# Presentation: 858642

## Air Quality Analysis for an International Border Crossing

- June 29, 2004
- Jim Cramer
- FHWA Michigan Division

## Overview

- Detroit Intermodal Freight Terminal (DIFT)
- Required analyses
- Air Toxics And PM2.5 Analyses
- International Border Crossing Study
- Background
- Study process
- Analysis protocol (a work in progress)

## DIFT Background

- 7 existing terminals
- 3 already combined
- 1 specialized (Mazda)
- Original Alternatives
- “Do Nothing”
- Combine 4 into 1 location
- Added Alternatives
- Improve 4 locations
- Combine 3 – Exclude Moterm

**Notes:**
Two NS yards combined with CSX&NS yard at Livernois-Junction
NS-Triple Crown and NS-Delray

## DIFT AQ Analysis

- Required Analyses – On Road Only
- Conformity analysis for VOC, Nox & CO
- Soon: Conformity analysis for PM2.5
- Additional Analyses – On Road & On Site
- Corridor level emissions of
- PM2.5
- Diesel PM
- Speciated Air Toxics by source (Truck, Cargo equip.)

## Border Crossing AQ Analysis

- FHWA-MI position was that we would use the then agreed to DIFT protocol as the most that we would agree to on the border crossing study.
- That analysis was conformity for CO, VOC & NOx with total emissions of PM2.5 and surrogate analysis for air toxics

## Regional Setting

**Notes:**
Long Distance travel uses Canada 401 through Windsor – Detroit or 
Canada 402 through Sarnia – Port Huron
Some truckers have their choice of entry points but many are directed a specific crossing

## Detroit Crossings

**Notes:**
We are at the Red Star on the map
The Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit/Windsor Tunnel can be seen on this map
The approximate location of the train tunnel is indicated

## The Problem

**Notes:**
View down Huron Church Road with the Ambassador Bridge in the background

## The Partnership

- The Canada-US-Ontario-Michigan Border Transportation Partnership includes
- Federal Highway Administration
- Transport Canada
- Ontario Ministry of Transportation
- Michigan Department of Transportation

## The Partnership

- Provides overall guidance
- Has nine specific objectives including
- Enhancing regional economic vitality
- Meeting needs of border inspection agencies
- Improving movement of people, goods and services across the US/Canadian border in a safe and efficient manner

## Environmental Objective

- “Use a single integrated planning and environmental study process, resulting in a single product, which will meet the requirements of all members of the Partnership”

## Slide 12

## Slide 13

## Slide 14

## System Constraints

- All U.S. highway border crossing processing points will be at or near capacity within 5 years
- Canadian highway border crossing processing in Windsor will be at or near capacity within 5 years

## System Constraints cont.

- Canadian side highway connections will be at or near capacity within 5 years
- Detroit connections to the tunnel will be at or near capacity within 5 years

## Slide 17

**Notes:**
South Crossing Corridor
2. Central crossing Corridor
3. Twinned Ambassador Bridge
4. Truck Tunnel
5. East Crossing Corridor

## Environmental Processes

- US & Canadian processes are more similar than different
- Both are highly structured processes
- Canada – structure more related to timing
- US – structure more related to process
- Canada – more major studies
- US – fewer but broader in scope

**Notes:**
Trans-Border Environmental Review:
A Comparison of American and Canadian Environmental Statutes
FHWA Office of the Chief Council

## Environmental Processes

- Apparent Differences
- US – Variance from process = Lawsuit
- Canada – Disputes likely to be mediated
- US – Stronger control at FHWA
- Canada – More authority at Environment Canada

## Air Quality Task Force

- Develop an air quality analysis protocol that
- Fulfills the objective of “one process”
- Meets the needs of all agencies
- Meets the requirements in both countries
- Formed in December of 2003
- Meeting by telephone conference calls

## Air Quality Task Force

- Membership includes:
- Transport Canada
- Health Canada
- Environment Canada
- Federal Highway Administration
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

## Air Quality Task Force

- Membership (continued)
- Ministry of Transport Ontario
- Ontario Ministry of the Environment
- Michigan Department of Transportation
- Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
- Southeast Michigan Council of Governments
- URS Corp. and The Corradino Group

## Air Quality Assessment Work Plan

- Three Objectives
- “To provide a basis for comparing alternative roadway routes in terms of their impacts on regional air quality”
- “To assess the local impacts to air quality conditions based upon the comparison of future-year pollutant concentrations to applicable standards” - *

## Air Quality Assessment Work Plan

- Three Objectives (continued)
- “To identify any mitigation measures that are necessary to gain regulatory and public approval for the project”
- Major assumption
- All build alternatives will address all the components of the system that cause delay. (The backups on Huron Church will be eliminated)

## Air Quality Assessment Work Plan

- Methodology includes
- Review of Bi-Lateral Agreements
- Air Quality Data & Standards
- Emissions Burden Analysis - *
- Dispersion Modeling - *
- Mitigation
- Overall Qualitative Assessment

## Air Quality Assessment Work Plan

- Still a “Work in Progress”
- Final Agreements have not been reached on the level and detail of the air quality analysis to be performed
- The Partnership has decided that separate environmental studies will be conducted in the U.S. and Canada