SUBJECT: 

FROM: 

TO: 

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 and 2006 Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.s) 

National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) Maintenance Plan for the 

Johnstown, Pennsylvania (PA) 1997 PM2.s and 2006 PM2.s Nonattainment Areas 

C-:!; f)/;dlls- aregory Becoat _, - r 

Office of Air Program Pl ~ ~30) 

Administrative Record for the Adequacy Findings for the Motor Vehicle 

Emissions Budgets (MVEBs) in the 1997 and 2006 Fine Particulate Matter 

(PM2.s) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) Maintenance Plan for 

the Johnstown, Pennsylvania (PA) 1997 PMz.s and 2006 PM2.s Nonattainment 

Areas 

THRU: Marilyn Powers, Acting Associate Directo~ wJl~ 11 ~ 15" 

Office of Air Program Planning (3AP30) (j 

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 Johnstown Area as nonattainment for the 1997 annual PM2.s standard. The 

Johnstown Area includes Cambria County and portions oflndiana County in the Commonwealth 

of Pennsylvania. On September 25, 2009 (74 FR 48863), EPA determined that the Johnstown 

Area had attained the 1997 PMz.s NAAQS based on quality-assured, quality-controlled and 

certified ambient air monitoring data that show the Area has monitored attainment based on 2006 

through 2008 data. 

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

2006 PMz.s NAAQS. In that rulemaking action, EPA designated the Johnstown Area as 

nonattainment for the 2006 daily PMz.s standard. On March 29,2012 (77 FR 18922), EPA 

determined that the Johnstown Area had attained the 2006 daily PM2.s NAAQS based on qualityassured, quality-controlled, and certified ambient air monitoring data that show the Area has 

monitored attainment based on 2008 through 2010 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 the 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 FTA 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 agencies in the Johnstown Area, designated as the 

MPO under federal transportation planning requirements, are: 1) Johnstown Area Transportation 

Study for Cambria County; and 2) the Southwestern Planning Commission for Indiana County. 

Separate conformity budgets are being established for each MPO. The transportation conformity 

regulations (40 CFR §93.124(d)) allow a SIP to establish MVEBs for each MPO if a 

nonattainment area includes more than one MPO. The Pennsylvania Department of 

Transportation has requested separate budgets to allow the planning organizations to move their 

transportation conformity determinations through the approval processes separately. 

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) 

To run the MOVES201 0 model, a run specification (hereafter referred to as "RunSpec") must be 

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created so the appropriate parameters are selected for the modeling run. The RunSpecs, inputs, 

and outputs were reviewed against the following EPA document: Technical Guidance on the use 

of MOVES201 0 for Emission Inventory Preparation in State Implementation Plans and 

Transportation Conformity. This guidance document provides guidance on the use of the 

MOVES model to develop inventories for SIPs as well as analysis of emissions for transportation 

conformity determinations. 

EPA carefully reviewed the inputs into the model to ensure that they are representative of each 

respective parameter for the area. Table 1 presents the input parameters and the 

Commonwealth's submittal for each parameter. The RunSpec parameters were reviewed as well; 

Table 2 presents the RunSpec parameters and the Commonwealth's submittal for each parameter. 

The RunSpecs, input files, and output files were reviewed and found to have followed the 

applicable EPA guidance provided in the Technical Guidance on the use of MOVES201 0 for 

Emission Inventory Preparation in State Implementation Plans and Transportation Conformity. 

Table 1. Review of Inputs for RunSpecs for years 2007, 2017, and 2025 for the 

Johnstown Area Redesignation Request 

Parameter State Submittal 

Age Distribution All source types were presented with respect to age (0-30 years), and 

the age fraction of each source type. 

Average Speed All source types were presented with respect to road type, hour of the 

Distribution day, average speed and average speed fraction. 

FuelType and This parameter includes an input for alternative vehicle fuels and 

Technologies technologies, input of this parameter applies to areas that have 

vehicle fuels and technologies that are outside of the traditional 

inputs provided in the county data manager. There was no input 

provided for this parameter. 

Fuel (Includes inputs • For fuel formulation, the fuel formulation ID, Reid Vapor 

for fuel formulation and Pressure (RVP), and sulfur levels were included along with 

fuel supply) other data. 

• For Fuel Supply, the fuel formulation ID as well as the month 

group ID were included along with other parameters. 

Meteorology Data Meteorology data was provided for each hour of the day for each 

month. The meteorology data provided included temperature and 

relative humidity averages for each hour of a day for each month. 

Ramp Fraction The fractions of ramp driving times were provided for restricted 

access roadways. 

Road Type Distribution The vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fraction for each road type is 

provided for each source type and road type. 

Source Type Population The amount of vehicles for each source type are provided. 

