VDOT
Project Level Air quality Study Program

STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURES

June 2004

Table of Contents

Purpose

Authority

Application and Responsibility

Required Project Air Evaluation Procedures

a)Process for Requesting Air Scoping Guidance or Studies

b)Process for Requesting Traffic Data

c)Process and Responsibilities for Performing the Air Quality Assessment

d)Documentation

Locally Administered Projects

Appendix A: Virginia Non-Attainment and Maintenance Areas

Appendix B: Project Level & Conformity Process Flowcharts

Appendix C: Project Level Air Quality Checklist

Appendix D: Forms

Appendix E: Design Year Determination

Appendix F: Abbreviations and Definitions

Purpose

These standard operating procedures outline the requirements and processes involved in conducting, coordinating and documenting a project level air quality study. The procedures describe minimum requirements for the evaluation of air quality impacts on proposed highway construction projects.

Authority

These procedures are prepared in authority of the Code of Virginia,33.1-12, General powers and duties of Board, etc.; definitions as administered by the Commonwealth Transportation Board. Authority also comes from U.S. DOT regulations at 23 CFR 771.

The following federal and state law and regulations require or provide guidance regarding project level air quality studies:

  • National Environmental Policy Act (Public Law 91-190, as amended; 42 U.S. C. 4321-4327 – 40 CFR 771 and 23 CFR 1500)
  • Clean Air Act (Public Law 101-549; 42 U.S.C. Sections 7401-7671 and 40 CFR 51 and 93)
  • Other federal guidance includes the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Technical Advisory T 6640.8A and Air Quality Analysis for NEPA Documents, August 1993
  • Code of Virginia Title 10.1 Chapter 11.1
  • 2001 agreement of the Transportation and Natural Resource Secretariats for the State Environmental Review Process

Application and Responsibility

The Air, Noise, & Energy Section (ANE) of the Environmental Division, Central Office is responsible for administering the project air evaluation process. These procedures apply to all VDOT projects except proposed highway tunnel projects. In the case of tunnels, other special concerns and air quality requirements exist. The following are the four (4) levels of project level air quality evaluations that may be applicable:

  1. Qualitative Air Quality Assessment
  • Projects requiring federal funding or federal approval (CE & EA)
  • Projects located in air quality nonattainment/maintenance areas, but not requiring mesascale (conformity) analysis
  1. Quantitative Microscale Air Quality Study - Level 1
  • All projects requiring Environmental Impact Statements
  • Projects with design values average daily traffic >30,000
  • Special Request Projects
  1. Quantitative Microscale Air Quality Study – Level 2
  • Level 1 projects that exceed 1 or 8hr NAAQS
  1. Mesoscale (conformity) analysis.
  • All regionally significant projects in nonattainment and maintenance areas (Appendix A) are required to be modeled.

The flow charts located in Appendix B detail the processes required for the above air quality evaluations.

Required Project Air Evaluation Procedures

a)Process for Requesting Air Scoping Guidance or Studies

  • The district document writer makes a scoping request Uusing the Air & Noise Study Request Form (see Appendix D).
  • The air quality engineer reviewssthe Fform within a week and lets the district document writer know what type of study is required and when the study will be complete.
  • Air quality engineer records the request from the district into the database.
  • Air quality engineer will checks Falcon for available CADD plans. To complete a quantitative project level study, the project plans must details the width of pavement and number of lanes. District document writer should forward L&D design plans with the request form only when plans are not electronically available.

discusses the information

 to assist us with identifying project location and noise sensitive land uses.

  • Air quality engineer will confirms planning information with district document writer, and district Transportation Mobility and Planning Division (TMPD) engineer Document Writer, L&D, or TMPD staffas necessary prior to making an Environmental traffic request. The traffic request form is located in Appendix D.

b)Process for Requesting Traffic Data

  • Air quality aeengineer will coordinatemakes request for environmental traffic from the District TMPD.
  • The District TMPD will must develop environmental traffic forat least the appropriate roadways, existing interim and design years and casessame L&D identifiedchosen for aproposed quantitative microscale CO air study. The TMPD engineer is responsible for providing realistic traffic volumes and space mean speeds, including idle acceleration, deceleration and cruise.
  • TIt is anticipated choice ofhe Design Year (study horizon year) for the project design and traffic information will comply with will satisfyFHWADesign Year sufficiency requirements, VDOT L&D IIM as well as The Road Design Manual. The Design Year requirements (see Appendix E) must be acceptable to the FHWA.

