Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 194 / Tuesday, October 7, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 60343 

1 Interested parties can find these documents 

under either the ‘‘Emission Model and Conformity’’ 

or ‘‘Project-Level Conformity’’ topics on this Web 

site. 

2Nonattainment and maintenance areas located 

in California use the latest approved version of the 

Emission FACtor (EMFAC) model. 

Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (817) 222–5110. 

(5) You may view this service information 

that is incorporated by reference at the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For information on 

the availability of this material at NARA, call 

(202) 741–6030, or go to: http://

www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibrlocations.html. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 

19, 2014. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–23592 Filed 10–6–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

40 CFR Parts 51 and 93 

[FRL–9917–26–OAR] 

Official Release of the MOVES2014 

Motor Vehicle Emissions Model for 

SIPs and Transportation Conformity 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) is approving and 

announcing the availability of the Motor 

Vehicle Emissions Simulator model 

(MOVES2014) for official use outside of 

California. MOVES2014 is the latest 

state-of-the art upgrade to EPA’s 

modeling tools for estimating emissions 

from cars, trucks, buses, and 

motorcycles, based on the latest data 

and regulations. MOVES2014 is 

approved for use in state 

implementation plans (SIPs) and 

transportation conformity analyses 

outside of California. This notice starts 

a two-year grace period before the 

MOVES2014 emission model is required 

to be used in new regional emissions 

analyses and new hot-spot analyses for 

transportation conformity 

determinations outside of California. 

DATES: EPA’s approval of the 

MOVES2014 emissions model for SIPs 

and transportation conformity analyses 

in states other than California is 

effective October 7, 2014. This approval 

also starts a two-year transportation 

conformity grace period that ends on 

October 7, 2016, after which 

MOVES2014 is required to be used for 

new transportation conformity analyses 

outside of California. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

technical model questions regarding the 

official release or use of MOVES2014, 

please email EPA at mobile@epa.gov. 

For questions about SIPs, contact Rudy 

Kapichak at Kapichak.Rudolph@epa.gov 

or (734)214–4574. For transportation 

conformity questions, contact Astrid 

Larsen at larsen.astrid@epa.gov or 

(734)214–4812. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

contents of this document are as 

follows: 

I. General Information 

II. What is MOVES2014? 

III. SIP Policy for MOVES2014 

IV. Transportation Conformity and 

MOVES2014 

I. General Information 

A. Does this action apply to me? 

Entities potentially impacted by the 

approval of MOVES2014 are those that 

adopt, approve, or fund transportation 

plans, transportation improvement 

programs (TIPs), or projects under title 

23 U.S.C. or title 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53 

and those that develop and submit SIPs 

to EPA. Regulated categories and 

entities affected by this action include: 

Category Examples of regulated entities 

Local government .................................... Local transportation and air quality agencies, including metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). 

State government .................................... State transportation and air quality agencies. 

Federal government ................................ Department of Transportation (Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA)). 

This table is not intended to be 

exhaustive, but rather provides a guide 

for readers regarding entities likely to be 

affected by the release of MOVES. Other 

entities not listed in the table could also 

be affected. To determine whether your 

organization is affected by this action, 

you should carefully examine the 

transportation conformity applicability 

requirements in 40 CFR 93.102. If you 

have questions regarding the 

applicability of this action to a 

particular entity, consult the persons 

listed in the preceding FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT section. 

B. How can I get copies of MOVES2014 

and other related information? 

The official version of the 

MOVES2014 model, along with user 

guides and supporting documentation, 

are available on EPA’s MOVES Web site: 

www.epa.gov/otaq/models/moves/

index.htm. 

Individuals who wish to receive EPA 

announcements related to the 

MOVES2014 model should subscribe to 

the EPA-MOBILENEWS email listserv. 

To subscribe to the EPA-MOBILENEWS 

listserv, send a blank email to EPA at 

join-EPA-MOBILENEWS@lists.epa.gov. 

