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Home My WebLink About20111645.tiff r US Department Colorado Division 12300 W. Dakota Ave., Ste. 180 ofTrazsportahon Lakewood, CO 80228 Federal Highway Administration JUN 2 9 all (720) 963-3014 Fax (720) 963-3001 Ms. Jennifer Shaufele Executive Director Denver Regional Council of Governments 1290 Broadway, Suite 700 Denver, CO 80202 Subject: DRCOG FY 2012-2017 TIP Conformity Determination Dear Ms. Shaufele: In accordance with the Clean Air Act of 1990, as amended, and 23 CFR 450, the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) is required to make air quality conformity determinations of Regional Transportation Plans (RTP) and Transportation Improvement Programs (TIP) in non-attainment and maintenance areas. The process to make a conformity determination in Colorado is the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Colorado Division office signs the letter on behalf of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Region VIII office per the current Memorandum of Agreement for Transportation Planning Oversight(MOA). On November 20, 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated the Denver, Boulder, Longmont, Fort Collins and Greeley urbanized areas non-attainment for 8-hour ozone. The non-attainment area includes the planning areas of the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), North Front Range Transportation and Air Quality Planning Council, also known as the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization (NFRMPO), and the Upper Front Range Transportation Planning Region (Upper Front Range TPR). The transportation planning organizations have signed an MOA explaining how air quality conformity for 8-hour ozone is accomplished by the three parties within the non-attainment area. The 8-Hour Ozone MOA states that DRCOG will provide conformity determinations for the southern subarea on the Denver-North Front Range non-attainment area, as well as portions of the Upper Front Range TPR. This is the first time that DRCOG and NFRMPO have used subarea budgets for a conformity determination of the TIP. Currently, the DRCOG region is designated as a maintenance area for CO and particulate matter less than 10 microns in size (PIVIO. On March 16, 2011, DRCOG, in its capacity as the MPO, adopted an air quality conformity determination for the DRCOG FY 2012-2017 TIP and Upper Front Range TPR portion of the FY 2012-2017 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The FY 2012-2017 TIP is the fiscally constrained transportation improvement program for the DRCOG region. Based on our evaluation of the DRCOG FY 2012-2017 TIP and Upper Front Range TPR portion of the FY 2012-2017 STIP conformity determination, in coordination with the EPA, the Ceti/r7 in/r4f7 cn 2011-1645 7 -//-/ / 2 Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC), the Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC) and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), we have determined that the DRCOG area has met the requirements of 40 CFR 51 and 93, 23 CFR 450, 49 CFR 613 along with FHWA/FTA policies and guidance. Furthermore, the DRCOG FY 2012-2017 TIP conforms to the State Implementation Plan (SIP). A conformity determination for the DRCOG FY 2012-2017 TIP is hereby made, effective July 1, 2011. This conformity determination is in effect until such time as a new finding is required, either by new regulatory requirements, a revision of the TIP or a revision to the SIP. Our action is consistent with the FHWA/FTA Transportation Planning MOA. The DRCOG FY 2012-2017 TIP will be effective as of July 1, 2011. This action ensures that the DRCOG FY 2012-2017 TIP, the State's FY 2012-2017 STIP take effect at the same time. Under a separate letter dated May 12, 2011, we made a conformity redetermination for the DRCOG FY 2008-2013 TIP. That conformity redetermination remains in effect through June 30, 2011. Sincerely yours, 51W John M. Cater Division Administrator cc: Ms. Lisa Silva, APCD Mr. Jeff Sudmeier, CDOT Mr. David Beckhouse, FTA Mr. Larry Squires, FTA Mr. Tim Russ, EPA Ms. Barbara Kirkmeyer, UFR Mr. Cliff Davidson, NFR USpepartmcnt Colorado Division 12300 W. Dakota Ave., Ste. 