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CMAQ COST-EFFECTIVENESS THRESHOLD DOCUMENTATION

FOR THE STANISLAUS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS 2011 FTIP

The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program provides funding for

transportation projects or programs that contribute to attainment or maintenance of the 

national ambient air quality standards. All San Joaquin Valley Metropolitan Planning 

Organizations (MPOs) adopted policies in 2007 for distributing at least 20 percent of the 

CMAQ funds to projects that meet a cost-effectiveness threshold for emission reductions 

beginning in Fiscal Year (FY) 2011. For the 2011 Federal Transportation Improvement 

Program (FTIP), this applies to years 2010-2011 through 2013-2014. Stanislaus Council of 

Governments (StanCOG) has made every effort to expend the minimum 20 percent funding 

for cost-effective projects over the course of the FTIP and the attached documentation 

demonstrates that StanCOG has met the 20 percent funding goal. 

Project eligibility continues to be based on federal CMAQ guidance. MPOs can fund projects 

within local jurisdictions or contribute funding to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution 

Control District (SJVAPCD) grant incentive programs to meet the cost-effectiveness 

threshold requirements. Funds contributed to the SJVAPCD grant incentive programs will 

be assumed to have met the threshold, as that threshold is more stringent than the one 

established by the CMAQ cost-effectiveness policy.

Emission benefits and cost-effectiveness calculations are based on the applicable pollutants 

for the region, including the components of ozone (nitrogen oxides [NOx] and reactive 

organic gases [ROG]) and particulate matter (PM). The “Methods to Find the CostEffectiveness of Funding Air Quality Projects” document developed by the Air Resources 

Board (ARB) is currently the appropriate methodology for calculating cost-effectiveness.

Cost-effectiveness is expressed as dollars spent per pound of pollutant reduced (ROG + NOx

+ PM10). The cost-effectiveness threshold for the 2011 FTIP has been maintained at the 

previously recommended level of $30 per pound ($60,000 per ton) and is based on CMAQ 

dollars only, not total project cost. 

StanCOG has identified, through existing programmed projects in those years or other 

selection methods, projects that qualify for the cost-effectiveness policy. StanCOG’s project 

selection process begins with approval of the CMAQ funds distribution methodology by the 

Policy Board. On June 10, 2009 the Stanislaus Council of Governments Policy Board 

approved distributing CMAQ Funds for FY 10/11 and FY 11/12 as follows:

 50% Formula (Based on Percent by Population)

 50% Competitive (Cost-Effectiveness)

 Rideshare taken off the top

 $100,000 Floor for the Cities of Hughson, Waterford, and Newman 

(Supplemented by the Competitive Share of Funds)

Once the distribution methodology is approved a Call for Projects is announced and agencies 

must submit a CMAQ application packet to StanCOG. The application packet allows the 

agency to demonstrate that the project is eligible for CMAQ funding and includes 
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calculations demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of the project. The FY 10/11 and FY 11/12 

Call for Project schedule is as follows:

Friday, August 7th, 2009 Call for Projects

Friday, November 20, 2009 Project Applications due to StanCOG

November 23rd– December 11th Verification Committee Review & Selection

Wednesday, January 13, 2010 Policy Board adopts prioritization

As identified in this schedule the applications and cost-effectiveness calculations are 

reviewed by a committee to verify application completeness and accuracy of the costeffectiveness calculations submitted. The selected projects are then brought through the 

Technical Advisory Committee, Citizen Advisory Committee and Management and Finance 

Committee for a recommendation to the Policy Board. The Policy Board then adopts the 

CMAQ projects that are to be programmed in the FTIP.

As stated in the Cost-Effectiveness Policy, StanCOG has agreed to post information related 

to the implementation of the cost-effectiveness CMAQ policy on its website. Attached is 

documentation that fulfills this requirement and demonstrates that StanCOG has estimated 

the amount of funding in the 2011 FTIP necessary to meet the 20 percent cost-effectiveness 

goal and provided a summary of the CMAQ projects that meet the minimum costeffectiveness threshold.