Your email address will then be added 

to the list of subscribers and a 

confirmation message will be sent to 

your email address. For more 

information about the EPAMOBILENEWS listserv, visit EPA’s Web 

site at www.epa.gov/otaq/models/

mobilelist.htm. 

Available guidance on how to apply 

MOVES2014 for SIPs and transportation 

conformity purposes can be found on 

EPA’s transportation conformity Web 

site, http://www.epa.gov/otaq/

stateresources/transconf/policy.htm,1

including ‘‘Policy Guidance on the Use 

of MOVES2014 for State 

Implementation Plan Development, 

Transportation Conformity, and Other 

Purposes’’ (EPA–420–B–14–008, July 

2014). 

EPA will continue to update these 

Web sites as other MOVES support 

materials and guidance are developed or 

updated. 

II. What is MOVES2014? 

MOVES2014 is EPA’s latest motor 

vehicle emissions model for state and 

local agencies to estimate volatile 

organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen 

oxides (NOX), particulate matter (PM2.5

and PM10), carbon monoxide (CO), and 

other precursors from cars, trucks, 

buses, and motorcycles for SIP purposes 

and conformity determinations outside 

of California.2 The model is based on 

analyses of millions of emission test 

results and considerable advances in the 

Agency’s understanding of vehicle 

emissions. The first model in the 

MOVES series, called MOVES2010, was 


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3See EPA’s notice of availability, ‘‘Official 

Release of the January 2011 AP–42 Method for 

Estimating Re-Entrained Road Dust from Paved 

Roads’’, published in the Federal Register on 

February 4, 2011 (76 FR 6328) available on EPA’s 

Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/

stateresources/transconf/policy.htm#models. In 

addition to the latest version of AP–42, EPA 

approved-alternative local methods can be used for 

estimating re-entrained road dust. 

4This is an available option although not 

explicitly mentioned in the ‘‘Policy Guidance on 

the Use of MOVES2014 for State Implementation 

Plan Development, Transportation Conformity, and 

Other Purposes’’ (EPA–420–B–14–008, July 2014). 

5See Clean Air Act section 172(c)(3) and 40 CFR 

51.112(a)(1). 

released in December of 2009. 

MOVES2010 was followed by two 

minor updates, MOVES2010a and 

MOVES2010b. Both of these minor 

MOVES2010 revisions enhanced model 

performance and did not significantly 

affect the criteria pollutant emissions 

results from MOVES2010. 

MOVES2014 is a major revision to 

MOVES2010b and improves upon it in 

many respects. MOVES2014 includes 

new data, new emissions standards, and 

new functional improvements and 

features. It incorporates substantial new 

data for emissions, fleet, and activity 

developed since the release of 

MOVES2010. These new emissions data 

are for light- and heavy-duty vehicles, 

exhaust and evaporative emissions, and 

fuel effects. MOVES2014 also adds 

updated vehicle sales, population, age 

distribution, and vehicle miles travelled 

(VMT) data. 

MOVES2014 incorporates the effects 

of three new federal emissions standard 

rules not included in MOVES2010: 

• Medium- and heavy-duty engine 

and vehicle greenhouse gas emission 

and fuel efficiency standards 

(promulgated September 2011, 76 FR 

57106) began phasing in with the 2014 

model year, and will result in lower 

medium- and heavy-duty engine and 

vehicle energy consumption rates and 

some reduction in criteria pollutant 

emissions as a result of improved 

aerodynamics and rolling resistance. 

• Light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas 

emission and Corporate Average Fuel 

Economy standards (promulgated 

October 2012, 77 FR 62623) will begin 

phasing in with the 2017 model year, 

and will result in decreased energy 

consumption rates and decreased 

refueling emissions. 

• Tier 3 vehicle emission and fuel 

standards (promulgated April 2014, 79 

FR 23414) will begin phasing in with 

the 2017 model year, and will reduce 

both tailpipe and evaporative emissions 

of VOC, NOX, CO, and PM from lightduty cars and trucks, and some heavyduty vehicles. 