180 of Transportation Lakewood, CO 80228 Federal Highway f4 2 9 LUll (720) 961-3014 Administration Fax (720) 963-3001 Mr. Cliff Davidson Executive Director North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization 419 Canyon Avenue, Suite 300 Fort Collins, CO 8521 • Subject: NFRMPO FY 2012-2017 TIP Conformity Determination =- Dear Mr. Davidson: In accordance with the Clean Air Act of 1990, as amended, and 23 CFR 450, the V.S. N Department of Transportation(U.S. DOT) is required to make air quality confornity ' w determinations of Regional Transportation Plans (RTP) and Transportation Improvement- Programs (TIP) in non-attainment and maintenance areas. The process to make a conformity determination in Colorado is the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Colorado Division office signs the letter on behalf of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Region VIII office per the current Memorandum of Agreement for Transportation Planning Oversight(MOA). On November 20, 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated the Denver, Boulder, Longmont, Fort Collins and Greeley urbanized areas non-attainment for 8-hour ozone. The non-attainment area includes the planning areas of the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), North Front Range Transportation and Air Quality Planning Council, also known as the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization (NFRMPO), and the Upper Front Range Transportation Planning Region (Upper Front Range TPR). The transportation planning organizations have signed an MOA explaining how air quality conformity for 8-hour ozone is accomplished by the three parties within the non-attainment area. The 8-Hour Ozone MOA states that DRCOG will provide conformity determinations for the southern subarea on the Denver-North Front Range non-attainment area, as well as portions of the Upper Front Range TPR. This is the first time that DRCOG and NFRMPO have used subarea budgets for a conformity determination of the TIP. Currently, the cities of Fort Collins and Greeley arc designated as maintenance areas for carbon monoxide (CO). On March 3, 2011, the NFRMPO Council, in its capacity as the MPO, adopted an air quality conformity detennination for the NFRMPO FY 2012-2017 TIP and the Upper Front Range TPR portion of the FY 2012-2017 Statewide Transportaion Improvement Program (STIP). The FY 2012-2017 TIP is the fiscally constrained transportation improvement program for the NFRMPO region. 2 Based on our evaluation of the NFRMPO FY 2012-2017 TIP and Upper Front Range TPR portion of the FY 2012-2017 STIP conformity determination, in coordination with the EPA, the ColoradoAir Quality Control Commission(AQCC), the Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC) and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), we have determined that the NFRMPO area has met the requirements of 40 CFR 51 and 93, 23 CFR 450, 49 CFR 613 along with FHWA/FTA policies and guidance. Furthermore, the NFRMPO FY 2012-2017 TIP and the Upper Front Range TPR FY 2012-2017 STIP conforms to the State Implementation Plan (SIP). A conformity determination for the NFRMPO FY 2012-2017 TIP and Upper Front Range TPR portion of the FY 2012-2017 STIP is hereby made, effective July 1, 2011. This conformity determination is in effect until such time as a new finding is required, either by new regulatory requirements, a revision of the TIP or a revision to the SIP. Our action is consistent with the FHWA/FTA Transportation Planning MOA. The NFRMPO FY 2012-2017 TIP will be effective as of July 1, 2011. This action ensures that the NFRMPO FY 2012-2017 TIP, the State's FY 2012-2017 STIP take effect at the same time. Under a separate letter dated May 12, 2011, we made a conformity redetermination for the NFRMPO Amended FY 2008-2013 TIP and the Upper Front Range portion of the FY 2008- 2013 STIP. This conformity redetermination remains in effect through June 30, 2011. Sincerely yours, thi F hn M. Cater Division Administrator cc: Ms. Lisa Silva, APCD Ms. Cathy Cole, CDOT Mr. Jeff Sudmeier, CDOT Mr. David Beckhouse, FTA Mr. Larry Squires, FTA Mr. Tim Russ, EPA Ms.Jennifer Schaufele, DRCOG Ms. Barbara Kirkmcyer, UFR Hello