.· 

SUBJECT: 

FROM: 

TO: 

THRU: 

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

REGION III 

1650 Arch Street 

Philadelphia, Maryland 19103 

Technical Support Document (TSD) - Adequacy Findings for the Motor Vehicle 

Emissions Budgets (MVEBs) in the 1997 Annual Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.s) 

National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) and the 2006 24-Hour PM2.s 

NAAQS Maintenance Plan for the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley, Pennsylvania (PA) 

Nonattainment Area 

GregoryBeco~ O'/ 1~>),.;- 0ffice of Air Program Planning (3AP30) 

Administrative Record for the Adequacy Findings for the Motor Vehicle 

Emissions Budgets (MVEBs) in the 1997 Annual Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.s) 

National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) and the 2006 24-Hour PM2.s 

NAAQS Maintenance Plan for the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley, Pennsylvania (PA) 

N onattainment Area 

~1\._. ~ 'D'i/ Z3j /) 

Cristina Fernandez, Associate Director 

Office of Air Program Planning (3AP30) 

I. Background 

On January 5, 2005 (70 FR 944, 1014), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published 

air quality area designations for the 1997 PM2.s NAAQS. In that rulemaking action, EPA 

designated the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Area as nonattainment for the 1997 annual PM2.s 

standard. The Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Area includes Beaver, Butler, Washington, 

Westmoreland counties and portions of Allegheny, Armstrong, Green and Lawrence Counties in 

the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. On October 12,2012 (77 FR 62147), EPA determined that 

the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Area had attained the 1997 PM2.s NAAQS based on qualityassured, quality-controlled, and certified ambient air monitoring data that show the Area has 

monitored attainment based on 2008-2010 and 2009-2011 data. 

On November 13, 2009 (74 FR 58688), EPA published air quality area designations for the 2006 

PM2.s NAAQS. In that rulemaking action, EPA designated the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Area as 

nonattainment for the 2006 daily PM2.s standard. On May 2, 2014 (79 FR 25014), EPA 
determined that the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Area had attained the 2006 daily PM2.s NAAQS 

based on quality-assured, quality-controlled, and certified ambient air monitoring data that show 

the Area has monitored attainment based on 2010-2012 data. 

II. Transportation Conformity Requirements 

Transportation conformity is required under section 176(c) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) to ensure 

that federally supported highway, transit projects, and other activities are consistent with 

(conform to) the purpose of the State Implementation Plan (SIP). The CAA requires federal 

actions in nonattainment and maintenance areas to "conform to" the goals of SIP. This means 

that such actions will not cause or contribute to violations of a NAAQS; worsen the severity of 

an existing violation; or delay timely attainment of any NAAQS or any interim milestone. 

Actions involving Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) or Federal Transit Administration 

(FTA) funding or approval are subject to the Transportation Conformity Rule (40 CFR part 93, 

subpart A). Under this rule, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in nonattainment and 

maintenance areas coordinate with state air quality and transportation agencies, EPA, FHW A, 

and FT A to demonstrate that their metropolitan transportation plans and transportation 

improvement plans (TIPs) conform to applicable SIPs. This is typically determined by showing 

that estimated emissions from existing and planned highway and transit systems are less than or 

equal to the MVEBs contained in a SIP. 

Transportation agencies in Pennsylvania are responsible for making timely transportation 

conformity determinations. The responsible agency in the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Area, 

designated as the MPO under federal transportation planning requirements is Southwestern 

Pennsylvania Commission (SPC). 

For MVEBs to be approvable, they must meet, at a minimum, EPA's adequacy criteria found at 

40 CFR 93.118(e)(4). EPA's adequacy criteria are: (1) the submitted control strategy 

implementation plan was endorsed by the Governor or designee and was subject to a State public 

hearing; (2) consultation among Federal, State, and local agencies occurred; full implementation 

plan documentation was provided to EPA; and EPA's stated concerns, if any, were addressed 

before the control strategy implementation plan was submitted; (3) the MVEBs are clearly 

identified and precisely quantified; (4) the MVEBs, when considered together with all other 

emissions sources, are consistent with applicable requirements for maintenance; (5) the MVEBs 

are consistent with and clearly related to the emissions inventory and the control measures in the 

submitted control strategy implementation plan; and (6) revisions to previously submitted 

maintenance plans explain and document any changes to previously submitted budgets and 

control measures; impacts on point and area source emissions; any changes to established safety 

margins; and reasons for the changes (including the basis for any changes related to emission 

factors or estimates of vehicle miles traveled). 

