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Final Transport Rule Modeled Attainment Test Software (MATS) 

Output Files DVD

EPA has placed in the docket a DVD containing certain files that were used to postprocess the air quality modeling data and calculate future year projections of air quality 

for the final Transport Rule.

Information on the air quality modeling performed for the Transport Rule including a 

description of the modeling domains, model inputs, emissions scenarios, contribution 

modeling, and results can be found in the Air Quality Modeling Technical Support 

Document that is located in the Transport Rule docket. 

The CD contains output data files from the Modeled Attainment Test Software (MATS) 

runs that were completed for the purposes of calculating future year ozone and PM2.5

design values, as well as spatial fields that were used to develop inputs to BenMAP for 

benefits calculations1. 

The CD contains the following subdirectories:

Ambient data for MATS- Contains the ambient data files used as inputs to MATS. 

These are updated from the ambient data files contained in the current official release 

version of MATS. These files were used in all of the final Transport Rule MATS runs.

Annual PM Design Value- MATS outputs for the annual PM2.5 design value 

calculations for each CAMx scenario.

Annual PM Spatial- MATS outputs for the annual PM2.5 spatial fields used to create 

BenMAP inputs.

Daily PM Code and New 24-hour attainment test output files- This subdirectory 

contains additional post-processing code that was used to apply the revised 24-hr PM2.5 

attainment test. MATS outputs from the 24-hr attainment test were further postprocessed using SAS to create revised design values. The SAS code is contained in the 

subdirectory. There are also additional summary output files that are created by the SAS 

code.

Daily PM Design Value- MATS outputs for the 24 hour PM2.5 design value calculations 

for each CAMx scenario.

NOx Analyses- MATS outputs from the Georgia zero-out MATS runs used in support of 

the NOx analyses. Also supporting spreadsheets of calculated changes in PM species and 

nitrate replacement for the “Technical Analyses in Support of the Need for Annual NOx 

Controls in the Final Transport Rule”.

 

1 Note that all of the MATS input files developed from CAMx and the MATS outputs for the 

2012cs_o3tag and 2012cs_pmtag runs (used to calculate contributions) are contained on separate 

data drives. They are a separate entry in the Transport Rule docket.
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Ozone Design Value- MATS outputs for the ozone design value calculations for each 

CAMx scenario.

Seasonal Ozone Spatial- MATS outputs for the seasonal average ozone spatial fields 

used to create BenMAP inputs.

Visibility- MATS outputs for the regional haze related visibility calculations on the 20% 

best and 20% worst visibility days.

Visibility Benefits- MATS outputs used to calculate annual average visibility for the 

benefits calculations.

Within each subdirectory that contains MATS outputs are additional subdirectories for 

each modeling scenario. Table 1 lists the MATS modeling scenarios that are contained 

on the CD. There is a MATS run for each set of average design values calculated. There 

are three additional MATS runs for each maximum design value calculated (the 

maximum future value is selected from the three MATS runs). MATS was also used to 

generate annual average PM2.5 spatial fields and seasonal average ozone spatial fields 

for the 2014 base case and 2014 remedy case that were used to generate BenMAP inputs

(see the RIA for more details). 

Table 1. Emissions scenarios modeled with CAMx for the final Transport Rule.

Scenario Description

MATS Runs (12km Eastern domain unless 

otherwise noted)

2012cs 2012 base case

Ozone design values- average and max

Annual PM2.5 design values- average and max

24 hour PM2.5 design values- average and max

2014cs 2014 base case

Ozone design values- average and max

Annual PM2.5 design values- average and max

24 hour PM2.5 design values- average and max 

Annual PM2.5 spatial fields (12km and 36km)

Seasonal average ozone spatial fields (12km and 

36km)

Visibility (12km and 36km)

2014cs_tr1remedy

2014 "Air QualityAssured Trading" 

scenario (remedy 

case)

Ozone design values- average and max

Annual PM2.5 design values- average and max

24 hour PM2.5 design values- average and max

Annual PM2.5 spatial fields (12km and 36km)

Seasonal average ozone

Visibility (12km and 36km)

2014cs_noxsox

2014 Air Quality 

Assessment Tool 

(AQAT) calibration 

scenario

Ozone design values- average and max

Annual PM2.5 design values- average and max

24 hour PM2.5 design values-average and max
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Scenario Description

MATS Runs (12km Eastern domain unless 

otherwise noted)

2014cs_sox

Sensitivity run with 

EGU SO2 emissions 

from AQAT 

calibration scenario 

and EGU NOx and all 

other emissions from 

the 2014 base case

Annual PM2.5 design values- average

24 hour PM2.5 design values-average

2014cs_GA_nox

Sensitivity run with 

all anthropogenic 

NOx emissions 

removed (zero-out) in 

the state of Georgia; 

emissions for other 

pollutants from 2014 

base case

Annual PM2.5 design values- average

24 hour PM2.5 design values- average

The total volume of data is approximately 1.9GB. 

EPA will respond to specific requests for subsets of the data or specific additional inputs 

and outputs of the modeling process, depending on the availability of those data. 

Requests for electronic copies of Transport Rule air quality modeling data should be sent 

to Norm Possiel (possiel.norm@epa.gov) and Brian Timin (timin.brian@epa.gov).