What Actions Must EPA, MTC and the Federal Highway and Transit Administrations take to lift the lapse?
The new 2001 Ozone Attainment Plan provides control strategies to help the region attain the 1Ðhour federal ozone standard by 2006. EPA does not have to approve the Plan in its entirety for MTC to make a conformity finding for the RTP. The main element in the new ozone plan for conformity purposes is what is termed a “motor vehicle emissions budget” which defines the allowable level of ozone pollutants that can be generated by the Regional Transportation Plan. EPA must determine that this budget is adequate for conformity purposes, and the budget will become effective 15 days after EPA makes the final adequacy finding and publishes it in the Federal Register. MTC will then make a conformity finding for the 2001 Regional Transportation Plan, and once the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have approved this finding, the lapse will be lifted.