III. Review of the Submitted Modeling Utilizing the Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator 

(MOVES2010) 

Pennsylvania Department ofEnvironmental Protection (PADEP) utilized MOVES2010a to 

produce MVEBs for years 2017 and 2025. To utilize the MOVES2010a model, several different 

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models were used to provide the necessary inputs into MOVES2010a. One ofthe models, 

PPSUITE, was utilized to provide inputs as well as to post-process the output files from 

MOVES2010a. 

The appropriate traffic related inputs which were processed by PPSUITE were input into 

MOVES201 Oa. Additional traffic related inputs as well as non-traffic related inputs were 

provided as well. The data was input into MOVES20 1 Oa via the county data manager. The 

county data manager is a function of the MOVES2010a model which allows county specific data 

inputs to be converted into a usable form by MOVES2010a. At that point a Run Specification 

(Run Spec), which is a function of MOVES20 1 Oa that allows the user to input necessary 

parameters into the model, was created and run in batch mode. The outputs were provided as an 

inventory because vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and vehicle population were provided to 

MOVES2010a. 

EPA reviewed the modeling methodology utilized by PADEP and all modeling related 

information to produce the MVEBs for years 2017 and 2025. EPA found that all necessary and 

required modeling procedures were followed in the production of the 2017 and 2025 MVEBs 

which were produced using MOVES20 1 Oa. 

IV. Administrative Requirements for Making Adequacy Findings 

EPA followed the process for determining the adequacy of the submitted SIP MVEBs in 

accordance with the procedures listed in the January 2008 Conformity Regulations contained in 

40 CFR part 93, 118(f) "Adequacy review process for implementation plan submissions." EPA 

will be issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) for a 30-day public comment period 

soliciting public comment for the approvability of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's SIP 

submission. The NPR also proposes approval of the MVEBs for milestone year 2017 and the 

out-year 2025 for the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley, P A 1997 PM2.s and 2006 PM2.s Nonattainment 

Area for PM2.s and nitrogen oxides (NOx) for transportation conformity purposes. The public 

will have the opportunity to comment on the adequacy/approvability of the budgets in the SIP 

revision. Following EPA's public comment period, responses to any comments received on the 

proposed mobile budgets in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's SIP will be addressed in the 

final rulemaking notice. 

Shown in Table 1 are the budgets from the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley, PA Maintenance Plan for 

milestone year 2017 and the out-year 2025 for PM2.s and NOx. The MVEBs will be applied to all 

future transportation conformity determinations and analyses for the 1997 PM2.s NAAQS and 

2006 daily PM2.s NAAQS. 

Table 1. On-Road MVEBs Contained in the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley, PA for the 1997 

PM2.s NAAQS and 2006 PM2.s NAAQS Nonattainment Area Maintenance Plan 

Year Motor Vehicle Emissions Mobile Vehicle Emissions 

Budget for PM2.s On-Road Budget for NOxOn-Road 

Emissions (tons per year) Emissions (tons per year) 

3 
12017 

2025 

117,584 

10,709 

V. Evaluation of the Adequacy of the MVEBs in the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley, PA 

Maintenance Plan for the 1997 PM2.s NAAQS and 2006 PM2.s NAAQS 

In this TSD, EPA is evaluating the MVEBs associated with the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley, PA 

Maintenance Plan for conformity purposes. EPA is using the evaluation criteria detailed in the 

Transportation Conformity Rule, 40 CFR part 93.102(b)(2)(v), 93.102(b)(2)(v), 93.102(b)(3), 

and part 93, 93.118(e)4 through 93.118(e)5. The evaluation is presented in Table 2, beiow. 

ri'able 2. Adequacy of the MVEBs Contained in the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley, PA 

Maintenance Plan for the 1997 PM2.s NAAQS and 2006 PM2.s NAAQS 

Transportation Conformity Review Criteria Was the Criterion Satisfied? 