Vehicle Type VMT • The daily VMT fractions were provided for respective days 

(includes inputs for and source types. 

daily VMT fraction, • The hourly VMT fractions were provided with respect to hour 

hourly VMT fraction, of the day and source type. 

and monthly VMT • The monthly VMT was provided with respect to source type 

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fraction) and month. 

Inspection/Maintenance The liM programs were presented with respect to source types and 

(liM) Programs compliance factors as well as other data. 

Table 2. RunSpec Reviews for the Johnstown Area Redesignation Request for Years 

2007, 2017, and 2025 

Domain/Scale County scale was selected. This is acceptable for this air quality 

analysis. 

Calculation Type Inventory was selected which is acceptable for this analysis. 

Time Aggregation Hourly time aggregation was selected. Selection of hourly time 

Level aggregation level is acceptable for this analysis. 

Calendar Year Of The appropriate calendar year was selected. MOVES2010b can 

Evaluation modelyears 1990 and 1999-2050. 

Month of Evaluation All 12 months were selected for evaluation. 

Type of Day of Weekdays and weekends were selected. 

Evaluation 

Hours of Evaluation Starting and ending hours create a whole day (from 0-24 hours). 

Geographic Bounds Indiana, or Cambria County was selected. 

Vehicles/Equipment: Appropriate combinations of fuels and source use types were made. 

On-Road Vehicle 

Equipment 

Road Type Selection included all necessary road types. 

Pollutants and Nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (S02), ammonia (NH3), 

Processes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) total gaseous hydrocarbons, nonmethane hydrocarbons and all forms of primary PM2.s were selected, 

which is acceptable for this analysis. 

On-Road Retrofits N/A 

ROP N/A 

Output Database/Unit Mass units selected to be grams; energy units selected to be million 

Selection British Thermal Units (BTU); distance units selected to be miles. 

Output Emission Detail Emission detail was selected via user preference. 

in Emission Rate 

Calculations 

Advanced Performance N/A 

Features 

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 

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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 Johnstown, P A 1997 annual PM2.s and 2006 daily PM2.s Nonattainment 

Areas 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 Tables 3 and 4 are the budgets from the Johnstown Area 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 annual PM2.s and 

2006 daily PM2.s NAAQS. 

Table 3. On-Road MVEBs Contained in the Johnstown Area 1997 annual PM2.s and 

2006 daily PM2.sNonattainment Area Maintenance Plan for Cambria County 

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) 

2017 62.79 1,707.03 

2025 46.71 1077.46 

Table 4. On-Road MVEBs Contained in the Johnstown Area 1997 annual PM2.s and 

2006 daily PM2.sNonattainment Area Maintenance Plan for Indiana County (partial) 

Year Motor Vehicle Emissions Mobile Vehicle Emissions 

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

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

2017 7.95 238.50 

2025 4.38 120.98 

V. Evaluation of the Adequacy of the MVEBs in the Johnstown Area Maintenance Plan 

for the 1997 annual PM2.s and 2006 daily PM2.s NAAQS 

In this TSD, EPA is evaluating the MVEBs associated with the Johnstown Area 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 5, below. 

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Table 5. Adequacy of the MVEBs Contained in the Johnstown Area Maintenance Plan 

for the 1997 annual PM2.s and 2006 daily 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 PM2.s 

(NH3) as precursors to be a mobile emissions. 

significant contributor to the 

mobile PM2.s emissions? 

93.1 02(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 Johnstown Area 

plan endorsed by the Maintenance Plan was 

Governor (or his or her endorsed and submitted as a 

designee) and subject to a SIP revision by the 

Commonwealth public Governor's designee, the 

hearing? Acting Secretary of 

Pennsylvania Department of 

Environmental Protection, E. 

Dana K. Aunkst. A public 

hearing on the SIP proposal 

scheduled for November 5, 

2014, was cancelled because 

no one expressed interest in 

presenting testimony or 

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attending the hearing. 

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 agenctes. 

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 37-38 of 

identified and precisely the Johnstown Area 

quantified? 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 2017 

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? 

Sec. 93.118(e)(4)(vi) Revisions to previously Yes, the Johnstown Area 

submitted attainment Maintenance Plan provides 

demonstrations: explain and new MVEBs for years 2017 

document any changes to and 2025 for PM2.s and NOx. 

previously submitted budgets The addition of safety 

and control measures; margins to the MVEBs is 

impacts on point and area consistent with continued 

source em1sswns; any attainment. 

changes to established safety 

margins (see Sec. 93.101 for 

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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 

Johnstown, P A 1997 annual PM2.s and 2006 daily PM2.s NAAQS Nonattainment Areas, EPA 

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

approved. 

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