MOVES2014 also includes a number 

of new functional improvements and 

features. Some of these, such as the 

addition of multi-day diurnal events to 

evaporative emissions calculations, 

directly affect the estimation of criteria 

pollutant emissions. Others, such as 

new options for entering start and 

extended idle activity, make 

MOVES2014 more flexible and better 

able to incorporate local data where 

available. 

EPA performed a comparison of 

MOVES2014 to MOVES2010b using 

local data for several different urban 

counties, varying the local data used by 

fleet age distribution, fraction of lightand heavy-duty VMT, local fuel 

specifications, meteorology, and other 

input factors. In general, VOC, NOX, 

PM, and CO emissions show greater 

decreases over time compared to 

MOVES2010b. Differences in total 

emissions vary by calendar year and 

location, but in general, VOC and NOX

emissions are lower in MOVES2014. PM 

emissions may be higher in some areas 

and lower in others. Actual results will 

vary based on local inputs in a given 

area, with local variations in fleet age 

distribution and composition having a 

significant influence on the final results. 

MOVES2014 includes the capability 

to estimate vehicle exhaust and 

evaporative emissions as well as brake 

wear and tire wear emissions for criteria 

pollutants and precursors. However, 

MOVES does not include the capability 

to estimate emissions of re-entrained 

road dust. To estimate emissions from 

re-entrained road dust, practitioners 

should continue to use the latest 

approved methodologies.3

MOVES2014 also incorporates the 

code and database for the 

NONROAD2008 model, which provides 

the option of calculating emissions of 

nonroad equipment. Because the 

nonroad capability in MOVES2014 is 

essentially the same as NONROAD2008, 

either MOVES2014, NONROAD2008, or 

the nonroad portion of NMIM2008 

(which incorporates NONROAD2008) 

can be used in analyses to meet any 

regulatory requirements that call for the 

development of new nonroad 

inventories.4

III. SIP Policy for MOVES2014 

EPA has articulated its policy 

regarding the use of MOVES2014 in SIP 

development in its ‘‘Policy Guidance on 

the Use of MOVES2014 for State 

Implementation Plan Development, 

Transportation Conformity, and Other 

Purposes’’ (EPA–420–B–14–008, July 

2014). This document highlights certain 

aspects of the guidance, but state and 

local governments should refer to the 

guidance for more detailed information 

on how and when to use MOVES2014 

in reasonable further progress SIPs, 

attainment demonstrations, 

maintenance plans, inventory updates, 

and other SIP submissions. 

MOVES2014 should be used in ozone, 

CO, PM, and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) SIP 

development as expeditiously as 

possible, as there is no grace period for 

the use of MOVES2014 in SIPs. The 

Clean Air Act requires that SIP 

inventories and control measures be 

based on the most current information 

and applicable models that are available 

when a SIP is developed.5 However, 

EPA also recognizes the time and level 

of effort that certain states may have 

already undertaken in SIP development 

using a version of MOVES2010. States 

should consult with their EPA Regional 

Office if they have questions about how 

MOVES2014 affects SIPs under 

development in specific nonattainment 

or maintenance areas. Early consultation 

can facilitate EPA’s adequacy finding for 

SIP motor vehicle emissions budgets or 

EPA’s SIP approval. 

States should use the latest version of 

MOVES that is available at the time that 

a SIP is developed, which is currently 

MOVES2014 to develop the most 

accurate estimates of emissions 

possible. However, state and local 

agencies that have already completed 

significant work on a SIP with a version 

of MOVES2010 (e.g., attainment 

modeling has already been completed 

with MOVES2010) can continue to do 

so. It would be unreasonable to require 

the states to revise these SIPs with 

MOVES2014 since significant work has 

already occurred based on the latest 

information available at the time the SIP 

was developed, and EPA intends to act 

on these SIPs in a timely manner. 

The Clean Air Act does not require 

states that have already submitted SIPs 

or will submit SIPs shortly after the 

release of a new model to revise these 

SIPs simply because a new motor 

vehicle emissions model is now 

available. This is supported by existing 

EPA policies and case law [Sierra Club 

v. EPA, 356 F.3d. 296, 307–08 (D.C. Cir. 

