate, and
conformity of a transportation plan or TIP has already been determined by DOT
using the budget(s), the conformity determination shall remain valid. Projects
included in that transportation plan or TIP could still satisfy 20.11.3.114
NMAC and 20.11.3.115 NMAC, which require a currently conforming transportation
plan and TIP to be in place at the time of a project's conformity determination
and that projects come from a conforming transportation plan and TIP.
(4) EPA shall not find a motor vehicle
emissions budget in a submitted control strategy implementation plan revision
or maintenance plan to be adequate for transportation conformity purposes
unless the following minimum criteria are satisfied:
(a) the submitted control strategy
implementation plan revision or maintenance plan was endorsed by the governor
(or his designee) and was subject to a state public hearing;
(b) before the control strategy
implementation plan or maintenance plan was submitted to EPA, consultation
among federal, state and local agencies occurred; full implementation plan
documentation was provided to EPA; and EPA's stated concerns, if any, were
addressed;
(c) the motor vehicle
emissions budget(s) is clearly identified and precisely quantified;
(d) the motor vehicle emissions budget(s),
when considered together with all other emissions sources, is consistent with
applicable requirements for reasonable further progress, attainment or
maintenance (whichever is relevant to the given implementation plan
submission);
(e) the motor vehicle
emissions budget(s) is consistent with and clearly related to the emissions
inventory and the control measures in the submitted control strategy
implementation plan revision or maintenance plan; and
(f) revisions to previously submitted control
strategy implementation plans or maintenance plans explain and document any
changes to previously submitted budgets and control measures; impacts on point
and area source emissions; any changes to established safety margins (see
20.11.3.7 NMAC for definition); and reasons for the changes (including the
basis for any changes related to emission factors or estimates of vehicle miles
traveled).
(5) Before
determining the adequacy of a submitted motor vehicle emissions budget, EPA
shall review the state's compilation of public comments and response to
comments that are required to be submitted with any implementation plan. EPA
shall document its consideration of such comments and responses in a letter to
the state indicating the adequacy of the submitted motor vehicle emissions
budget.
(6) When the motor vehicle
emissions budget(s) used to satisfy the requirements of 20.11.3.118 NMAC are
established by an implementation plan submittal that has not yet been approved
or disapproved by EPA, the MPO and DOT's conformity determinations shall be
deemed to be a statement that the MPO and DOT are not aware of any information
that would indicate that emissions consistent with the motor vehicle emissions
budget shall cause or contribute to any new violation of any standard; increase
the frequency or severity of any existing violation of any standard; or delay
timely attainment of any standard or any required interim emission reductions
or other milestones.
F.
Adequacy review process for implementation plan submissions: EPA will use the
procedure listed in Paragraph (1) or Paragraph (2) of Subsection F of
20.11.3.118 NMAC to review the adequacy of an implementation plan submission:
(1) When EPA reviews the adequacy of an
implementation plan submission prior to EPA's final action on the
implementation plan,
(a) EPA will notify the
public through EPA's website when EPA receives an implementation plan
submission that will be reviewed for adequacy;
(b) the public will have a minimum of 30 days
to comment on the adequacy of the implementation plan submission; if the
complete implementation plan is not accessible electronically through the
internet and a copy is requested within 15 days of the date of the website
notice, the comment period will be extended for 30 days from the date that a
copy of the implementation plan is mailed;
(c) after the public comment period closes,
EPA will inform the state in writing whether EPA has found the submission
adequate or inadequate for use in transportation conformity, including response
to any comments submitted directly and review of comments submitted through the
state process, or EPA will include the determination of adequacy or inadequacy
in a proposed or final action approving or disapproving the implementation plan
under Subparagraph (c) of Paragraph (2) of Subsection F of 20.11.3.118
NMAC;
(d) EPA will publish a
federal register notice to inform the public of EPA's finding; if EPA finds the
submission adequate, the effective date of this finding will be 15 days from
the date the notice is published as established in the federal register notice,
unless EPA is taking a final approval action on the SIP as described in
Subparagraph (c) of Paragraph (2) of Subsection F of 20.11.3.118
NMAC;
(e) EPA will announce whether
the implementation plan submission is adequate or inadequate for use in
transportation conformity on EPA's website; the website will also include EPA's
response to comments if any comments were received during the public comment
period;
(f) if after EPA has found
a submission adequate, EPA has cause to reconsider this finding, EPA will
repeat actions described in Subparagraphs (a) through (e) of Paragraph (1) or
Paragraph (2) of Subsection F of 20.11.3.118 NMAC unless EPA determines that
there is no need for additional public comment given the deficiencies of the
implementation plan submission; in all cases where EPA reverses its previous
finding to a finding of inadequacy under Paragraph (1) of Subsection F of
20.11.3.118 NMAC, such a finding will become effective immediately upon the
date of EPA's letter to the state;
(g) if after EPA has found a submission
inadequate, EPA has cause to reconsider the adequacy of that budget, EPA will
repeat actions described in Subparagraphs (a) through (e) of Paragraph (1) or
Paragraph (2) of Subsection F of 20.11.3.118 NMAC.
(2) When EPA reviews the adequacy of an
implementation plan submission simultaneously with EPA's approval or
disapproval of the implementation plan,
(a)
EPA's federal register notice of proposed or direct final rulemaking will serve
to notify the public that EPA will be reviewing the implementation plan
submission for adequacy;
(b) the
publication of the notice of proposed rulemaking will start a public comment
period of at least 30 days;
(c) EPA
will indicate whether the implementation plan submission is adequate and thus
can be used for conformity either in EPA's final rulemaking or through the
process described in Subparagraphs (c) through (e) of Paragraphs (1) of
Subsection F of 20.11.3.118 NMAC; if EPA makes an adequacy finding through a
final rulemaking that approves the implementation plan submission, such a
finding will become effective upon the publication date of EPA's approval in
the federal register, or upon the effective date of EPA's approval if such
action is conducted through direct final rulemaking; EPA will respond to
comments received directly and review comments submitted through the state
process and include the response to comments in the applicable
docket.