United States Air and Radiation EPA420-F-97-035 Environmental Protection December 1997 Agency Office of Mobile Sources v/EPA Environmental Fact Sheet The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) The CMAQ program provides federal transportation funds to support state and local development and implementation of projects that reduce transportation-related air pollution. As states and local governments have worked to reduce air pollution and attain the air quality standards, they have generally relied on technological control measures. Industrial processes with significantly lower emission levels and cleaner exhaust from automobiles and fuels have resulted in cleaner air in many of our cities. Yet the increase in the number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in recent years counterbalances these gains and may prevent other cities from achieving healthy air. Strategies to reduce VMT and lessen congestion in order to reduce pollution from travel are increasingly viewed as integral parts of sustainable air quality plans. What Is the CMAQ Program? The CMAQ program was established by the Intermodal Surface Trans- portation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) to fund projects that initiate or expand transportation-related infrastructure and services that have air quality benefits. The Department of Transportation operates the program in consultation with EPA. The CMAQ program's flexible guidelines cut across traditional transportation program boundaries to fund projects dealing with highways, transit, and non-traditional projects such as public outreach, clean fuel vehicles, and inspection and maintenance (I/M) emissions testing programs. a *S& Printed on Recycled Paper ------- the ISTEA provides to the CMAQ program about $1 billion per year for six years. The money is divided among the states based upon a legislated formula. Each state is guaranteed 0.5 percent, and the rest is given to states with areas where ozone and carbon monoxide levels do not meet air quality standards ("nonattainment areas"). The formula takes into account the severity of the air pollution, as well as the population of the nonattainment areas within each state. Two funding requirements apply to the CMAQ program. First, the money must be spent on projects that reduce ozone or carbon monoxide from transportation sources. Second, the money must be used in a nonattainment area, if one exists within the state. The state is responsible for distribution among multiple nonattainment areas. If the state does not have an ozone or carbon monoxide nonattainment area, the funds may be used anywhere in the state for any activity eligible under the CMAQ or another transportation program, the Surface Transportation Program. However, in these cases, funding projects that address the reduction of transportation-related particulate matter is encouraged. of are for Funds? Because of the program's high degree of flexibility, CMAQ projects can vary greatly from area to area. However, there are some common charac- teristics, due to the program's focus on air quality. Generally, CMAQ projects: 1) are developed through a coordinated planning process; 2) target the emissions for which the area is in nonattainment, and; 3) produce emission reductions in the time frames established by the Clean Air Act for that area. CMAQ projects can usually be classified in one of the following catego- ries: * Travel Demand Management Strategies • Transit Improvements • Shared Ride Services • Traffic Flow Improvements «Pedestrian and Bicycle Programs ------- These broad categories provide wide ranging flexibility and can support specific projects that vary greatly in design, scope, and implementation. The categories are not intended to be exclusive; other activities, such as I/TV! programs, conversion of public fleets to clean alternative fuels, and public education and outreach programs, may also be eligible. For For more information about this program, please contact Mark Simons at: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Mobile Sources 2000 Traverwood Drive Ann Arbor, MI 48105 Phone: (734)214-4420 Fax: (734)214-4052 E-mail: simons.mark@epa.gov This fact sheet and additional documents on transportation and air quality are available electronically on EPA's Internetworld Wide Web (WWW) site at: http ://www. epa.gov/oms/traq Further information may also be available from: • Your local Metropolitan Planning Organization • Your State Department of Transportation • The U.S. Department of Transportation: Federal Highway Administration, Division Offices Federal Transit Administration, Regional Offices • U.S. EPA Regional Offices ------- |