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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20172010US. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Colorado Division June 27, 2017 Doug Rex Director, Transportation Planning and Operations Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) 1290 Broadway, Suite 100 Denver, CO 80203 12300 W. Dakota Ave., Suite 180 Lakewood, Colorado 80228 720-963-3000 Fax 720-963-3001 RECEIVED JUL 062017 WELD COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Subject: Conformity Determination for the DRCOG 2040 MVRTP and 2018-2021 TIP Dear Mr. Rex: 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. In Colorado, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issues the conformity determination on behalf of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Region 8 office per the current Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for Transportation Planning Oversight (FHWA/FTA Transportation Planning MOA). On April 19, 2017, DRCOG adopted an air quality conformity determination for the Denver, Boulder, and Longmont urbanized areas for the 2040 Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan (MVRTP) and the 2018-2021 TIP in its capacity as the Metropolitan Planning Organization. The conformity determination also included the southern section of the Upper Front Range Transportation Planning Region (Upper Front Range TPR) 2040 RTP and the portion of the 2018-2021 State Transportation Improvement Program within the Upper Front Range region. The 2040 MVRTP and 2018-2021 TIP are the fiscally constrained RTP and TIP for the DRCOG region. Based on our evaluation of the DRCOG 2040 MVRTP and 2018-2021 TIP conformity determination, in coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency, the DRCOG, the North Front Range Metropolitan Organization (NFRMPO) , the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission, the Regional Air Quality Council, and the Colorado Department of Transportation , we have determined the Denver, Boulder, and Longmont urbanized areas have met the requirements of 40 CFR 51 and 93, 23 CFR 450, and 49 CFR 613 along with FHWA/FTA policies and guidance. Furthermore, the DRCOG correctly followed the procedures of the 2008 DRCOG/NFRMPO 8 -Hour Ozone MOA. A conformity determination for the DRCOG 2040 MVRTP and the DRCOG 2018-2021 TIP is hereby made. We are also making a conformity determination for the southern section of the Upper Front Range TPR 2040 RTP. The date of this letter is the effective date of the conformity 0.9tMIY7vni C at; 0OS -7/1O/I-7 cc: pwCCR/CF-tfS ,/ cK), I -I L C rY) W) , pt_CMM/ TPJ -1/Co/11 2017-2010 determination for the DRCOG 2040 MVRTP. The effective date for the 2018-2021 TIP is July 1, 2017. Our action is consistent with the FHWA/FTA Transportation Planning MOA. Sincerely yours, John M. Cater, PE Division Administrator cc: Terri Blackmore, NFRMPO Barbara Kirkmeyer, Upper Front Range TPR Peter Lee, APCD Marissa Gaughan, CDOT Jeff Sudmeier, CDOT Tim Kirby, CDOT Larry Squires, FTA Tim Russ, EPA Hello