HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015_04_15 Written CommunicationsSR85 Toll Lane Project Proposal
Due Diligence
1. PUBLIC NOTICE appearing in February 18, 2015 San Jose Mercury News
regarding SR85 Expansion: "Project Level Air Quality Conformity Analysis for
PM2.5 on the SR85 Express Lanes Project. "
This is notification that project -level conformity analysis shows that the
project will conform to the State implementation plan, including localized
impact analysis with interagency consultation for carbon monoxide (CO) and
particulate matter (PM2.5) required by 40 CFR 93.116 and 93.123. This
project is not considered a project of concern regarding particulate matter
(PM2.5) as defined by 40 CFR 93.123 (b) (1). A detailed PM2.5 hot spot
analysis was not completed because Clean Air Act and 40 CFR 93.116
requirements are met without an explicitly hot spot analysis. The project
comes from a conforming Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Comment is requested
regarding the project -level conformity analysis."
2. Transportation -Air quality Conformity Analysis for Plan Bay Area and the
Final 2015 Transportation Improvement Program Final: September 24, 2014,
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC).
Page 6: Citing the link between serious health problems and premature death
in people with heart and lung disease, the 1997 revision ultimately
distinguished and set forth regulation on particle pollutants known as
particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and particulate matter 10 (PM10).
3. Code of Federal Regulations 40 CFR Ch I (7-1-11 edition) 93.123
93.123 Procedures for determining localized CO, PM10 and PM2.5
concentrations (hot spot analysis). 3 (b) (i): New highway projects that have a
significant number of diesel vehicles and expanded highway projects that
have a significant increase in the number of diesel vehicles.
4. State of the Environment: Evaluating Progress and Priorities Hearing before
the subcommittee on environment Committee on science, space and
technology, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress First
Session Thursday, February 14, 2013, Serial No. 113-3
Page 24: "Over the last five years, EPA's regulatory initiatives have been pre-
occupied with PM 2.5 as if it was a source of major risk of premature
mortality. Yet, the weak epidemiological studies on which EPA typically relies
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are incapable of evaluating whether and to what extent outdoor
concentrations of PM 2.5 may causally impact cardiopulmonary function. The
majority of toxicological studies on the matter strongly suggest that current
ambient PM 2.5 is too low to cause major disease or death. According to
leading statistician Dr. Tom Cox, "The expectation that lives will be saved by
reducing ambient PM 2.5 is not supported by the weight of the evidence,
although other bases for regulating PM may be justifiable.""
5. Bay Area Express Lanes Application to the California Transportation
Commission (CTC): Commission briefing, September 15, 2011. Operating
Network Cash Flow.
www.catc.ca.gov/.../HOTLanes/MTC HOT Lanes app.pdf
6. MTA's toll -lane project may be a victim of its own success
http://wwwdatime .corn/local/californis/la.-me-california-commute-
20150324-story.html
From the article:
*"the real solution, they say, is to keep raising prices to reduce demand."
*"There's no such thing as a price ceiling."
*"However, Metro's board of directors will probably consider an increase in
the per -mile toll ceiling sometime this fall, McCune said, once staff has
"tweaked the algorithm" as much as possible."
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