2004)]. Of course, states can choose to 

use MOVES2014 in these SIPs, for 

example, if it is determined that it is 

appropriate to update motor vehicle 

emissions budgets (‘‘budgets’’) with the 

model for future conformity 

determinations. However, as stated 

above, states should use MOVES2014 

where SIP development is in its initial 

stages or has not progressed far enough 

along that switching from a previous 

model version would create a significant 

adverse impact on state resources. 


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6A minor revision would be one that is made to 

improve performance but does not change results. 

Incorporating MOVES2014 into the 

SIP now could assist areas in mitigating 

possible transportation conformity 

difficulties in the future after the 

MOVES2014 conformity grace period 

ends. New regional conformity analyses 

that are started after the grace period is 

over must be based on MOVES2014 (40 

CFR 93.111), so having MOVES2014- 

based SIP budgets in place at that time 

could provide more consistency with 

transportation conformity 

determinations. 

IV. Transportation Conformity and 

MOVES2014 

In this document, EPA is approving 

MOVES2014 for use in transportation 

conformity analyses outside of 

California. EPA is also establishing a 

two-year conformity grace period before 

the use of MOVES2014 is required in 

these transportation conformity 

determinations. The MOVES2014 grace 

period for regional conformity and hotspot analyses applies to the use of 

MOVES2014 and any future minor 

revisions that occur during the grace 

period.6

Transportation conformity is a Clean 

Air Act requirement to ensure that 

federally supported highway and transit 

activities are consistent with (‘‘conform 

to’’) the SIP. Conformity to a SIP means 

that a transportation activity will not 

cause or contribute to new air quality 

violations; worsen existing violations; or 

delay timely attainment of national 

ambient air quality standards or any 

interim milestones. Transportation 

conformity applies in nonattainment 

and maintenance areas for 

transportation-related pollutants: ozone, 

CO, PM2.5, PM10 and NO2. EPA’s 

transportation conformity regulations 

(40 CFR parts 51.390 and 93 subpart A) 

describe how federally funded and 

approved highway and transit projects 

meet these statutory requirements. 

The remainder of this section 

describes how the transportation 

conformity grace period was determined 

and summarizes how it will be 

implemented, including those 

circumstances when the grace period 

could be shorter than two years. 

However, for complete explanations of 

how MOVES2014 is to be implemented 

for transportation conformity, including 

details about using MOVES2014 during 

the grace period, refer to ‘‘Policy 

Guidance on the Use of MOVES2014 for 

State Implementation Plan 

Development, Transportation 

Conformity, and Other Purposes’’ (EPA– 

420–B–14–008). 

A. Why is EPA establishing a two-year 

conformity grace period? 

The transportation conformity 

regulation at 40 CFR 93.111 requires 

that conformity determinations be based 

on the latest motor vehicle emissions 

model approved by EPA. Section 

176(c)(1) of the Clean Air Act states that 

‘‘. . . [t]he determination of conformity 

shall be based on the most recent 

estimates of emissions, and such 

estimates shall be determined from the 

most recent population, employment, 

travel, and congestion estimates. . . .’’ 

When EPA approves a new emissions 

model such as MOVES2014, a grace 

period is established before the model is 

required for conformity analyses. The 

transportation conformity rule provides 

for a grace period for new emissions 

models of between three and 24 months 

(40 CFR 93.111(b)(1)), depending on the 

degree of change in the model and the 

transportation re-planning by the MPO 

likely to be necessary. 

EPA articulated its intentions for 

establishing the length of a conformity 

grace period in the preamble to the 1993 

transportation conformity rule 

(November 24, 1993, 58 FR 62211): 

‘‘EPA and DOT [the Department of 

Transportation] will consider extending 

the grace period if the effects of the new 

emissions model are so significant that 

previous SIP demonstrations of what 

emission levels are consistent with 

attainment would be substantially 

affected. In such cases, States should 

have an opportunity to revise their SIPs 

before MPOs must use the model’s new 

emissions factors.’’ 