Rule If Yes How was this Criteria 

40 CFR Part 93, 93.118 Satisfied? 

93.1 02(b )(2)(iv) Have EPA and the Neither EPA nor the 

Commonwealth made a Commonwealth have made 

finding that NOx is an such a finding. 

insignificant contributor to 

the direct mobile PM 

emissions? 

93.1 02(b )(2)(v) Has EPA or the Neither EPA nor the 

Commonwealth made a Commonwealth have made 

finding that volatile organic any findings that VOCs, SOx, 

compounds (VOCs), Sulfur or NH3 are significant 

Oxides (SOx) or Ammonia contributors to the PMz.s 

(NH3) as precursors to be a mobile emissions. 

significant contributor to the 

mobile PMz.s emissions? 

93.102(b)(3) Has the EPA or the Neither EPA nor the 

Commonwealth made a Commonwealth have made 

finding that re-entrained road such a finding. 

dust is a significant 

contributor to the PM mobile 

emissions? 

Sec. 93.118(e)(4)(i) Was the submitted revised Yes. The Pittsburgh-Beaver 

plan endorsed by the Valley, PA Maintenance Plan 

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Governor (or his or her was endorsed and submitted 

designee) and subject to a as a SIP revision by the 

Commonwealth public Governor's designee, the 

hearing? Acting Secretary ofPADEP, 

Dana K. Aunkst. A public 

hearing was held on 

December 16, 2014. During 

the public participation 

process, which closed on 

December 16,2014, PADEP 

did not receive any written 

comments or oral testimony. 

Sec. 93.118(e)(4)(ii) Before the maintenance plan Yes. Consultation has 

was submitted to EPA, did occurred among all required 

consultation between federal, federal, State and local 

State and local agencies agencies. 

occur; was full 

implementation plan 

documentation provided to 

EPA, and was. EPA's stated 

concerns, if any, addressed? 

Sec. 93.118(e)(4)(iii) Was the motor vehicle Yes, the budgets are clearly 

emissions budget(s) clearly identified on pages 39-41 of 

identified and precisely the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley, 

quantified? P A Maintenance Plan 

prepared by the Pennsylvania 

Department of Environmental 

Protection. 

Sec. 93.118(e)(4)(iv) Is the motor vehicle EPA believes the budgets can 

emissions budget( s ), when be declared adequate because 

considered together with all in conjunction with the other 

other emission reductions, emission reductions, they 

consistent with applicable demonstrate continued 

requirements for maintenance for years 201 7 

maintenance? and 2025. 

Sec. 93.118(e)(4)(v) Is the motor vehicle EPA believes that the budgets 

emissions budget( s) are clearly related to the 

consistent with and clearly emissions inventory and the 

related to the emissions control measures in the SIP 

inventory and the control submittal. 

measures in the Plan? 

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Sec. 93.118(e)(4)(vi) Revisions to previously Yes, the Pittsburgh-Beaver 

submitted attainment Valley, P A Maintenance Plan 

demonstrations: explain and provides new MVEBs for 

document any changes to years 201 7 and 2025 for 

previously submitted budgets PMz.5 and NOx. The addition 

and control measures; of safety margins to the 

impacts on point and area MVEBs is consistent with 

source emissions; any continued attainment. 

changes to established safety 

margins (see Sec. 93.101 for 

definition); and reasons for 

the changes (including the 

basis for any changes related 

to emission factors or 

estimates of vehicle miles 

traveled). 

Sec. 93.118(e)(5) Did they provide and we Yes 

reviewed public comments 

and the Commonwealth's 

responses to those comments 

with the submitted control 

strategy SIP? 

VI. Findings 

Based upon our review and evaluation of the MVEBs contained in the Maintenance Plan for the 

Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley, PA 1997 PMz.5 NAAQS and 2006 PMz.5 NAAQS Nonattainment Area, 

EPA finds the MVEBs adequate for conformity purposes and recommends that the MVEBs be 

SIP approved. 

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