The Indianapolis MPA lies within or partly within two nonattainment areas as classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In July 2004, the 9-county area including Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Madison, Marion, Morgan, and Shelby counties was classified as nonattainment for the ground-level pollutant, ozone (O3), under the 8-hour standard. In April 2005, the 5-county area including Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson, Marion, and Morgan counties was classified as nonattainment for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) under the annual standard.
The MPO is responsible for air quality conformity and works cooperatively with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), the Anderson MPO, the Columbus MPO, the Office of Enivironmental Services Division of the Department of Public Works (OES) and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) in conducting other transportation-related air quality activities for the MPA and the region.
In accordance with the 23 CFR part 450 and 40 CFR 51.390, an Interagency Consultation Group (ICG) has to be constituted for air quality conformity analysis and public consultation will have to be taken up for the review of the projects and the air quality conformity results. For this purpose, the Indianapolis MPO has established Central Indiana Transportation Air Quality Conformity Protocol and the Interagency Consultation Group Conformity Consultation Guidance. These documents will act as guidelines for the ICG.
Central Indiana Air Quality Conformity Protocol
Interagency Consultation Group Conformity Consultation Guidance
The Congestion Management System is a tool for identifying alternatives to capacity improvements on congested roadways, which tend to distort travel patterns and land uses in an undesirable manner. The CMS works through the system for scoring projects and assigning project priorities for capacity projects; instead of using the absolute score, the CMS nets out the score of the highest-scoring alternative strategy. This has the effect of lowering the capacity project's score, and hence lowering its chances of obtaining funding; if the sponsoring agency agrees to implement the alternate strategy, the original score is restored.
For more information about Air Quality issues, please see the page on the current adopted Regional Transportation Plan.
For more information on Air Quality issues in the Indianapolis Urbanized Area, please contact MPO Principal Planner Stephanie Belch.