EPA Finalizes Transportation
                    Conformity Rule Restructuring
                    Amendments
                        The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing
                        changes to the transportation conformity rule to make the rule
                   apply to any future new or revised national ambient air quality
                   standards (NAAQS).
                   The final rule restructures two sections of the transportation conformity rule so that
                   existing requirements will apply for any new or revised NAAQS. Restructuring these
                   sections will reduce the need to amend the rule in the future merely to reference a
                   specific NAAQS and will provide more certainty to transportation planners without
                   compromising environmental benefits.

                   This final rule ensures that air quality is protected and clarifies requirements for
                   implementers,

                   EPA has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Transportation to develop this
                   final rule.
                    Background
                    Transportation conformity is a Clean Air Act requirement that ensures that federally
                    supported highway and transit projects are consistent with state air quality implemen-
                    tation plans. Conformity helps protect public health through early consideration of
                    the air quality impacts of transportation decisions in places where air quality does not
                    currently meet federal standards or has not met them in the past.
SEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
                 EPA-420-F-12-009
                    February 2012

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Key Elements of the Final Rule
    •   The final rule primarily restructures two sections of the conformity rule, 40 CFR 93.109
       and 93.119, so that the existing rule requirements clearly apply to areas designated for
       future new or revised NAAQS, thus reducing the need to amend the transportation
       conformity rule merely to reference specific new NAAQS,

    •   As a result of these changes, the conformity rule will apply to any new NAAQS that
       EPA establishes in the future,

    •   This rule also allows PM2.5 areas with clean air quality data to take advantage of confor-
       mity flexibilities that are currently available only to ozone areas.
Health and Environmental Benefits
The final rule ensures that transportation activities are consistent with air quality goals of the
transportation conformity program.  The final rule ensures that all nonattainment and maintC'
nance areas use conformity tests that ensure air quality progress continues in areas that need to
attain or maintain the NAAQS,
For More Information
You can access documents on transportation conformity on EPA's Office of Transportation and
Air Quality Web site at:

          www.epa.gov/otaq/stateresources/transconf/index.htm

For further information on this final rule, please contact

          Patty Klavon
          U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
          Office of Transportation and Air Quality
          2000 Traverwood Drive
          Ann Arbor, MI48105
          734-214-4476
          E-mail:  klavon.patty@epa.gov
Or
          Laura Berry
          U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
          Office of Transportation and Air Quality
          2000 Traverwood Drive
          Ann Arbor, MI 48105
          734-214-4858
          E-mail:  berry.laura@epa.gov

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