In consultation with DOT, EPA 

considered many factors in establishing 

the length of the grace period, including 

the degree of change in emissions 

models and the effects of the new model 

on the transportation planning process 

(40 CFR 93.111). 

EPA considered the time it will take 

state and local transportation and air 

quality agencies to conduct and provide 

technical support for analyses. State and 

local agencies will need to become 

familiar with the MOVES2014 

emissions model, and to convert 

existing data for use in MOVES2014. 

Since 1993, the fundamental purpose of 

§ 93.111(b) of the transportation 

conformity rule has been to provide a 

sufficient amount of time for MPOs and 

other state and local agencies to learn 

and employ new emissions models. The 

transition to a new emissions model for 

conformity involves more than learning 

to use the new model and preparing 

input data and model output. After 

model start-up is complete, state and 

local agencies also need to consider how 

the model affects regional conformity 

analysis results and whether SIP and/or 

transportation plan/TIP changes are 

necessary to assure future conformity 

determinations. 

The two-year conformity grace period 

is also necessary to provide sufficient 

time for state and local agencies to learn 

and apply new technical guidance and 

training courses that reflect 

MOVES2014. EPA is working diligently 

to update these guidance documents 

and training courses as quickly as 

possible. EPA will notify MOVES2014 

users when these important materials 

are available, and subsequently, EPA 

will also work with DOT to provide 

training for current and new users of the 

model. Training courses are anticipated 

to be provided in the form of webinars, 

other web-based courses, conference 

seminars, or in-person training. Courses 

will be developed to address different 

levels of State and local expertise. 

In addition, many agencies will be 

implementing the transition to PM and 

CO hot-spot analyses with MOVES2014 

for applicable projects in those 

nonattainment and maintenance areas, 

with each analysis potentially involving 

multiple state and local agencies. States 

with previously approved CO hot-spot 

protocols (40 CFR 93.123(a)(1)) that are 

based on a previous model will need 

time to revise them. As stated above, 

additional time is necessary to revise 

previously approved SIPs, and the SIP 

revision process and state requirements 

can vary. Finally, EPA considered the 

general time and monetary resource 

constraints in which state and local 

agencies currently operate. These 

agencies need to participate in EPA and 

DOT training and possibly provide 

training to other individuals in their 

offices. 

Upon considerations of all these 

factors, EPA is establishing a two-year 

grace period, which begins October 7, 

2014 and ends on October 7, 2016, 

before MOVES2014 is required to be 

used for new transportation conformity 

analyses, outside of California. 

B. Circumstances When Grace Period 

Will Be Shorter Than Two Years 

The grace period for regional 

conformity analyses will be shorter than 

two years for a given pollutant if an area 

revises its SIP and motor vehicle 

emissions budgets with MOVES2014, 

and such budgets have been found 

adequate or approved into the SIP prior 

to the end of the two-year grace period. 

In this case, the new regional emissions 

analysis must use MOVES2014 if the 

conformity determination is based on a 

MOVES2014-based budget (40 CFR 

93.111). 


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7 In the remainder of this notice, ‘‘MOVES2010’’ 

refers to all of the MOVES2010 models: 

MOVES2010, MOVES2010a, and MOVES2010b. 8 In this example, such an area would use 

MOVES2014 to develop a regional emissions 

analysis for comparison to the revised MOVES2014- 

based budgets (e.g., PM10 budgets). The regional 

emissions analysis for ozone could be based on 

MOVES2010 for the VOC and NOx budgets in the 

ozone SIP for the remainder of the conformity grace 

period. 

9 In CO nonattainment and maintenance areas, a 

hot-spot analysis is required for all non-exempt 

projects, with quantitative hot-spot analyses being 

required for larger, congested intersections and 

other projects (40 CFR 93.123(a)(1)). In addition, the 

transportation conformity rule requires that a 

quantitative PM10 or PM2.5 hot-spot analysis be 

completed for certain projects of local air quality 

concern (40 CFR 93.123(b)(1)). 

