Air Quality Conformity  

The essence of the transportation conformity is that, in non-attainment and maintenance areas, transportation plans and programs, which are financed wholly or partly with Federal-aid, will not further degrade air quality. Air Quality Conformity ensures that the Birmingham MPO’s transportation plans and programs are within the acceptable limits placed on mobile source air pollutants as identified in the State of Alabama’s air quality State Implementation Plan (SIP).

Jefferson and Shelby Counties and a small portion of Walker County are currently in attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5 NAAQS and the 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS. Jefferson and Shelby Counties and a small portion of Walker County were redesignated as attainment maintenance areas, that are effective on February 21, 2013 for the 1997 annual PM2.5 NAAQS and effective on February 25, 2013 for the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS. These areas are officially considered as PM2.5 standard maintenance areas respectively since then.

On April 15, 2004, EPA issued new non-attainment area designations for the eight-hour ozone standard and again Jefferson and Shelby Counties were classified as non-attainment (69 FR 23858). EPA redesignated Jefferson and Shelby Counties as attainment maintenance areas for the 1997 8-hour ground-level ozone standard, effective since June 12, 2006. Transportation conformity for the 1997 8-hour ground-level ozone standard was then revoked for transportation conformity purposes effective July 20, 2013.

Current Air Quality Report

previous Air Quality Reports

Interagency Consultation (IAC)

The RPCGB, on behalf of the Birmingham MPO, coordinates with the Interagency Consultation (IAC) group for Alabama Transportation Conformity. The IAC is composed of representatives from:

  • Birmingham Metropolitan Planning Organization

  • Local Transit Authority: Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority

  • Local Air Quality Program: Jefferson County Department of Health

  • Regional Planning organization: The Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB)

  • Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT)

  • Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM)

  • Alabama Division of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

  • Federal Transit Administration – Region 4

  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 4.

Draft 2024 IAC Agreement - anticipated to be adopted by the MPO Policy Committee on Feb 14, 2024

The IAC meets as needed throughout the year, but typically there are three or four meetings annually. Minutes from can be downloaded from the following links: