MARYLANDDEPARTMENTOFTHEENVIRONMENT41KANuADLT1OMANAGEMENT.ADMIN1STRATIONMDETECHNICALSUPPORTDOCUMENTParnsN.GlendeningJaneNishidaGovernorSecretarySUMMARYANDECONOMICIMPACTOFNEWREGULATIONCOMAR26.11.2o.02and26.11.26.03TNSPORTATIONCONFOI.INTRODUCTIONThepurposeofamendingCOMAR26.11.26istoprovidealegalplatformforthevariousconsultationproceduresthathavebeendevelopedbetweentheMarylandDepartmentoftheEnvironment(MDE),MarylandDepartmentofTransportation(MDOT),MetropolitanWashingtonAirQualityCommittee(MWAQC),andMetropolitanPlanningOrganizations(MPOs).Somedefinitionshavealsobeenrevised.Ingeneral,thetransportationconformityruleensuresthatthecontinuoustransportationplanningprocessandtheairqualityplanningprocessareconsistentwitheachothersothatfederalairqualitystandardscanbemetasquicklyaspossible.Recentrevisionstotheadministrativecomplexityoftheruleallowsmanydecisionstobemadethroughtheinteragencyconsultationprocess.TherevisionstoCOMAR26.11.26givestateandlocalgovernmentsincreasedflexibilitytosetperformancemeasuresusedtodetermineconformity,developtheStateCImplementationPlan(SIP),andhandleuniqueplanningsituationsinamannerbeneficialtotheenvironmentandeconomicdevelopment.II.AFFECTEDSOURCESThisruledirectlyaffectstheMarylandDepartmentoftheEnvironment(MDE),theMarylandDepartmentofTransportation(MDOT),theMetropolitanPlanningOrganizations(MPOs)whichincludetheNationalCapitalTransportationPlanningBoard(TPB),theTransportationSteeringCommitteeofBaltimore(TSC),theWilmingtonAreaPlanningCouncil(WILMAPCO),theRegionalPlanningOrganizationssuchastheMetropolitanWashingtonAirQualityCommittee(MWAQC)andlocalgovernmentsincludedinanonattaimnentareabutnotincludedinanMPO.III.REGULATIONSUMMARYThetransportationconformityrule,40CFRSection93.105,requiresthatthestateimplementationplanaddresshowtheprincipalagenciesinvolvedinthecontinuingtransportationplanningprocessandairqualityplanningprocesswillinvolveeachotherintheirrespectiveprocesssothatallgoalsaremet.OnApril20,1995,theMarylandDepartmentoftheEnvironmentsubmittedMaryland’sTransportationConformityStateImplementationPlan(SIP)Revision.AtthattimeaseparateMemorandaofUnderstanding(MOU)foreachMPOwassubmittedfortheconsultationprocedures.TheSIPmustbesupportedthroughalegallyenforceableformat.Thisruleprovidesaregulatoryframeworkfortheconsultationprocedures,developedthroughtheMOUs.Theruleisvery1generaldefiningtherolesandresponsibilitiesoftheaffectedpartiesanddoesnotreplacetheMOU.TheMOUsdescribetheprocessingreaterdetailandspecificallyapplytohowtheorganizationsconducttheirplanningprocess.Manyoftheinvolvedplanningorganizationsaremulti-jurisdictionalandmulti-state.Agreaterdegreeofflexibilityisneededforasmoothplanningprocess.Theregulationprovidesthelegalunderpinningfortheprocess.IV.DISCUSSIONCOMAR26.11.26wasrevisedonJaiuary30,1998tobeconsistentwiththefederaltransportationconformityrulewhichwaspublishedonAugust15,1997.TherevisiontothefederalruleonAugust15,1997allowsoneyeartocompleteaSIPrevisionimplementingtheconformityrequirementsattheStatelevelandestablishinginteragencyconsultationprocedures.ThecurrentamendmentestablishesupdatedinteragencyconsultationproceduresinCOMAR26.11.26.Thedecisionrequiresairqualityagencies,transportationagenciesandlocalgovernmentstoestablishaproactivecommunicationprocesswitheachother.Theruledefinesleadagenciesforaparticularplanningprocess.Therulerequirestheleadagencytosolicitcommentsearlyintheplanningprocessfromtheaffectedagenciesandtoprovidethematerialsneededfortheaffectedagenciestomakeinformedcomments.Theleadagencywillconsiderthecommentsandhowtheyshouldbeincorporatedintotheplanningprocess.V.AIRQUALITYBENEFITSTheCleanAirAct(CAA)andISTEAconformityprovisionsareintendedtoensurethatintegratedtransportationandairqualityplanningoccurintheareasdesignatedbyEPAasnonattainment(areasthatcannotcomplywithfederalairqualitystandards)ormaintenanceareas(areas(thatneedcontinuedcontrolprogramstocomplywithfederalstandards).Maintainingconstantemissionslevelsmaintainsairquality.ThetransportationconformityprocessensuresthroughquantitativeanalysisthattransportationsystemimprovementsdonotincreaseemissionsabovethelimitsallowedintheSIP.f:\ritter\conform\amend\consult.tsdSeptember2,1998C“TogetherWeCanCleanUp”TTDFORTHEDEAF(410)631-30092RecycledPaper