Regional Planning ensures that State, local, regional, and federal agencies work together to ensure collaboration and coordination in transportation planning and programming of projects, programs, and policies. Regional planning is an important aspect in ensuring the delivery of better transportation projects in both urban and rural areas, as well asimproving participation in the planning and programming processes through working with federally required Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), rural regional entities, and local jurisdictions.
Air Quality Transportation Conformity
Transportation conformity is the process that is used to review the current transportation plan and program in a region to ensure they conform to the state’s air quality plan. Each state’s air quality plan, also known as the State Implementation Plan (SIP) determines how the states will meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), for multiple sources of air pollution including transportation. In the SIP, there is a motor vehicle emissions budget, which is a limit on the maximum level of emissions allowable from the region’s on-road vehicles, as whole. The estimated level of emissions must stay within the budget for the region to be “in conformity
The larger MPOs in Maryland have, or are currently, required to perform Transportation Conformity due to the past Air Quality Levels. Links to their Air Quality/Transportation Conformity webpages are listed below.
Attainment Status
In Maryland, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Calvert County, Carroll County, Cecil County, Charles County, Frederick County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County are classified as Marginal in nonattainment status for 8-Hour Ozone (2015 Standard). For a complete list of nonattainment and maintenance areas visit: https://www.epa.gov/green-book.