When do metropolitan plan and TIP conformity determinations need to be in place for the new standards?
A. Areas that are designated nonattainment for the 8-hour ozone and/or PM2.5 standard must determine conformity of metropolitan transportation plans and TIPs by the expiration of the one-year conformity grace period for a relevant pollutant and standard; June 15, 2005 for the 8-hour ozone standard and April 5, 2006 for the PM2.5 standard. Metropolitan and donut 8-hour ozone and PM2.5 nonattainment areas must complete all of the tasks that are required for a conformity determination (e.g., interagency consultation, regional emissions analyses, public participation, MPO and DOT conformity determinations) during the relevant grace period in order to avoid a conformity lapse upon the expiration of the grace period. For more information, see Section III.A-C of the July 1, 2004 rulemaking (69 FR 40008-40014), which is available at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-AIR/2004/July/Day-01/a14213.htm.
