RESOLUTION
0507-25: Amending the SJTPO Regional
Transportation Plan to Adopt the Air Quality Conformity Determination and Update
Chapter VI, Financial Outlook
WHEREAS, the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization (SJTPO)
is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) designated under Federal Law for
the southern region of New Jersey including Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and
Salem Counties; and
WHEREAS, the South Jersey
Transportation Planning Organization (SJTPO) is responsible for completing the
conformity determination for the Regional Transportation Plan and the
Transportation Improvement Program as required by 40 CFR Part 93 The
Transportation Conformity Final Rule; and
WHEREAS, the transportation plans and programs developed by the South
Jersey Transportation Planning Organization are required to conform to the State
Implementation Plan Sections 174 and 176 (c) and (d) of the Clean Air Act (42
U.S.C. 7504, 7506 (c) and (d); and
WHEREAS, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) issued a set of regulations (Final Rule)
that prescribe the necessary emissions analysis and procedures to be performed
on transportation plans and programs to determine their impact on air quality;
and
WHEREAS, the Final Rule requires that the SJTPO determine that its
transportation plans and programs conform with the CAAA requirements by meeting
criteria described in the Final Rule, which include a detailed SIP/TIP
Conformity Assessment; and
WHEREAS, new standards for Ozone, promulgated by USEPA in June 2004 and
effective in June 2005, has mandated an additional conformity determination and
this conformity determination is now required under an 8-hour Ozone standard
that will eventually replace the one-hour standard; and
WHEREAS, the conformity determination is the outcome of intensive
modeling, interagency consultation, and public outreach process in accordance
with the prescriptions of the Final Rule, and
WHEREAS, Chapter VI of the Regional Transportation Plan has been updated
to include a section on “Innovative Funding” that addresses and defines the
process of Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicles (GARVEE funding) for
transportation projects or programs that are so large their costs exceed
available current grant funding and tax receipts, or would consume so much of
the current funding sources as to delay many other planned projects, and
WHEREAS, citizens, private transportation providers and all interested
parties have had an opportunity to participate and have their views considered
in the development and adoption of the FY 2006 conformity determination of the
SJTPO Regional Transportation (Long Range) Plan Update; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the South Jersey Transportation
Planning Organization (SJTPO) hereby adopts the Conformity Determination and the
SJTPO Regional Transportation (
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this Resolution and accompanying
Conformity Analysis be forwarded to the FHWA, FTA, EPA, NJDOT, NJTransit and
NJDEP.
Certification
I hereby certify that the foregoing is a correct and true copy of a
resolution adopted by the Policy Board of the South Jersey Transportation
Planning Organization at its meeting of July 25, 2005.
Charles R. Sullivan,
Secretary/Treasurer