Current ICT Project
Investigators:
  J. Lin (Primary)
Project Title:
  Particulate Matter 2.5 and 10 Hot Spot Analysis: A Midwest Peer Exchange
Start Date: 7/1/2007
End Date: 2/1/2008
Summary of Project:
  On October 23-24, subject matter experts on particulate matter (PM) gathered at Allerton Park in Monticello to exchange ideas and experiences in project level hotspot analysis of PM, including monitoring and compliance. The attendees included staff from five Midwestern state Departments of Transportation (DOTs), metropolitan planning organizations, the U.S. EPA, the Illinois EPA, University faculty, and the FHWA. Particulate matter is a generic term for a broad class of chemically and physically diverse substances that exist as discrete particles (liquid droplets or solids) over a wide range of sizes. It is emitted into the air through combustion exhausts or mechanical wear-and-tear from cars and trucks, power plants and factories, and construction sites. A hot-spot analysis is an estimation of likely future localized pollutant concentrations and a comparison of those concentrations to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) set by the U.S. EPA.. In general, the peer exchange participants are concerned with making sure their new transportation projects in compliance with the recently released U.S. EPA regulations for performing PM hot-spot analyses in non-attainment and maintenance areas for transportation conformity and NEPA reporting purposes. The meeting offered the attendees opportunities to identify hot-spot requirements, discuss PM modeling uncertainties and monitoring of PM, and learn about how other states are documenting the analyses in reports. Outcomes of the meeting included documented challenges in practice, research needs, and practical guidelines which will be useful to all state DOTs. The proceedings will be published on a CD in early 2008 for future reference.
Objective of Project:
  The objectives of the event is to convene a project level PM hotspot analysis Midwestern peer exchange to identify hot-spot requirements, discuss PM modeling uncertainties, monitoring of PM, to learn about how other states are documenting the PM Hot Spot Analysis in their NEPA reports; and finally to document challenges in practice, research needs, and practical guidelines as the result of the meeting in the meeting proceedings that will be useful to not only the seven Midwestern state DOT’s but other state DOT’s in the country.
Expected Outcome:
  Documented proceedings that include challenges in practice, research needs, and practical guidelines that will be useful to not only the seven Midwestern state DOT’s but other state DOT’s in the country.
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Last Updated: 11/18/2009