Working with U.C. Davis, STI developed a "user-friendly" interface for the CALINE4 emissions modeling software program. CALINE4 models pollutant concentrations near roadways. We developed a pull-down menu approach for CALINE4, called CL4. CL4 is a graphical windows-based user interface, designed to ease data entry and simplify transportation project emissions modeling. The CL4 interface provides easy-to-follow data entry screens that simplify the processes of running CALINE4 and printing model results. In addition, a quality assurance feature is built into the CL4 interface - a graphic representation of the project being modeled. CL4 and CALINE4 are available directly from Caltrans (see the Division of Environmental Analysis, Air Quality Issues area of the Caltrans web site, http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/env/air/index.htm).
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STI and researchers from U.C. Davis prepared a landmark transportation project evaluation protocol for Caltrans. The protocol is a streamlined approach that simplifies the project-specific emissions analyses required by transportation conformity regulations. STI facilitated extensive U.S. EPA peer review and revisions and helped secure U.S. EPA protocol approval. STI, along with U.C. Davis, developed companion workbooks and training materials and delivered protocol training workshops. The protocol is available directly from Caltrans (see the Division of Environmental Analysis, Air Quality Issues area of the Caltrans web site, http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/env/air/index.htm).
Since 1997, STI has collaborated with U.C. Davis to manage the U.C. Davis-Caltrans Air Quality Project. This project established a research consortium to provide California's transportation planning agencies with policy and technical solutions to regional and statewide air quality problems. Examples of STI work products prepared for this project are available at http://aqp.engr.ucdavis.edu/. Example projects include oversight of a $2.5 million joint Caltrans/California Air Resources Board emissions and transportation model improvement program, development of transportation project PM10 impact analysis procedures, and review of criteria and air toxics pollutant trends and forecasted concentrations and their relationship to conformity policies.
STI and researchers from U.C. Davis facilitated technical analyses and policy discussions resulting in a positive conformity determination for the Los Angeles metropolitan area's long-range regional transportation plan. STI and U.C. Davis organized and facilitated a six-agency consultation process open to public stakeholders, developed consensus on critical approval issues, documented interagency agreements and concerns, and facilitated information exchange among interested stakeholders. The process reached a positive conclusion with the Federal Highway Administration's approval of the conformity analysis. This work was performed for Caltrans and the Southern California Association of Governments.
Both the U.S. EPA and the California Air Resources Board have updated their mobile source emissions modeling tools. Official U.S. EPA recognition of these new modeling tools triggers the beginning of a two-year grace period, after which regional transportation plan (RTP) and transportation improvement program (TIP) conformity findings must be based on the latest model (EMFAC in California; MOBILE in the other 49 states). Metropolitan areas failing to actively update state implementation plans (SIPs) risk conformity problems once the two-year grace periods expire. STI, U.C. Davis, and Caltrans documented various conformity, RTP, TIP, and SIP scenarios to motivate aggressive regulatory action to avoid conformity problems.
STI created a new approach to designing and evaluating motor vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) programs. The new approach, called I/M-Design, uses real-world data to provide two resources not previously available: a transparent framework in which to quantitatively illustrate the range of emission reductions available from I/M, and a sensitivity analysis tool to evaluate how key variables affect I/M performance. I/M-Design estimates that enhanced I/M results in a 14% to 28% reduction in metropolitan area on-road motor vehicle hydrocarbon (HC) exhaust emissions; this estimate compares well to other I/M program evaluations. The tool is described in "Evaluating Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Programs: A Policy-Making Framework" by D.S. Eisinger, published in the Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (February 2005, volume 55). Contact Doug Eisinger at 707-665-9900 or sti@sonomatech.com to obtain a copy of this free I/M-Design program evaluation tool.
STI provided the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA)/Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) data analysis services for evaluating California's inspection and maintenance (I/M) Smog Check Program. We helped BAR evaluate the costs and benefits of the Smog Check Program, provided data and statistical analyses, and developed software tools to evaluate Smog Check station performance. We also assisted BAR in the preparation of various program analysis reports covering remote sensing, vehicle registration, and fleet size and age distribution.
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STI and U.C. Davis assisted Caltrans by evaluating whether the emission control programs that have been effective in reducing ambient CO concentrations are likely to continue to be effective in the future. Neighborhood and microscale CO concentrations were evaluated at six northern and southern California monitoring sites. The study reviewed CO emissions, concentration, and exposure trends and on-road motor vehicle-based CO emissions control programs for California and the United States. Consistent with California and national trends, CO concentrations declined at each of the six study locations from 1988 through 1998. Microscale concentrations declined as much as neighborhood-scale concentrations. Rollback analyses suggested that microscale concentrations will continue to decline through 2020. Within a few years, microscale violations of the CO National Ambient Air Quality Standards will be unlikely in California except under extraordinary circumstances. The report findings are available in the September 2002 issue of the Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association.
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This project entailed evaluation of risks associated with vehicle emissions on a proposed southern California freeway, one portion of which would run alongside an existing drinking water reservoir. The reservoir authority expressed concern that toxic air emissions from traffic on the proposed highway would deposit onto the reservoir and contaminate the drinking water supply. STI, working with scientists and faculty from U.C. Davis, reviewed various studies and advised regional, state, and federal agencies about the relative risk associated with air toxics from traffic on the proposed road. STI and U.C. Davis found negligible additional risk associated with the proposed freeway. STI assisted the interested agencies in follow-up discussions to identify appropriate air toxics cross-media research opportunities focused on regional-scale impacts.
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STI helped create the Smart Travel Resource Center for the U.S. EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality. STI researched public outreach programs, identified effective outreach and education materials, identified related Internet resources, interviewed public outreach and education practitioners, and helped create a database of resources in the transportation and air quality field.