sunflowerEnvironmental News Brief
 
Presented by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council for the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board
December 2009
New Data Shows Baltimore Region Meets Daily Fine Particle Standard
EPA to Reconsider 2008 Ozone Pollution Standard
EPA Declares Greenhouse Gases are a Threat
EPA's Chesapeake Bay TMDL Initiative
EPA Releases Its New Motor Vehicle Emissions Model
Green Project of Note
Reports
Events
Quick Links
Web Sites of Interest
 

The following news "briefs" highlight recent news regarding transportation-related environmental issues, primarily air quality, affecting the Baltimore region. Please note that this brief is not all inclusive of the variety and magnitude of activities in the region. It is intended for informational purposes only; refer to the source, guidance, or program for additional information.

 

New Data Shows Baltimore Region Meets Daily Fine Particle Standard

On October 8, 2009, EPA issued a final rule which designated the Baltimore region "attainment" for the 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM2.5) standard set in 2006. Previously, in December 2008, EPA had identified the region as potentially being "nonattainment" for the standard, using 2005 to 2007 air quality monitoring data. However, based upon newer monitoring data from 2006 to 2008, EPA determined that the region does in fact meet the new stricter standard.

 

PM2.5 is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets in the air that is smaller than or equal to 2.5 micrometers in diameter.  This means that it is around 1/30th the size of a human hair.  Sources of PM2.5 include power plants, vehicles, industry and smoke from fires. The region remains nonattainment for the annual PM2.5 standard.

 

EPA to Reconsider 2008 Ozone Pollution Standard

 

On September 16, EPA announced that it will reconsider the national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) set for ground level ozone pollution in 2008. The standard had been set at 0.075 parts per million (ppm). "EPA is reconsidering the standards to ensure they are clearly grounded in science, protect public health with an adequate margin of safety, and are sufficient to protect the environment." Any revisions made to the standard will be proposed this month and finalized in August 2010.

 
Find out more information.
EPA Delares Greenhouse Gases are a Threat
 

On December 7, EPA announced that greenhouse gases (GHGs) "threaten the public health and welfare of the American people" and that GHG emissions from on-road vehicles contribute to that threat.  These "endangerment" and "cause or contribute findings" follow the 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision which found that GHGs are air pollutants under the Clean Air Act. These "findings" do not include any requirements to control GHG emissions; however, they do allow EPA to finalize the light duty vehicle GHG standard jointly proposed with the U.S. DOT National Highway Transportation Safety Administration in September 2009.

 

EPA's Chesapeake Bay TMDL Initiative


EPA is initiating an effort to develop a "pollution diet" across the entire Chesapeake Bay as well as each tidal segment. This pollution diet will be in the form of a Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL. TMDLs are Clean Water Act regulatory tools that set daily limits on pollutants going into water bodies.

 

The Chesapeake Bay watershed includes six states and is 64,000 square miles in size. In 2008, only 21 percent of the goals for improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay, included in Chesapeake Bay 2000, were achieved. There are excess amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment being deposited into the Bay. Downstream effects of excess nutrient and sediment include loss of water clarity and algal blooms. Sources of these pollutants include agriculture, urban and suburban runoff, wastewater, and atmospheric deposition.

 

There will be caps set on levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment going into the Bay. There will be a series of accountability measures to ensure the TMDL is being carried out. EPA is in the beginning stages of a year-long dialogue to create a draft TMDL, which is due out in August 2010. Completion is scheduled for December 2010.

 

Find out more information.

 

EPA Releases Its New Motor Vehicle Emissions Model

 

Today, EPA released its new motor vehicle emissions model, MOVES2010. This model is replacing Mobile 6.2, and will be required for use in transportation conformity determinations and State Implementation Plans (outside of California) after a specified grace period. It models air pollution emissions from highway vehicles. "For the first time, the model can estimate emissions on a range of scales from national emissions impacts down to the impacts of individual transportation projects."

 

The model upgrade is based upon analysis of millions of emissions test results as well as a greater understanding of vehicle emissions. In addition to estimating emissions of criteria air pollutants and precursors, the model can estimate emissions of greenhouse gases.

 

Find out more information. 
Green Projects of Note
 
TeleworkBaltimore.com 

The Baltimore Metropolitan Council and the Maryland Department of Transportation are working jointly to promote teleworking to Baltimore area employers, as a means to reduce both traffic congestion and air pollution in our region.

 

Teleworking, sometimes called telecommuting, is working from a remote location, usually a home office.  Teleworking is moving work to people rather than the other way around.  Teleworkers are spared the daily rigors and frustrations that come with the typical workday commute.  They approach their tasks with clearer heads and unlimited concentration.  Surveys show that employers with telework programs see an increase in productivity, as well as a decrease in absenteeism and tardiness.  Employee satisfaction rises, and the overall work setting improves.

 

To help area organizations achieve success in Teleworking, BMC and MDOT have created Teleworkbaltimore.com. Everything an employer needs to set up a telework program (materials such as sample policy statements, teleworker/employer agreements, teleworker assessments, workplace safety checklists, etc.) is available on the web site free of charge. All that is asked is that employers wishing to download the materials complete a brief registration. In addition to the accessible materials, registered participants may ask questions of the Telecommuting Advantage Group, a professional telework consultant.

 

Visit Teleworkbaltimore.com for all the details or contact Russ Ulrich, project manager, at rulrich@baltometro.org or 410 - 732 - 9575.

 
 

Trees for Tracks

In September 2009, CSX kicked off an initiative to plant one tree for every mile of the 21,000 miles of track they use. This initiative, called Trees for Tracks, visited the Westport area of Baltimore on October 10, to plant 50 trees. Over the next five years, CSX is looking for "like-minded organizations" to help them reach their goal.

  
Find out more information.
Reports
 

Transportation Adaptation to Global Climate Change

The Bipartisan Policy Center's National Transportation Policy Project issued a report earlier this month recommending climate adaptation policy strategies for the federal-aid transportation system.


Download the report. 
 
Events
 

National Transit Institute Course

Introduction to Transportation Conformity

Date: March 24-26, 2010

Location: Columbus, Ohio

The Transportation Conformity course will present basic information about conformity requirements and the relationship of the transportation and air quality planning processes in order to prepare agency staff (federal, state and local) to participate in interagency consultation and work effectively in resolving conformity issues.

 
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                      Sara Tomlinson
                      Baltimore Metropolitan Council
                      410-732-0500 Ext. 1035
                      stomlinson@baltometro.org 

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