Ariz. Admin. Code § 18-2-1405

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section R18-2-1405 - Consultation

A. Consultation procedures as described in this Section shall be undertaken by all of the following entities and shall include the public and affected local and regional transportation agencies in preparing for and making conformity determinations and in developing applicable implementation plans:

1. An MPO where one exists.

2. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT).

3. The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT).

4. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).

5. The county air pollution control agency established pursuant to A.R.S. Title 49 where one exists.

6. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

B. The following elements shall be used to implement the consultation processes under subsection (M), with the exception of subsection (M)(8), and under subsection (N), with the exception of subsections (N)(2) and (N)(3), and shall include all affected agencies and interested members of the public, and may be conducted at separate times or in combination:

1. Providing to the affected agencies and interested members of the public information describing the upcoming decision process,

2. Distributing or providing access to draft documents,

3. Providing an opportunity for informal question and answer on the draft document or proposed decision,

4. Providing an opportunity for formal written comment,

5. Writing and distributing both a response to comments and the final document or decision.

C. An MPO where one exists, ADEQ, a county air pollution control agency where one exists, ADOT, a transit authority where one exists, and any local transportation agency shall undertake a consultation process in accordance with this Section with each other, with the local or regional offices of EPA, FHWA and FTA, with affected regional transportation agencies, and with the public on the development of the following as described in subsections (D) through (G):

1. The implementation plan, including the emission budget and list of TCMs in the applicable implementation plan;

2. The unified planning work program under 23 CFR § 450.314;

3. The transportation plan and TIP;

4. The statewide transportation plan and STIP;

5. Any revisions to the preceding documents;

6. All transportation conformity determinations.

D. ADEQ, or the MPO in a county having a population greater than 250,000 persons, shall be the lead agency responsible for preparing an implementation plan, the associated emission budgets, and the list of TCMs in the plan. The lead agency shall also be responsible for assuring the adequacy of the consultation process. The concurrence of ADEQ on each implementation plan is required before ADEQ adopts the plan and transmits it to EPA for inclusion in the state implementation plan pursuant to A.R.S. § 49-406.

E. ADOT, or the MPO where one exists, shall be the lead agency responsible for preparing the final document or decision and for assuring the adequacy of the consultation process with respect to the development of the transportation plan and the TIP. The MPO shall be the lead agency responsible for preparing the final document or decision and for assuring the adequacy of the consultation process with respect to the development of the unified planning work program under 23 CFR 450.314.

F. ADOT shall be the lead agency responsible for preparing the final document or decision and for assuring the adequacy of the consultation process with respect to the development of the statewide transportation plan and the STIP.

G. ADOT, or the MPO where one exists, shall be the lead agency responsible for preparing the final document or decision and for assuring the adequacy of the consultation process with respect to determinations of transportation conformity, except that the entity authorized to adopt or approve a project shall be the lead agency responsible for project-level conformity determinations for projects outside of the transportation plan or TIP and shall assure the adequacy of the consultation process.

H. Each lead agency described in subsections (D) through (G) shall:

1. Confer with all other agencies having an interest in the document or decision to be developed;

2. Provide access to all information needed for meaningful input;

3. Solicit early and continuing input from those agencies;

4. Conduct the public consultation process described in subsection (P);

5. Assure policy-level contact with agencies;

6. With the exception of notifications pursuant to subsection (M)(8), prior to taking any action required pursuant to subsections (D) through (G), consider the views of each agency and the public and respond to significant comments in a timely, substantive written manner prior to taking any final action and assure that such views and written response are made part of the record of any action.

I. FHWA and FTA shall be responsible for assuring timely action on final findings of conformity for transportation plans, TIPs, and federally funded projects, including the basis for those findings, after consulting with other agencies as provided in this Section. FHWA and FTA shall also be responsible for providing guidance on conformity and the transportation planning process to agencies in consultation. FHWA and FTA may rely on the consultation process initiated by ADOT or the MPO where one exists and shall not be required to duplicate that process.

J. EPA shall be responsible for reviewing and approving updated motor vehicle emissions factors and providing guidance on conformity criteria and procedures to agencies in consultation.

