By Mike Bitner Conformity is a process by which we determine whether or not our transportation plans conform to our air quality goals.
Conformity is a Clean Air Act requirement.
The Environmental Protection Agency worked with the Department of Transportation to publish the transportation conformity rule, which describes how to determine whether transportation activities conform to state air plans. States, counties, and cities decide how to achieve clean air in their area. Conformity helps areas develop a transportation system, balancing their mobility and air quality goals. Along with the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, conformity is part of a coordinated movement towards considering the social, economic, energy, and environmental goals of planning our nation's transportation system. Conformity ensures that transportation and air quality plans are consistent and that their goals are achieved.