BCAG's Role in Transportation Air Quality Planning

BCAG’s transportation planning and programming comply with Federal and State Clean Air Act requirements. Responsibilities include informing the BCAG Board of Directors and member jurisdictions of relevant air quality regulations, and preparing the required Air Quality Conformity Determination and Emissions Analysis for the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP).

Air Quality Conformity ensures that all federally funded or federally approved projects in the RTP and FTIP do not worsen air quality and are consistent with the State Implementation Plan (SIP). BCAG develops Conformity Determinations in consultation with federal, state, Tribal, and local agencies, as well as the public, through the Interagency Consultation Review (ICR) process. The process is also reviewed with BCAG’s Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC), which includes representatives from local jurisdictions, Butte County Air Quality Management District, Caltrans, Tribal governments, citizen representatives, and other stakeholders.

Air Quality Designations in Butte County

Since 2004, Butte County has been subject to federal air quality standards for ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The county was first designated “basic – subpart one non-attainment” under the 8-hour ozone standard, later reclassified as “marginal non-attainment” for both the 2008 and 2015 ozone standards.

In 2018, following a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision approved by the EPA, the Chico Urbanized Area was re-designated from “non-attainment” to “attainment with a Maintenance SIP” for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) under the 2006 24-hour standard.

Due to these designations, BCAG’s transportation planning must comply with EPA’s Transportation Conformity Rule to ensure projects meet federal air quality requirements.

Interagency Consultation Review

October 11, 2024 - Meeting Materials

August 19, 2024 - Meeting Materials

Regional Conformity Determinations

2024 RTP and 2025 FTIP - Air Quality Emissions Analysis and Conformity Determination

2020 RTP and 2025 FTIP - Air Quality Emissions Analysis and Conformity Determination

2020 RTP and 2023 FTIP - Air Quality Emissions Analysis and Conformity Determination

Project Level Conformity

PM 2.5 Project-Level Conformity Determination Process and Forms

PM 2.5 Hot Spot Interagency Review Projects

Contact Us

If you have comments or questions regarding the Regional Transportation Air Quality Planning, please contact Brian Lasagna, Regional Analyst at (530) 809-4616, or by email at blasagna@bcag.org.