10See http://www.epa.gov/otaq/stateresources/ 

transconf/projectlevel-hotspot.htm. 

11Section 93.123(a)(3) of the transportation 

conformity rule allows DOT, in consultation with 

EPA, to make a categorical hot-spot finding for 

certain projects based on appropriate modeling. 

Areas that are designated 

nonattainment or maintenance for 

multiple pollutants may rely on both 

MOVES2014 and MOVES2010 7 to 

determine conformity for different 

pollutants during the grace period. For 

example, if an area revises a previously 

submitted (but not approved) 

MOVES2010-based PM10 SIP with 

MOVES2014 and EPA finds these 

revised MOVES2014 budgets adequate 

for conformity, such budgets would 

apply for conformity on the effective 

date of the Federal Register notice 

announcing EPA’s adequacy finding. In 

this example, if the area is 

nonattainment for PM10 and ozone, the 

MOVES2014 grace period would end for 

PM10 regional conformity analyses once 

EPA found the new MOVES2014-based 

SIP budgets adequate for PM10 regional 

conformity analyses begun after the 

effective date of adequacy finding. 

However, MOVES2010 could continue 

to be used for ozone regional emissions 

analysis begun before the end of the 

MOVES2014 grace period.8 In addition, 

the length of the grace period for hotspot analyses would not be affected by 

an early submission of MOVES2014- 

based budgets. In this example, the twoyear grace period for PM10 hot-spot 

analyses would continue to apply even 

if the grace period is shortened for 

regional PM10 conformity analyses. EPA 

Regional Offices should be consulted for 

questions regarding such situations in 

multi-pollutant areas. 

In addition, in most cases, if an area 

revises previously approved MOBILE or 

MOVES2010-based SIP budgets using 

MOVES2014, the revised MOVES2014 

budgets would be used for conformity 

purposes once EPA approves the SIP 

revision. In general, EPA will not make 

adequacy findings for these SIPs 

because submitted SIPs cannot 

supersede approved budgets until they 

are approved. However, 40 CFR 

93.118(e)(1) allows an approved budget 

to be replaced by an adequate budget if 

EPA’s approval of the initial budgets 

specifies that the budgets being 

approved may be replaced in the future 

by new adequate budgets. This 

flexibility has been used in limited 

situations in the past, such as during the 

transition from MOBILE5 to MOBILE6. 

In such cases, the MOVES2014-based 

budgets would be used for conformity 

purposes once they have been found 

adequate, if requested by the state in its 

SIP submission and specified in EPA’s 

SIP approval. States should consult with 

their EPA Regional Office to determine 

if this flexibility applies to their 

situation. 

C. Use of MOVES2014 for Regional 

Conformity Analyses During the Grace 

Period 

During the conformity grace period, 

areas should use interagency 

consultation to examine how 

MOVES2014 will impact their future 

transportation plan and TIP conformity 

determinations, including regional 

emissions analyses. Isolated rural areas 

should also consider how future 

regional conformity analyses will be 

affected when MOVES2014 is required. 

Areas should carefully consider whether 

the SIP and budgets should be revised 

with MOVES2014 or if transportation 

plans and TIPs should be revised before 

the end of the conformity grace period, 

since doing so may be necessary to 

ensure conformity in the future. 

Finally, the transportation conformity 

rule provides some flexibility for 

completing conformity determinations 

based on regional emissions analyses 

that use MOVES2010 that are started 

before the end of the grace period. 

Regional emissions analyses that are 

started during the grace period can use 

either MOVES2010 or MOVES2014. The 

interagency consultation process should 

be used if it is unclear if a MOVES2010- 

based analysis was begun before the end 

of the grace period. If you have 

questions about which model should be 

used in your conformity determination, 

you can also consult with your EPA 

Regional Office. 

