Opinion ID: 196673
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: NHDES Studies and the Varney Letter. The Varney

Text: b. NHDES Studies and the Varney Letter. letter considered two possible readings of the conformity requirements of section 7506(c)(1)(B): (1) that the federal agency need only determine that the proposed activity is in conformity with the terms of the existing SIP, and (2) that the determination must address the three elements set forth in [7506(c)(1)(B] . . . separately, regardless of the terms of the SIP. The letter concluded that Pease development conformed under either reading. This conclusion was based on studies of air emissions completed by NHDES after the FEIS was issued. These studies compared baseline emissions from 1989 (during fullscale military operations at Pease) and 1990 (when the CAA amendments were enacted and some military operations at Pease had -33- already ceased) with projected emissions to 1997.5 According to the Varney letter, the emissions were not projected beyond 1997 because such projections would be too speculative and because by 1997 New Hampshire would adopt a new SIP to address any increases in emissions. Based on these studies, NHDES concluded, with respect to ozone, that by 1997 emissions of HCs, ozone's primary precursor, would likely reach approximately 2.5 tons per day, the same level as Pease emitted in 1990, when military operations were less than full-scale. At full-scale, HC emissions at Pease had been variously estimated at 3.3 to 4 tons per day, which was still in compliance with the existing SIP. Overall ozone levels generated locally were expected to decline because older cars, which produce more HCs, were slowly being replaced and because stage II vapor recovery at gasoline filling stations was commencing. For these reasons, projections of overall ozone levels generated by the Pease area were expected to remain below the 1989 and 1990 levels through Phase I of redevelopment. With respect to CO emission levels, the NHDES studies showed that, comparing 1989 and 1990 to 1997, Pease redevelopment would not result in a significant increase in the air quality region. And improvement of the intersection at Spaulding Turnpike and Gosling Road (Spaulding Turnpike/Gosling Road 5 Projected emissions to 1997 took into account redevelopment through Phase I of the Pease project, i.e., the first five years. -34- interchange) would significantly lessen CO levels locally during the period studied.6 NHDES ultimately concluded that Pease redevelopment satisfied the three conformity criteria set out in section 7506(c)(1)(B): that, through 1997, Pease redevelopment would not cause or contribute to any new violation of any standard in any area; increase the frequency or severity of any existing violation of any standard in any area; or delay attainment of any standard or any required interim emission reductions or other milestones in any area. NHDES also concluded that Phase I redevelopment would not violate any specific provision of the SIP but rather would conform to the SIP's purpose of eliminating or reducing the severity and number of violations of the national ambient air quality standards, and achieving expeditious attainment of such standards. See 42 U.S.C. 7506(c)(1)(A). NHDES reached this conclusion for several reasons: (1) the existing SIP was developed when Pease was fully operational and incorporated emissions from Pease at that level of operation; (2) Phase I of Pease redevelopment was expected to produce fewer emissions than 6 Although the NHDES studies noted that the air quality region had no historic attainment or maintenance problem with carbon monoxide NAAQS, the air quality analysis in the FEIS had shown present and ongoing violations of the NAAQS for CO at the Gosling Road/Spaulding Turnpike interchange, the main gate to Pease. Post-FEIS supplemental air quality modeling of the interchange area, based on corrected data, showed that CO levels at the interchange would stay within the NAAQS through Phase I of redevelopment upon completion of scheduled improvements at the interchange. -35- the base produced during full operation; and (3) increased levels of emissions from later stages of development would be taken into account in the future SIP. c. FAA's Approval of Airport Redevelopment. The FAA