# u.s, EPA, REGION ill 

## AIR PROTECTION DMSION

# 

### of Pgs. 

### (including cover sheet):

_


# TO:

# ~j~ FROM: 

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# If/~ Pholle: (215) 814- .

# ~/) COMMENTS:

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### UNITED ST ATES**ENVIRO~MENT** 

### AL**PROTECTI0~** 

### AGENCY 

### REGIONllI 1650 Arch Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103



### SEP 2**~gge**

Ms. Dianne Franks, Chief Air Quality and Planning Division Air and Radiation Management Administration Maryland Department of the Environment 

### 2500 Broening Highway Baltimore, Maryland 21224


### Dear Ms. Franks:

This letter is to submit the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 

### comments on the proposed state implementation plan (SIP) revision for Transportation Conformity for Maryland, which 

### contains the proposed state Transportation Conformity regulations. 

### COMAR 26.11.26.02 and 

### 26.11.26.03.


### Thank you for giving 

### EPA the opportUnity 

# .,0 comment on these proposed plans. Please enter 

### the enclosed comments into the official public record which closes on September 

### 2, 1998.

The specific consultation processes (noted as memorandums of agreement 

### in COMAR 26.22.26.03) for each oithe metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), 

### are not part ofthe rule. They need to 

### be specifically referenced 

### in the rule.

The consultation process for the Washington Metropolitan Area MFG, the Transportation Planning Board, does not have 

### a. signature page 'With the signatures of the principle agencies involved in the specific consultation processes.

There needs to 

### be language 

### that prohibits anyone who has not signed the memorandum of agreement with the any of

# me MPOs mentioned in the rule from participating in the consultation processes required by the Conformity rule.



### Customer Service Hotline: 1-S0Q-438-Z4UBelow is an example of the language :
EX4MPLE OF STATE 

### RUT E 

### fOR**'''(QU~(~fOAs:**



### (a) No 

### recipient of federal 

### funds (as 

### defined ai 40 

### eFR 93.Ql) designaiea under tine 

### 23 

### U. S. C. 

### or the Federal Transit Acr shall adopt or approve or take any action to develop or implement a regionally significan: highway 

### or transit project unless such recipieru has 

### signed
a memorandum of agreemeniwitii the (applicable MPO 

### and signatories),which binds 

### such 

### recipieru to 

### adhere to conformity criteria and

### procedures whid: 

### comply withfederal Clean Air Acr 

### secrion176(c) [42 

### U.S.C. 7401-767IqJ and 4(J CFR Parr 

### 51, Subpart Tend 40 

### a:R Parr 93, 

### 'SWparrA and

### thoseprocedures included 

### in (he 

### (applicable memorandum of 

### agreemera), 

### regarding EPA Rulesfor Transportation Conjormiry" thai has 

### been approved by 

### EPA.
(b) 

### No agency shall 

### adopt or approve or rake 

### arry action to 

### implement or develop arry 

### transportationplan, transportation improvementprogram, orfederallyfunded or approved 

### F1iW...t.'1TA highway 

### or transii 

### projea unless such 

### agency has 

### signed

### the 

### (app/i.cable 

### memorandum of agreement) which 

### bindssuch parries to 

### adhere to conformity criteria curdprocedureswhich 

### compry -..vithfederal Clean AirAa seaion 176(c) 

### [42 

### U.S.c. 7401-7671qj 

### and40 CFRPan 51, Subpar: T and 

### 40 CFR Part 93, 

### SubpartA and 

### thoseproceduresincludedin the (applicable 

### memorandum 

### of agreement). regarding EPA 

### RuLes for 

### Transporuuion CcriformiIy to 

### rha1 has 

### been 

### approved by 

### EPA.
(c) Eachfederal agency 

### which participates in determinations Of

### conformity to 

### stase and 

### federal implemerwrionplans shall 

### sign tM 

### (applicable memorandum of agreement) which 

### binds suchfedera! agency to 

### adhere to 

### conformity criteria and 

### procedures which comply with federal 

### CLean Air 

### Act seaton 176(c)[42 

### U.S. C. 7401-7671qj and 40 CFR Parr 

### 51, Subpart Tand 4() 

### CFR Part 

### 93. 

### SubpartA and 

### thoseprocedures included in the 

### (applicable memorandum 

### of agreement), regarding 

### EPA Rulesfor Transportasion Conformity" that has 

### been approved 

### try EPA.

Please feel free to contact Paul T. Wentworth of my 

### staff at (215) 814-2183, 

### with regard to this or any other issue.
Sincerely,

# ~/~~ Robert Kramer. Chief Energy, Radiation, and Indoor**EIlviroume~ranch**

## t&'D~'{~~)

. \.

### \.;~**\\~\..\.;**