# Presentation: 390320

## Maryland’s Innovative Measures State Implementation Plan

**Maryland’s Innovative Measures State Implementation Plan**

**2004 EPA Air Innovations Conference**
**Brian J. Hug – Chief, Air Quality Policy and Planning Division**
**410-537-4125 bhug@mde.state.md.us**

## Maryland’s Air Quality

- Ozone levels in Maryland are very high
- Fine particulate levels are high
- Air pollution contributes significantly to Bay pollution
- Regional haze and air toxics are also significant air pollution problems in Maryland

## Maryland’s Innovative Measures SIP 

**A very flexible SIP that:**
- Bundles together several land use projects and other innovations that generate air quality benefits
- Establishes conservative emission reductions targets for the short term and a larger and more aggressive target in the long term (these projects take time to develop)
- No pressure on individual programs – pressure only on the bundle itself
**Builds off of EPA’s land-use and voluntary measures guidance**
**Also incorporates trading concepts to address uncertainty and to create incentives **

## The “Bundle”

**Land Use Initiatives**
- Infill development in Baltimore City
- TOD
- Mixed Use Development
**Transportation Measures**
- Maryland Commuter Tax Credit Initiative
- Alternatively Fueled Vehicle Program
- Incident Management Program
**Episodic Controls (Ozone Action Days)**

## “The Can Company”

- Brownfield site
- Portion of revitalized waterfront
- Variety of mixed use commercial tenants
- Redeveloped housing nearby

## “Montgomery Park”

- MDE’s new offices
- Former Montgomery Wards warehouse
- Now undergoing “green building” restoration

## Benefits of Smart Infill Development

- Expected reduction of 340,000 – 700,000 VMT per day
- Increased emphasis on transit
- NOx and VOC benefits should exceed .5 tpd in 2005 (higher in 2025)
- Significant reduction on Greenhouse Gas Emissions (especially CO2 – could be over 100 tons per day !)

## Transit Oriented Development

- Multi-use development at the end of the Baltimore Metro Line
- Pedestrian bridge to link offices/retail with metro station
- Improved bike and pedestrian access

## Mixed Use Development

- Just outside of Annapolis in Anne Arundel County
- Redevelopment of central business district
- Mixed use
- Proposed bus and trolley station
- Still in planning stage – lots of controversy

## Transportation Initiatives

- Commuter Tax Credit Program
- Incident Management (CHART Program)
- Alternative Fuel Vehicle Program

## Episodic Reductions: Ozone Action Days

- Clean Air Partners coordinates a regional ozone education & voluntary action program for Baltimore and Washington
- Effort focuses voluntary reductions from:
- Vehicle use
- Paint and consumer product use
- Lawn and garden equipment
- Annual and episodic surveys to track progress

## Land Use Credit Tools

- Current tools are relatively new and will be refined with time
- SIP is using a multiple tool/ model approach
- During future analysis new tools and models will be used to further refine the expected emission benefits

## Multi-Pollutant Benefits

- Original initiatives focus on reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT)
- SIP approach could be used for other initiatives or pollutants in the future
- Reducing VMT lowers mobile source emissions across the board
- Particulate Matter
- Volatile organic compounds (VOC)
- Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
- Greenhouse Gases
- Toxics

## Challenges  

- Coordination with other agencies and interested parties
- Connections with transportation planning
- Analysis tools/Quantification
- Multi-purpose SIP (policy driven)
- Changes in Overarching Policy and Timing
- 1hr vs 8hr Ozone Standards – where does this concept fit best?  - does this work best to maintain the NAAQ standards as real benefits (to combat continued sprawl) are decades and not years away?