c)Process and Responsibilities for Performing the Air Quality Assessment

  • The air quality engineer will make and review reports from project database weekly. The reports establish the priority list of upcoming projects for air quality assessment and due-date timelines. Dates of delivery of plans and traffic data will be monitored. If late inputs threaten due dates, the air quality engineer is responsible for contacting the appropriate persons to determine if the air assessment due date needs to be rescheduled or can still be met.
  • The air quality engineer performs studies based on priority and availability of study inputs.
  • If review of received plans or traffic data raise questions, the air quality engineer assigned to the project is responsible for contacting the TMPD engineer for clarification/more information.
  • The VDOT & FHWA agreement, dated August 22, 2000, directs that a quantitative microscale CO analyses will be performed for all formal EIS projects, regardless of traffic volumes and for any project with a design year average annual daily traffic >30,000. Qualitative assessments as appropriate are required for all other projects.
  • The air quality engineer performing an analysis identifies the peak one- and eight-hour period traffic volumes and speeds that are to be used in the quantitative microscale CO analysis in accord with federal guidance. Speeds must reflect trip length average or space mean speed for the actual travel conditions, including interrupted congested flow if applicable. Traffic for other routes in the project study area in the direct and indirect (secondary) impact areas need consideration for air quality analysis.
  • Total CO concentration will be estimated for present year, and interim year and design year build and no-build cases at selected locations. standards.
  • The air quality study will address pollutant emissions related to construction in compliance with regulations and construction specifications.
  • In air quality nonattainment or maintenance areas, qualitative assessments must evaluate how the project conforms to regional air quality plans. The air quality engineer is responsible for to determining if the project was included in a conformity (mesoscale) analysis.

d)Documentation

  • The aira qualityengineer will prepare the qualitative or quantitative microscale analysis from a choice of “boiler plate” formatspredicted.
  • A qualitative analysis will consist of five brief features:
  1. Statement explaining why a quantitative analysis is not warranted.
  2. Appropriate discussion of the attainment, nonattainment or maintenance classification of the area and any status with respect to regional emissions conformity of the project with the federally approved plan and program
  3. Discussion of the potential construction dust and VDOT construction specifications for controlling the dust
  4. Determination if project is in a volatile organic control area and the associated construction requirements
  5. Conclusion.
  • A quantitative microscale CO project assessment must consist of :
  1. Brief description of air pollution and the analytical approach
  2. Assumptions and models for the assessment.
  3. Discussion of the site selection process
  4. Table listing the distance of selected sites from the edge of pavement and a legible site location map.
  5. Total concentrations that result from the analysis must be tabulated for each site and analytical year and case.
  6. Comparison of results to CO air standards.
  7. Discussion of results and if appropriate any mitigation measure commitments that may be warranted.
  8. Appropriate discussion of the attainment, nonattainment or maintenance classification of the area and any status with respect to regional emissions conformity of the project with the federally approved plan and program.
  9. Discuss the potential construction dust and VDOT construction specifications for controlling the dust and a conclusion as to whether the project can be expected to interfere with attainment or maintenance of ambient air standards.
  10. Determination if project is in a volatile organic control area and the associated construction requirements
  • The air quality engineer will submit the draft study to the air program manager for quality control and review prior to submitting to the District document writer. The air quality engineer makes any corrections and then issues the statement by email and by hard copy to the district document writer with a copy to the program air manger and any others involved with the project air assessment. The District document writer will incorporate this information into the environment document
  • Final copies of the study and supporting documentation (i.e. model output files, maps, etc) must be documented in the both the paper and electronic project files.

Locally Administered Projects

If a project is locally administrated, then the project level analysis will be the responsibility of the locality and/or their consultant. The locality or their consultant should following the procedures outlined in VDOT’s “Project Air Quality Analysis Consultant Guide”. VDOT will provide upon request inputs for MOBILE6.2.

