BOSTON REGION METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION HOME CONTACT US SEARCH SITE MAP
About Us
Metropolitan Planning Activities
Programs
Resources
Meetings and Events
Get Involved
Links
TIP – Air Quality Conformity
OVERVIEW • DEVELOPMENT PROCESS: HIGHWAY • INITIATION AND DEVELOPMENT
PROJECT EVALUATION • AIR QUALITY CONFORMITY • PROJECT INFORMATION FORM
Air Quality Conformity of the Transportation Improvement Program
The 1990 federal Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) require metropolitan planning organizations within air quality nonattainment areas to perform air quality conformity determinations prior to the approval of Transportation Plans and Transportation Improvement Programs (TIP), and at such other times as required by state and federal regulations. A nonattainment area is a region that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated as not meeting certain air-quality standards.

A conformity determination is a demonstration that an MPO´s plans, programs, and projects are consistent with the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for attaining federal air quality standards. The SIP is developed by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. The federal CAAA requirement to perform a conformity determination ensures that the federal government approves and funds only those transportation activities that are consistent with air-quality goals. This requirement is set out in federal regulations (40 CFR Part 93) and in Massachusetts Conformity Regulations (310 CMR 60.03).

For a more detailed discussion of air quality and the Transportation Improvement Program, see Chapter 4 – Determination of Air Quality Conformity of the Federal Fiscal Years 2008–2011 Transportation Improvement Program and Air Quality Conformity Determination.
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program
The TIP programs transportation improvements under a variety of different funding categories. One of those funding categories is the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program. The purpose of this program is to fund transportation projects or programs that will contribute to the attainment or maintenance of national ambient air quality standards for ozone, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter. The CMAQ program supports two important goals: to improve air quality and to relieve congestion.

The Boston Region MPO programs approximately $12 million each year under the CMAQ program. Eligible projects include new transit projects, high-occupancy-vehicle lanes, bicycle and pedestrian projects, the use of alternative fuels, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) projects, transit improvement projects, carpooling, and vanpooling.

For a complete list of CMAQ-eligible projects and further details on the CMAQ program, see the federal CMAQ Program Guidance.