When the grace period ends on 

October 7, 2016, MOVES2014 will 

become the only approved motor 

vehicle emissions model for regional 

emissions analyses for transportation 

conformity in states other than 

California. In general, this means that all 

new transportation plan and TIP 

conformity determinations started after 

the end of the grace period must be 

based on MOVES2014, even if the SIP 

is based on MOVES2010, MOBILE6.2, or 

an older version of the MOBILE model. 

D. Use of MOVES2014 for Project-Level 

Hot-Spot Analyses During the 

Conformity Grace Period 

The MOVES2014 grace period also 

applies to the use of MOVES2014 for 

CO, PM10 and PM2.5 hot-spot analyses. 

Sections 93.116 and 93.123 of the 

transportation conformity rule contain 

the requirements for when a hot-spot 

analysis is required for project-level 

conformity determinations.9 The 

transportation conformity rule provides 

some flexibility for analyses that are 

started before the end of the grace 

period. A conformity determination for 

a transportation project may be based on 

a previous model if the analysis was 

begun before or during the grace period, 

and if the final environmental document 

for the project is issued no more than 

three years after the issuance of the draft 

environmental document (40 CFR 

93.111(c)). Interagency consultation 

should be used if it is unclear if a 

previous analysis was begun before the 

end of the grace period. For CO, PM10

and PM2.5 hot-spot analyses that start 

during the grace period, project 

sponsors can choose to use MOVES2010 

or MOVES2014. 

EPA encourages sponsors to use the 

consultation process to determine 

which option may be most appropriate 

for a given situation. Any new CO, PM10

or PM2.5 hot-spot analyses for 

conformity purposes begun after the end 

of the grace period must be based on 

MOVES2014. EPA released guidance on 

how to conduct quantitative PM2.5 and 

PM10 hot-spot modeling for 

transportation conformity purposes and 

will update it to include MOVES2014. 

See EPA’s Project-level Web page 10 for 

latest information and guidance 

documents on how to conduct CO, PM10

and PM2.5 hot-spot modeling for 

transportation conformity purposes. 

Any quantitative new CO, PM10 or 

PM2.5 hot-spot analysis for conformity 

purposes begun after the end of the 

grace period must use MOVES2014. The 

interagency consultation process should 

be used if it is unclear whether these 

conditions are met. For questions about 

which model should be used in a 

project-level conformity determination, 

consult with your EPA Regional Office. 

E. FHWA’s CO Categorical Hot-Spot 

Finding 

Since FHWA’s February 2014 CO 

categorical hot-spot finding 11 for 

projects affecting intersections is based 

on MOVES2010b, a project sponsor can 


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continue to rely on this categorical 

finding during the grace period, as long 

as the project’s parameters fall within 

the acceptable range of modeled 

parameters of the categorical hot-spot 

finding. See http://www.epa.gov/otaq/ 

stateresources/transconf/projectlevelhotspot.htm#fhwa for additional details. 

Any new CO hot-spot analyses for 

conformity purposes begun after the end 

of the grace period may no longer rely 

on the February 2014 CO categorical 

hot-spot finding because the finding was 

based on MOVES2010b. 

F. Previously Approved CO SIP HotSpot Protocols 

Section 93.123(a)(1) of the 

transportation conformity rule allows 

areas to develop alternate procedures for 

determining localized CO hot-spot 

analyses, when developed through 

interagency consultation and approved 

by the EPA Regional Administrator. 

Some states have chosen in the past to 

develop such procedures based on 

previously approved EPA emissions 

models. 

During the MOVES2014 grace period, 

areas with previously approved CO hotspot protocols based on MOVES2010 

may continue to rely on these protocols. 

Areas with previously approved CO hotspot protocols based on MOBILE6.2 or 

earlier MOBILE versions can no longer 

be used, and should have been 

discontinued at the end of the previous 

MOVES2010 grace period. Once the 

MOVES2014 grace period ends, any 

new CO hot-spot analyses for 

conformity purposes begun after the end 

of the grace period may no longer use 

their previously approved CO hot-spot 

protocols that were based on 

MOVES2010. 

