Terry Tamminen 

Agency Secretary

 

The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. 

For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our Website: http://www.arb.ca.gov. 

California Environmental Protection Agency

Printed on Recycled Paper

Air Resources Board 

 

Alan C. Lloyd, Ph.D. 

Chairman 

1001 I Street • P.O. Box 2815 

Sacramento, California 95812 • www.arb.ca.gov 

Arnold Schwarzenegger

 Governor 

November 17, 2004 Appendix E 

«Title» «First_Name» «Last_Name» 

«Job_Title» 

«Organization» 

«Street_Address» 

«Address_2» 

«City», «State» «Zip» 

Dear «Title» «Last_Name»: 

I am writing on behalf of the Air Resources Board (ARB) with two requests. 

• First, that your agency provide any existing transportation activity updates to us by 

December 31, 2004 for incorporation into California’s next motor vehicle emissions 

model, EMFAC2005. This model and activity data will serve as the basis for the 

motor vehicle emissions and conformity budgets in the next round of air quality plans 

that the local air districts are already developing for nonattainment areas. Our staffs 

have previously discussed this request. 

• Second, that you designate a policy-level contact and a technical contact within your 

agency for liaison with ARB to help identify and resolve any issues that arise in this 

complex air quality-transportation planning arena. 

SIP Development Schedules. With the implementation of the federal 8-hour ozone 

and fine particulates (PM2.5) standards, nonattainment areas in California have begun 

to prepare new State Implementation Plans (SIPs). Ozone plans are due to the 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) in June 2007 and PM2.5 plans in 

February 2008. To begin the lengthy process of air quality modeling in support of the 

SIP attainment demonstrations, ARB must complete a working version of the statewide 

motor vehicle emissions inventory by June 2005. 

Transportation Activity Update. It is important that this inventory incorporate the most 

current and reliable estimates of motor vehicle activity, including vehicle miles of travel 

(VMT) by speed grouping (and by time of day if your agency has this capability) for past 

and future years. If your area has developed new estimates of motor vehicle activity 

within the last two years, we would like to receive them as soon as possible, and no 

later than December 31, 2004. This will enable us to review those estimates for 

inclusion in the new EMFAC2005 model. 
«Title» «First_Name» «Last_Name» 

November 17, 2004 

Page 2 

EMFAC Model Update. ARB has already begun extensive technical work to improve 

the accuracy of the EMFAC emissions model. We held workshops in mid-October to 

review the changes being proposed by staff and solicit public comment. Copies of the 

staff presentations may be reviewed at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/msei/msei.htm. Our 

schedule requires release of the draft EMFAC2005 for review by your agency and 

others in April 2004. 

New Procedures for Transportation Activity Data Submittals. The data you submit 

to ARB are used not only to update the EMFAC model, but also to calculate motor 

vehicle emissions budgets for new clean air plans, to update photochemical models that 

demonstrate attainment of the air quality standards, and to evaluate the effectiveness of 

control strategies. 

Due to the diversity of demand for local vehicle activity information, ARB has 

implemented new procedures for receiving and processing such data. 

Mr. Doug Thompson, Manager of the Motor Vehicle Assessments Section, has 

assumed responsibility for travel activity. He can be reached at (916) 322-7062, or 

dthompso@arb.ca.gov. He and Ms. Pamela Burmich of that section will serve as 

primary contacts for your staff on technical matters related to travel activity. Please 

provide activity data and documentation to Ms. Burmich at (916) 323-8475, or 

pburmich@arb.ca.gov. 

Our quality assurance procedures include an internal protocol that clarifies roles and 

processes for review of local data. The protocol will enable ARB to consolidate 

requests made to your agency and to achieve consistent use of local data throughout 

ARB. We have enclosed a set of questions that ARB staff will use to review activity 

updates. Our review process will be expedited to the extent you can include such 

information with your data submittal. Our intent is not to question your agency’s 

expertise in travel forecasting, but to act on our responsibility to base planning and 

policy decisions on a sound and well-documented emissions inventory, and to assure 

that ARB staff understands both the data you submit and the context in which it was 

developed. 

Finally, once our staffs have reviewed and concurred on new activity data, we will ask 

your agency to send a letter to me formally requesting that ARB include your updated 

activity in the EMFAC2005 model. This letter will be an important part of our 

documentation for SIP and conformity budget development. 

Transportation Conformity Considerations. ARB is aware of the tremendous 

implications for transportation planning and programming of both new air quality plans 

and a revised EMFAC model. We are committed to working with you to manage the 
«Title» «First_Name» «Last_Name» 

November 17, 2004 

Page 3 

processes of plan development, EMFAC update, EMFAC2005 transmittal to U.S. EPA 

for approval to use in SIPs and conformity, and transportation conformity budget 

adequacy findings to minimize disruptions to the established timelines for both 

transportation and air quality planning. For example, we know that most transportation 

agencies will be updating regional transportation plans and programs prior to ozone SIP 

adoption in 2007, and that these plans may rely on demographic projections or 

transportation modeling improvements not yet completed. For this reason, we will work 

with your agency to determine the opportunity for final critical updates in late Summer 

2006 to the activity used for air quality planning and conformity purposes. 

Because of the anticipated workload associated with the 2006 updates, we are seeking 

new ways to revise vehicle activity in the model accurately and efficiently. We plan to 

work with the transportation community next year on ways to standardize the formats of 

data submitted to ARB to facilitate electronic processing of that data. We also need to 

determine the best way to periodically integrate the latest planning assumptions 

required by federal guidance into air quality and transportation modeling efforts. 

Other Policy Issues. We welcome your ideas regarding coordinated transportation 

and air quality planning in California between the regional transportation planning 

agencies, the California Department of Transportation, the local air districts, and ARB. 

Agreement among air and transportation agencies within the State strengthens our 

collective hand as we address issues raised by the federal agencies that ultimately 

review and approve our plans. ARB’s policy contact for these matters is 

Ms. Cynthia Marvin, Chief of the Air Quality and Transportation Planning Branch, at 

(916) 322-7236 or cmarvin@arb.ca.gov. 

We appreciate your efforts, past and forthcoming, to provide the best available 

information for air quality planning and transportation conformity. If you have questions, 

please call me at (916) 322-5350, or have your staff speak with ARB’s policy or 

technical contacts. 

Sincerely, 

/s/

Robert D. Fletcher, Chief 

Planning and Technical Support Division