AGENDA #12
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Triangle J Council of Governments Triangle Air Quality Partnership Proposal
DATE: April 28, 2003
This memorandum summarizes the request of the Triangle J Council of Governments for funding to initiate a project to coordinate the regional response to new federal air quality regulations. We recommend the Council approve the attached Resolution supporting the proposed Partnership Coordination/Liaison task of the Triangle Air Quality Partnership.
BACKGROUND
The Triangle J Council of Government has proposed a Triangle Air Quality Partnership Initiative to coordinate the implementation of the federal air quality regulations (Attachment 1). This Partnership Initiative includes two tasks.
The first proposed task, Partnership Coordination/Liaison, would coordinate activities among regional, State and federal agencies. This task would also prepare information materials. The estimated cost of this project is approximately $55,000, with $48,000 provided equally by the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. The Triangle J Council of Governments would provide the $7,000 local share.
The second task, Transportation, Land Use, Air Quality Strategies Research, would evaluate the impact of transportation, land use and air quality strategies. Estimated cost for this task is $70,000, with the Metropolitan Planning Organizations providing $36,800. The remainder of the funding for this task would be provided by local governments.
DISCUSSION
The proposed Triangle Air Quality Partnership Initiative would provide some coordination among public and private organizations outside scope of the existing Metropolitan Planning Organizations responsibilities.
The air quality regulations will require the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Urban Area and the Capital Area Urban Area to develop a single air quality transportation conformity plan. The transportation conformity plan will be evaluated against an air quality budget for various pollutants. The air quality budget will be developed by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources after evaluating all sources of air pollution. Mobile sources of pollution, which constitute the largest single source of air pollution, will be addressed as part of the adopted long range transportation plans for both Metropolitan Planning Organizations. Non-mobile sources such as power plants, construction equipment and industrial activities must also be addressed in the evaluation of the transportation plans.
Over the last several weeks there have been meetings among staff from the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organizations. These meetings included discussions on the specific process to be used to implement the new federal air quality regulations. At this time it is anticipated that the following schedule will be pursued:
It is anticipated that North Carolina will recommend that Orange County will be added to Durham and Wake Counties as non-attainment areas. The 2005 deadline for demonstrating air quality conformity will require a modified approach to modeling and air quality analysis. This approach will be more dependent upon quantitative analysis from the existing regional transportation model and will not include consideration of more qualitative considerations such as land use policy. Factors such as transportation demand management programs can be incorporated into this evaluation but must be included as part of the modeling analysis.
Summary of Metropolitan Planning Organization Staff Review
Partnership Coordination/Liaison Task:
Technical staff from the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization have reviewed the proposal from Triangle J to develop a Triangle Air Quality Partnership Initiative. The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro staff discussed the proposal with staff from the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and agreed that coordination of the non transportation elements of the air quality process would be necessary and could be undertaken as part of the proposed Triangle J Partnership Coordination task. The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Technical Coordinating Committee has recommended that the Transportation Advisory Committee approve $24,000 in planning funds to support the Partnership Coordination/Liaison task. The Council of Governments would provide the $7,000 local share for this project.
At the same time the Committee requested a more detailed work program for this task and indicated that the funding in FY 2003-04 was intended to be a one time grant rather than an ongoing commitment. The effectiveness of the program will be evaluated prior to any additional funding.
Transportation, Land Use and Air Quality Strategies Research Task:
The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro staff also recommended approval of funding for the Transportation, Land Use and Air Quality Strategies Research task, although there was a lack of consensus among the Committee on the usefulness of this task at this time. In considering the proposal, regional staff raised concerns about the lack of specific goals, the capability of Triangle J to undertake the development of transportation strategies and the usefulness of these activities outside the ongoing work of the Metropolitan Planning Organizations. New information about the limited factors that will be allowed for consideration in the 2005 modeling and air quality analysis also raised concerns about the usefulness of the land use elements of this task.
Town Staff Evaluation
We agree that there is a need for coordination of the various air quality efforts underway throughout the region. Our review of the proposal and the Metropolitan Planning Organization staff discussion leads us to recommend funding for the Partnership Coordination/Liaison task.
We agree a more detailed work program, including anticipated work products, should be developed prior to implementation. We note that the description of the Partnership Coordination/Liaison task only includes a description of process. The work program should also reflect the anticipated schedule noted above for non-conformity designations.
We suggest it is premature to support the Transportation, Land Use and Air Quality Strategies Research task at this time. The proposed work plan is not clear and includes some work tasks, such as land use strategies evaluation, that are not necessary at this time. The 2005 air quality conformity analysis will not be able to incorporate benefits from land use policies. Other policies, such as transportation demand management strategies, have already been evaluated in the development of the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro 2025 Regional Transportation Plan. Any modification of these policies could be undertaken by Metropolitan Area staff using the existing transportation model. We also note that some of the specific elements of the 2005 conformity analysis have yet to be finalized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
We also suggest that this effort be approached on a county basis within the non-attainment area. The Triangle J proposal is not clear which local governments are being asked to provide local funding and how much funding will be required from each individual local government to supplement funding from the Metropolitan Planning Organizations. We understand that Wake and Durham Counties, Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill are being asked to provide the local funds for the Transportation, Land Use, Air Quality Strategies Research task. We note that Chapel Hill has recently adopted a 2000 Comprehensive Plan that includes land use elements that support alternative modes of transportation and improved air quality.
Once the 2005 air quality conformity is completed the region must approve a new conformity determination every three years. We believe that a comprehensive evaluation of land use polices, transportation and air quality will be needed for the 2008 air quality conformity. We believe that all jurisdictions in the Regions should participate financially in developing a regional land use policy that would promote cleaner air and that the counties are the most appropriate level for coordination of land use policies.
NEXT STEPS
The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee will consider including this proposal in the 2003-3004 Planning Work Program when it meets on May 14, 2003.
RECOMMENDATION
Manager’s Recommendation: That the Council support the Triangle J Council of Government’s proposal to initiate the Triangle Air Quality Partnership Initiative, Partnership Coordination/Liaison task. We recommend that the proposal include development of a detailed work program outlining anticipated products. We also recommend that the work program match the work tasks to the anticipated schedule for designating non-conformity areas in FY 2003-2004 and completing the 2005 air quality conformity.
At this time, we do not recommend support for the proposed Transportation, Land Use, Air Quality Strategies Research task.
ATTACHMENT
A RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE TRIANGLE J COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS AIR QUALITY PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE, PARTNERSHIP COORDINA-TION/LIAISON TASK (2003-04-28/R-13)
WHEREAS, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has begun the process of implementing new air quality standards; and
WHEREAS, the Environmental Protection Agency has indicated that the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization must develop a coordinated air quality conformity plan and analysis; and
WHEREAS, there is a need for improved coordination of various air quality efforts in Wake, Durham and Orange Counties; and
WHEREAS, the Triangle J Council of Governments has proposed an Air Quality Partnership Initiative; and
WHEREAS, the Town Council has reviewed the proposed tasks of the Air Quality Partnership Initiative and believes there is a need for the Partnership Coordination/Liaison task;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council endorses the Triangle J Council of Governments Air Quality Partnership Initiative and recommends that the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Transportation Advisory Committee provide funding for the Partnership Coordination/Liaison task as outlined in a proposal dated February 12, 2003 prepared by the Triangle J Council of Governments.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council recommends that the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization request a more detailed work program matching proposed activities to the schedule for completing the 2005 air quality conformity.
This the 28th day of April, 2003.