Item # 16-2-6 Transportation Committee Action January 28, 2016 Draft Amendment #20 to the 2015/18 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program and Air Quality Conformity Analysis Issue: Should the Board approve Draft Amendment #20 to the 2015/18 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP) and the Air Quality Conformity Analysis associated with Amendment #20 and the Draft 2016 Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (MTP/SCS)? Recommendation: That the Transportation Committee recommend that the Board approve MTIP Amendment #20 and the Air Quality Conformity Analysis. Discussion: The MTIP contains near-term transportation projects that are either federally funded or regionally significant in terms of air quality impacts. Inclusion in the federally approved MTIP is an essential step for delivering federally funded transportation projects. All projects in the MTIP are included, either individually or as part of lump sums, in the MTP/SCS. Federal rules require that the MTP/SCS and MTIP be consistent and that they conform to the region’s plan for attaining clean air. SACOG released the following documents for public review in mid-September, with comments due by November 16: 1. Draft 2016 MTP/SCS 2. Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Draft 2016 MTP/SCS 3. Draft Amendment #20 to the MTIP 4. Draft Air Quality Conformity Analysis on both the Draft MTP/SCS and MTIP. SACOG held public hearings around the region to receive comments on the Draft 2016 MTP/SCS and EIR. The Transportation Committee also held a public hearing at its November 19, 2015, meeting on Draft MTIP Amendment #20 (Attachment A), which is necessary to keep the MTIP consistent with the Draft 2016 MTP/SCS, and the Draft Air Quality Conformity Analysis (Attachment B). No formal written or oral comments were received on either Draft Amendment #20 or the Draft Air Quality Conformity Analysis. Both MTIP Amendment #20 and the 2016 MTP/SCS necessitate that SACOG model and determine whether they conform for the purposes of air quality. Draft Amendment #20 adds Transportation Committee Page | 2 projects to the MTIP and revises projects that are regionally significant or are non-exempt from air quality conformity, making it a “Type 5” Formal Amendment, because it includes a conformity determination and a new regional emissions analysis. SACOG used an emissions modeling process to determine that the proposed changes in the Draft 2016 MTP/SCS and Draft Amendment #20 conform to all applicable federal air quality requirements and would not impede the region’s plan to attain air quality goals and standards. The Draft Air Quality Conformity Analysis documents that determination. These documents will be submitted to Caltrans following Board approval. SACOG staff anticipates final federal approval by April 18, 2016; staff continues to work with our state and federal partners to ensure expedited review of these documents to meet this date. Approved by: Mike McKeever Chief Executive Officer Attachments: A – Amendment #20 to the 2015/18 MTIP B – Conformity Analysis C – Resolution Key Staff: Matt Carpenter, Director of Transportation Services, (916) 340-6276 Sharon Sprowls, Senior Program Specialist, (916) 340-6235 Renée DeVere-Oki, Team Manager Programming and Project Delivery, (916) 340-6219 José Luis Cáceres, Transportation Planner, (916) 340-6218 Attachment A September 16, 2015 To: Public and MTIP Interested Parties From: José Luis Cáceres, Transportation Planner Subject: Public Review of Draft Amendment #20 to the 2015/18 MTIP and Draft Air Quality Conformity Analysis Attached are the Draft Amendment #20 and the Draft Air Quality Conformity Analysis for public review. Comments and questions will be accepted through November 16, 2015. The Sacramento Area Council of Governments is proposing Draft Amendment #20 to the 2015/18 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP) and Air Quality Conformity Analysis, associated with the proposed Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (2016 MTP/SCS). Draft Amendment #20 is a Type 5 Formal Amendment, one that makes a conformity determination and a new regional emissions analysis. This amendment is necessary to keep the MTIP consistent with the 2016 MTP/SCS. This amendment is available for public review and comment beginning September 17, 2015 and concluding 5 p.m., November 16, 2015. A public hearing will be held at 10 a.m., November 19, 2016, during the Transportation Committee meeting at SACOG. The Board is scheduled to take action on February 18, 2016, with federal approval expected by April 1, 2016. The MTIP, as amended, meets all of the applicable transportation planning requirements per 23 CFR Part 450. SACOG has modeled the projects for air quality