An Application of Energy and Emissions Reduction Policy Analysis Tool (EERPAT) in the Baltimore Region

The 15th TRB National Transportation Planning Applications Conference will be held in Atlantic City, New Jersey on May 17-21

Topic Area: Air Quality and Climate Change modeling and Planning

The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB), the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Baltimore region, has initiated a study to better understand regional transportation air quality issues and to inform transportation project selection for the next long range transportation plan. The initiative is a result of federal non-attainment designation under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for 8-hour Ozone, Particulate Matter (PM2.5), and Carbon Monoxide (CO) and State of Maryland Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions Act of 2009, which requires the State to achieve a 25 percent reduction in statewide greenhouse gas emissions from 2006 levels by 2020.

The paper presents how FHWA’s Energy and Emissions Reduction Policy Analysis Tool (EERPAT) was used to compare and evaluate the effects of adopted regulations and proposed polices on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the surface transportation sector in supporting study results. Before being implemented in the Baltimore region, EERPAT was re-estimated with Maryland’s local demographics and economic data using financial and technical support provided through an FHWA pilot program.

A locally established oversight committee evaluated and recommended policy scenarios based on level of interest and feasibility. The scenarios encompass six policy groups ? Urban Land Use (Smart Growth), Road, Vehicle/Fuel Technology, Marketing/TDM, Pricing and Fleet. The “business-as-usual” (BAU) scenario assumed that the national program for GHG and fuel economy standards apply to light duty cars and trucks in model years 2012-2016 and 2017-2025. By comparing with the BAU scenario, the results suggest that policies including pricing, vehicle/fuels technology and marketing achieved higher GHG emission reductions than others.

This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of EERPAT as a sketch planning policy analysis decision support tool for GHG emission policies informing transportation and climate planning process.

Challenges and lessons learned of applying the statewide tool at the regional level will be discussed.

The submitters of this abstract wish to point out that another submitted abstract, from FHWA and RSG, describes a statewide application of EERPAT. We think the two presentations can be accommodated within the same session, and perhaps allow for a different presentation approach (e.g. roundtable discussion).

EERPAT has been adapted from GreenSTEP, which was originally developed by the Oregon Department of Transportation.