**NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION**

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION DIVI SI ON OF AIR QUALITY BUREAU OF AIR QUALITY PLANNING

**Notice of SIP Revision Proposals** Proposed revisions to New Jersey ’s State Implementation Plan covering, 1) the Federal Clean Air Act infrastructure requirements, and 2) the update of the earl y transportation conformity budgets for Mercer County
Take notice that the New Jersey D epartment of Environmental Protection (Department) is proposing two revisions to New J ersey’s State Implementation Plan (SIP). The first revision addresses the requirements under 42 U.S.C. § 7410, Section 110(a)(1) and (2) of the Clean Air Act, for the 1997 8

- Hour Ozone and the 1997 Fine Particulate Matter (PM 2.5 ) National Ambient Air Qual ity

S tandards (NAAQS). The second revision updates the initial earl y transportation conformity

budgets for PM 2.5 to incorporate the latest planning assumptions. The previously submitted budgets were approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) on July

10, 2006.
Section 110(a) of the Clean Air Act requires states to submit an implementation plan to the USEPA Administrator that demonstrates the states’ ability to implement, maintain, and enforce the NAAQS. These elements were compi led and submitted separatel y in what is referred to as an “Infrastructure” SIP. Most of these requirements have already been addressed in past SIP revisions or through regulations. This SIP revision complies with the infrastructure requirements for the 199 7 8

- Hour Ozone and the 1997 PM 2.5 NAAQS.
Inthe recent 8

- Hour Ozone Attainment Demonstration SIP, the Department updated the planning assumptions that were used in the SIP development and in the transportation conformity anal ys es. The distribution of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) between vehicle ty pes was updated to reflect a greater fraction of the total VMT should be attributed to the heaviest class of diesel trucks. When the updated VMT/vehicle ty pe mix is used, the predicted emissions of direct PM2.5 and annual NO x increase. The higher predictions result in values that are significantly higher than the initial earl y PM 2.5 budgets. The amount of the budget exceedance for Mercer County is much greater than the emission reductions that could be achieved by changes to transportation projects by

2 009. Therefore, a revision of the early budget for Mercer County i s needed. These revised transportation budgets are needed by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission) by the Spring of 2008 to enable them to demonstrate conformity

o f their Transportation Improvement Program with the SIP. I f the USEPA is unable to approve these budgets in time, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission will not be able to maintain their regular schedule of revisions to their Transportation Improvement Program. Copies of the Department’s proposal are available from the Department’s web site at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/baqp , the Department’s Public In formation Center at 401 E. StateStreet in Trenton, the Department’s Regional Enforcement Offices, and a number of public

libraries throughout the State. For more information on obtaining copies, please contact:
Ms. Willa Williams NJDEP Air Quality

Planning 40 1 E. State Street, 7 th Floor P.O. Box 418 Trenton, NJ 08625

- 0418 phone: (609) 292

- 6722 fax: (609) 633

- 6198 willa.williams@dep.state.nj.us
A **public hearing** concerning the Department’s proposed SIP revisions is scheduled as follows: **Monday, January 28, 2 008 at 10:00 a.m.**  The NJDEP Building, Public Hearing Room (1 st Floor) 401 East State Street Trenton, New Jersey
This hearing is being held in accordance with the provisions of Section 110(a)(1) and (2) of the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7410. Written comments may b e submitted by

c lose of business **January 31, 2008** , to: NJ Department of Environmental Protection Alice Previte, Esq. Attn: DEP Docket # 31

- 07

- 12 Office of Legal Affairs P.O. Box 402 Trenton, New Jersey

08625

- 0402