conformity and, in the attached resolution, determined that the amendment conforms to the applicable State Implementation Plans for air quality. SACOG seeks limit the number of amendments to the MTIP. Since the MTIP was adopted September 18, 2014, SACOG has processed 9 revisions to the MTIP, 8 administrative modifications and 1 formal amendment. By the time Amendment #20 might receive federal approval, the number of revisions could reach 19, making this the 20th revision to the 2015/18 MTIP. If you have questions regarding this amendment or wish to submit comments, please contact José Luis Cáceres at 916-340-6218 or via email at [email protected]. Attachments: Draft Amendment #20 Draft Air Quality Conformity Analysis Amendment #20 to the 2015/18 MTIP Index of Sections Section 1: - Understanding Grouped and Individually Listed Project Reports - MTIP Processes and Amendment Types Section 2: Summary of Changes Section 3: Individually Listed Projects and Grouped Project Listings Section 4: Public Involvement Process and Public Comments Section 5: Financial Summary Section 1 Understanding Grouped and Individually Listed Project Reports Regulatory Background The following MTIP revision contains individually programmed projects and grouped projects. “Grouped projects” are not called out individually in the MTIP, but are gathered into “grouped project listings.” In a separate report, SACOG provides project‐level detail for those new or revised projects that are programmed within grouped project listings. According to federal regulations, some projects must be programmed (i.e., identified) individually, while “Projects that are not considered to be of appropriate scale for individual identification in a given program year may be grouped by function, work type, and/or geographic area using the applicable classifications…” Federal rules also require that grouped projects be exempt for the purposes of air quality conformity and be not regionally significant. (23 CFR 250.324.f) The Grouped Project Listing Detail is provided for information and authorization purposes only. According to federal regulations and guidance, grouped projects are not individually programmed, but are actually considered “programmed” as part of their corresponding grouped project listing. How to Find a Project In addition to providing a Summary of Changes, SACOG provides complete detail for individually programmed projects and grouped projects for full disclosure to the public and to project sponsors, as well as for the purposes of project authorization by Caltrans, FHWA, and FTA. However, to find a project, one will have to consult two reports: the Individual and Grouped Project Listing report and the Grouped Project Listing Detail report. Each report sorts projects differently. The projects in the Individual and Grouped Project Listing report are sorted alphabetically by County, Lead Agency, and then Project Title. The projects in the Grouped Project Listing Detail report are sorted alphabetically by Grouped Project Listing Category, and within each listing they are sorted alphabetically by County, Lead Agency, and then Project Title. Why SACOG Groups Projects SACOG groups small‐scale, exempt projects in order to emphasize regionally significant projects and provide administrative flexibility. By grouping smaller exempt projects, the MTIP conveys that those projects are actually part of larger, overall efforts by the region to maintain and improve surface transportation through air quality‐exempt activities such as transportation studies, road rehabilitation, transit operations, replacement and minor expansion of the transit fleet, safety improvement, and so on. It allows SACOG to demonstrate how a change to a grouped project’s scope, cost, or phasing may actually be considered a minor change to the grouped project listing as a whole. As a result, FHWA, FTA, and Caltrans afford SACOG greater administrative flexibility to manage the MTIP using administrative modifications. Page 1 of 3 Section 1 MTIP Processes and Amendment Types For more detail, see SACOG’s Public Participation Plan: http://www.sacog.org/mtp/ppp.cfm There are four processes for the various ways to change/update the MTIP: 1. Adoption 2. Administrative Modification 3. Amendment 4. Technical Revision Adoption SACOG generally adopts a new MTIP every two years, although federal guidelines only require a new MTIP every four years. As part of the adoption, SACOG removes the two prior years and adds two additional years of funding. SACOG also reports projects that were completed from the prior MTIP. The MTIP is accompanied by either a new air quality conformity determination and analysis or a determination that relies on a previous analysis. Administrative Modification Regulations describe