Air Quality Planning Program

SCAG's Air Quality Planning Program coordinates with various air quality and transportation stakeholders in Southern California to ensure compliance with the federal and state air quality requirements, including the Transportation Conformity Rule and other applicable federal, state, and air district laws and regulations. As the Federally-designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the six-county Southern California region, SCAG is required by law to ensure that transportation activities "conform" to, and are supportive of, the goals of regional and state air quality plans to attain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). In addition, SCAG is a co-producer, with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), of the transportation strategy and transportation control measure sections of the Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) for the Basin.

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SCAG staff is responsible for the Transportation Air Quality Conformity Determinations on the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and the Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP). These conformity responsibilities now include the new air quality standards for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and 8-hour Ozone. The new fine particle standard is a federal health-based standard for particulate pollution that is 2.5 microns or smaller. An 8-hour Ozone non-attainment area is designated for an area where a high level of Ozone is measured for a minimum of eight hours per day. In the SCAG region, the ozone nonattainment boundaries for the 1-hour and 8-hour standards are consistent. The 1-hour ozone non-attainment areas in Ventura County and the South Coast Air Basin (SCAB) are identical to the 8-hour nonattainment areas, and the Southeast Desert Modified Air Basin (SEDAB) has been divided into the Coachella Valley and the Western Mojave Desert Air Basin.

Transportation conformity is required by the Clean Air Act section 176(c) (42 U.S.C. 7506(c)) to ensure that federal funding and approval are given to highway and transit projects that are consistent with ("conform to") the air quality goals established by a state air quality implementation plan (SIP). Conformity, to the purpose of the SIP, means that transportation activities will not cause new air quality violations, worsen existing violations, or delay timely attainment of the national ambient air quality standards.

A conformity determination consists of regional emissions analyses, financial constraint test, timely implementation of Transportation Control Measures (TCMs), use of the latest planning assumptions, appropriate documentation of findings, interagency consultation, and public involvement.

SCAG is also a member of the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities Program. The mission of the Clean Cities Program is to advance the nation's economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local decisions to adopt practices that contribute to the reduction of petroleum consumption. The Partnership administers the Clean Cities Program in the SCAG Region. The Partnership’s work has contributed to the achievement of traffic congestion and mobile source emission reduction goals set by SCAG and the SCAQMD.

What's New
Projects

Regional Comprehensive Plan

SCAG is currently updating its Regional Comprehensive Plan (RCP). The RCP Air Quality Chapter will help guide and coordinate the various air quality activities in Southern California and help identify gaps that the region could more effectively address in the next air and transportation plans.

Please visit the RCP Air Quality website for more information.

Air Quality Management Plans

SCAG staff provides key input for Air Quality Management Plans in the region including South Coast, Ventura, Imperial, Mohave, and Antelope Valley. SCAG also provides economic forecasts, travel demand modeling, and transportation strategies to the South Coast Air Quality Management District. This input guides the development of the 2007 South Coast Air Quality Management Plan.

Related Resources

Transportation Conformity Working Group

The Transportation Conformity Working (TCWG) is a forum for interagency coordination to help improve air quality and maintain transportation conformity in Southern California. The group meets on a monthly basis to facilitate an inclusive air quality planning process and to fulfill the interagency consultation requirements of the Federal Transportation Conformity Rule. The group helps resolve regional issues pertaining to transportation conformity and coordinates with and supports the quarterly meetings of the Statewide Transportation Conformity Working Group.

Membership of the Southern California TCWG includes federal (US EPA, US EPA Region 9, FHWA, FTA), state (CA Air Resources Board, Caltrans), regional (Air Quality Management Districts, SCAG, etc.), and sub-regional (County Transportation Commissions) agencies and other stakeholders.

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