Dated: September 22, 2014. 

Christopher Grundler, 

Director, Office of Transportation and Air 

Quality, Office of Air and Radiation. 

[FR Doc. 2014–23258 Filed 10–6–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

40 CFR Part 52 

[EPA–R09–OAR–2014–0615; FRL–9916–95– 

Region 9] 

Revisions to the California State 

Implementation Plan, Placer County 

Air Pollution Control District 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Direct final rule. 

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) is taking direct final 

action to approve a revision to the 

Placer County Air Pollution Control 

District (PCAPCD) portion of the 

California State Implementation Plan 

(SIP). This revision concerns oxides of 

nitrogen (NOX) emissions from natural 

gas-fired water heaters, small boilers, 

and process heaters. We are approving 

a local rule that regulates these emission 

sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA 

or the Act). 

DATES: This rule is effective on 

December 8, 2014 without further 

notice, unless EPA receives adverse 

comments by November 6, 2014. If we 

receive such comments, we will publish 

a timely withdrawal in the Federal 

Register to notify the public that this 

direct final rule will not take effect. 

ADDRESSES: Submit comments, 

identified by docket number EPA–R09– 

OAR–2014–0615, by one of the 

following methods: 

1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line 

instructions. 

2. Email: steckel.andrew@epa.gov. 

3. Mail or deliver: Andrew Steckel 

(Air-4), U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency Region IX, 75 Hawthorne Street, 

San Francisco, CA 94105–3901. 

Instructions: All comments will be 

included in the public docket without 

change and may be made available 

online at www.regulations.gov, 

including any personal information 

provided, unless the comment includes 

Confidential Business Information (CBI) 

or other information whose disclosure is 

restricted by statute. Information that 

you consider CBI or otherwise protected 

should be clearly identified as such and 

should not be submitted through 

www.regulations.gov or email. 

www.regulations.gov is an ‘‘anonymous 

access’’ system, and EPA will not know 

your identity or contact information 

unless you provide it in the body of 

your comment. If you send email 

directly to EPA, your email address will 

be automatically captured and included 

as part of the public comment. If EPA 

cannot read your comment due to 

technical difficulties and cannot contact 

you for clarification, EPA may not be 

able to consider your comment. 

Electronic files should avoid the use of 

special characters, any form of 

encryption, and be free of any defects or 

viruses. 

Docket: Generally, documents in the 

docket for this action are available 

electronically at www.regulations.gov 

and in hard copy at EPA Region IX, 75 

Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, 

California 94105–3901. While all 

documents in the docket are listed at 

www.regulations.gov, some information 

may be publicly available only at the 

hard copy location (e.g., copyrighted 

material, large maps), and some may not 

be publicly available in either location 

(e.g., CBI). To inspect the hard copy 

materials, please schedule an 

appointment during normal business 

hours with the contact listed in the FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Nicole Law, EPA Region IX, (415) 947– 

4126, law.nicole@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Throughout this document, ‘‘we,’’ ‘‘us,’’ 

and ‘‘our’’ refer to EPA. 

Table of Contents 

I. The State’s Submittal 

A. What rule did the State submit? 

B. Are there other versions of this 

rule? 

C. What is the purpose of the 

submitted rule? 

II. EPA’s Evaluation and Action 

A. How is EPA evaluating the rule? 

B. Does the rule meet the evaluation 

criteria? 

C. EPA recommendations to further 

improve the rule 

D. Public comment and final action 

III. Statutory and Executive Order 

Reviews 

I. The State’s Submittal 

A. What rule did the State submit? 

Table 1 lists the rule we are approving 

with the dates that it was adopted by the 

local air agency and submitted by the 

California Air Resources Board. 

TABLE 1—SUBMITTED RULES

Local agency Rule No. Rule title Amended Submitted 

PCAPCD ..................... 247 Natural Gas-Fired Water Heaters, Small Boilers and Process Heaters .... 02/13/14 05/13/14 


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