Appendix A: Virginia Non-Attainment and Maintenance Areas

The below air quality jurisdictions can be found on the following Virginia legislative websites: and

Northern Virginia ModerateOzone Nonattainment Area:

Arlington CountyAlexandria CityManassas City

Fairfax CountyFairfax City Manassas Park City

Loudoun County Fall Church City

Prince William CountyStafford County

Fredericksburg Moderate Ozone Nonattainment Area:

Spotsylvania

Stafford

City of Fredericksburg

Richmond Moderate Ozone Nonattainment Area:

Charles City County Colonial Heights City

Chesterfield County Hopewell City

Hanover CountyRichmond City

Henrico CountyPetersburg

Prince George

Hampton Roads Marginal Ozone Nonattainment Area:

James City CountyPoquoson CityWilliamsburg City

Isle of Wight Portsmouth CityVirginia Beach City Gloucester Suffolk City Newport News City

York CountyChesapeake CityHampton City Norfolk City

Roanoke Basic Nonattainment Area (EAC):

Botetourt County

Roanoke County

Roanoke City

Salem City

Madison and Page Counties Basic Nonattainment Area:

Partial Madison County

Partial Page County

Frederick County Basic Nonattainment Area (EAC):

Frederick County

Winchester City

NOVA Carbon Monoxide Maintenance Area:

Arlington County

City of Alexandria

Northern Virginia VOC Control Areas:

Alexandria CityFalls Church City

Arlington County Loudoun County

Fairfax County Manassas City

Fairfax City Manassas Park City

Prince William County Stafford County

Hampton Roads VOC Control Areas:

Chesapeake CityNorfolk CityVirginia Beach City

Hampton CityPoquosonWilliamsburg

James City Portsmouth CityYork County

Newport News CitySuffolk City

Richmond VOC Control Areas:

Charles City CountyHenrico County

Chesterfield CountyHopewell City

Colonial Heights CityRichmond City

Hanover County

Western Virginia VOC Control Areas:

Botetourt County

Frederick County

Roanoke County

Roanoke City

Salem City

Winchester City

Appendix B: Project Level & Conformity Process Flowcharts

Appendix C: Project Level Air Quality Checklist

District Requests air quality study

Central Office determines type of air quality study required

Central Office responds to district regarding study type and timeline

Central Office performs air quality study

Central Office verifies project conformity status

Central Office updates database

Central Office provides study to District

Central Office records project completion

Appendix D: Forms


Appendix E: Design Year Determination

The material below has been developed through consultation with staff from the Department and FHWA. Please incorporate this information appropriately in our instructional material and forms.

……………………………………

Design Year - 22 years beyond the date of advertisement for construction

  • All roads in the National Highway System (NHS) regardless of functional classification
  • Freeway functional classification
  • All Rural and Urban Arterial functional classifications
  • Rural Major Collector functional classification
  • Rural Minor Collector functional classification for new construction of major improvements or expansion of the facility
  • Urban Collector functional classification for new construction of major improvements or expansion of the facility

Design Year - 11 years beyond the date of advertisement for construction

  • Rural Minor Collector functional classification for restoration in kind or minor improvements
  • Urban Collector functional classification for restoration in kind or minor improvements
  • Rural Local functional classification
  • Urban Local functional classification

Reference: AASHTO “A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets” 2001

Definitions

“new construction of major improvements or expansion of the facility” includes, but is not limited to:

  • construction of additional through lanes
  • addition of free-flow ramps to an existing at grade intersection
  • conversion of an at grade intersection to a grade separation
  • construction on new location
  • modification of an existing facility that results in some or all of the facility on new location

“restoration in kind or minor improvements” includes, but is not limited to:

  • addition of turn lanes to an existing facility
  • shoulder modifications
  • restoration/maintenance of a roadway that results in a new facility that duplicates the original roadway on the same location
  • minor widening of an existing lane to achieve a standard lane width

Appendix F: Abbreviations and Definitions

Abbreviations:

ADTAverage Daily Traffic

ANEAir Noise and Energy

CADDComputer Aided Drafting and Design

COCarbon Monoxide

CFRCode of Federal Regulations

FHWAFederal Highway Administration

I&IMInstructional and Informational Memorandum

L&DLocation and Design Division

NAAQSNational Ambient Air Quality Standards

NEPANational Environmental Policy Act

TMPDTransportation Mobility and Planning Division

VDOTVirginia Department of Transportation

Definitions:

Attainment Area:An area that is in compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

Nonattainment Area: An area that exceeds the Environmental Protection Agency’s national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for a critical pollutant including ozone, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide or lead.

Maintenance Area: An area that previously exceeded the EPA’s NAAQS for a critical pollutant that must continue to implement procedures to assure continued air quality improvements.

Regionally Significant Project: A transportation project that is on a facility which serves regional transportation needs (such as access to and from the area outside of the region, major planned developments, such as new retail malls, sports complexes, etc., or transportation terminals as well as most terminals themselves) and would normally be included in the modeling of an area’s transportation network, including at a minimum all principal arterial highways and fixed guideway transit facilities.

March 23, 2004

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