Current Air Quality Meets Federal Standards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established health-based National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for six criteria pollutants: carbon monoxide, ground-level ozone, lead, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide. Currently, all areas in the CRTPO region meet these federal health-based air quality standards.
- View current NAAQS designations for Mecklenburg County.
- View current NAAQS designations for other areas in the CRTPO region.
Transportation and Air Quality are Linked
Motor vehicles are a major source of air pollution in the CRTPO region and local transportation decisions have the potential to impact local pollution levels. As a result, air quality is one factor planners and policy makers must consider as they make transportation decisions. This requirement is called “Transportation Conformity.”
What is Transportation Conformity?
Transportation conformity is required by the Clean Air Act (Section 176(c) (42 U.S.C. 7506(c))) to ensure planned transportation projects do NOT:
1. Cause new violations of NAAQS;
2. Increase frequency or severity of NAAQS violations; or
3. Delay timely attainment of NAAQS or interim milestones.
Transportation Conformity in the CRTPO region
In the CRTPO region, the conformity process is guided by the Transportation Conformity Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). The MOA is designed to ensure that interagency consultation procedures for transportation conformity are followed in the region’s non-attainment area.