K. Each lead agency subject to a consultation process under this Section, including any federal agency, shall provide or notice the availability of each final document that is the product of the consultation process, together with all supporting information, to each other agency and members of the public that have participated in the consultation process within 15 days of adopting or approving the document or making the determination. An agency may supply a checklist of available supporting information, which other participating agencies or the public may use to request all or part of the supporting information, in lieu of generally distributing all supporting information.

L. A meeting that is scheduled or required for another purpose may be used for the purposes of consultation if the conformity consultation purpose is identified in the public notice for the meeting.

M. A consultation process involving an MPO where one exists, ADEQ, a county air pollution control agency where one exists, ADOT, a transit authority where one exists, local and regional transportation agencies, EPA, USDOT, and the public shall be undertaken for the following:

1. Evaluating and choosing each model and associated methods and assumptions to be used in hot-spot analyses and regional emissions analyses including vehicle miles traveled (VMT) forecasting. The consultation process pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated by ADOT or the MPO where one exists.

2. Determining whether the responsible agency identified in R18-2-1433 has demonstrated that the requirements of R18-2-1416, R18-2-1418 and R18-2-1419 are satisfied without a particular mitigation or control measure. The consultation process pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated by the responsible agency.

3. Making a determination, as required by R18-2-1429(C)(2), whether the project is included in the regional emissions analysis supporting the currently conforming TIP's conformity determination, even if the project is not included in the TIP for the purposes of MPO project selection or endorsement, and whether the project's design concept and scope have changed significantly from those which were included in the regional emissions analysis, or in a manner which would significantly impact use of the facility. The consultation process pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated by the MPO. In nonattainment areas where no MPO exists, ADOT shall initiate the consultation process for making a determination, as required by R18-2-1429(C)(2), whether a project that is outside of a TIP is included in the regional emissions analysis, and whether the project's design concept and scope have changed significantly from those which were included in the regional emissions analysis, or in a manner which would significantly impact use of the facility.

4. Determining pursuant to subsection (R) which minor arterials and other transportation projects should be considered "regionally significant" for the purposes of regional emissions analysis and which projects should be considered to have a significant change in design concept and scope from the transportation plan or TIP. The consultation process pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated by the MPO. In nonattainment areas where no MPO exists, ADOT shall initiate the consultation process for determining pursuant to subsection (R) which minor arterials and other transportation projects should be considered "regionally significant" for the purposes of regional emissions analysis.

5. Evaluating whether exempt projects as described in R18-2-1434 and R18-2-1435 should be treated as non-exempt in cases where potential adverse emissions impacts may exist for any reason. The consultation process pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated by ADOT or the MPO where one exists.

6. Making a determination, as required by R18-2-1413, whether past obstacles to implementation of TCMs which are behind the schedule established in the applicable implementation plan have been identified and are being overcome, and whether state and local agencies with influence over approvals or funding for TCMs are giving maximum priority to approval or funding for TCMs. This consultation process shall also consider whether delays in TCM implementation necessitate revisions to the applicable implementation plan to remove TCMs or to substitute TCMs or other emission reduction measures. The consultation process pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated by ADOT or the MPO where one exists.

7. Identifying, as required by R18-2-1431, projects located at sites in PM₁₀ nonattainment areas which have vehicle and roadway emission and dispersion characteristics which are essentially identical to those at sites which have violations verified by monitoring, and therefore require quantitative PM₁₀ hot-spot analysis. The consultation process pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated by ADOT or the MPO where one exists.

8. Notification of transportation plan or TIP revisions or amendments which merely add or delete exempt projects listed in R18-2-1434. Notice shall be provided by the MPO and need not be provided prior to final action. Notice shall be provided by ADOT for revisions and amendments affecting the state transportation plan and the state TIP. The public involvement process described in subsection (P) is not required for the purposes of this subsection.

9. Project-level conformity determinations pursuant to R18-2-1416. The consultation process pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated by the recipient of the funds designated under 23 U.S.C. or the Federal Transit Act.

N. A consultation process involving the MPO, ADEQ, a county air pollution control agency where one exists, ADOT, appropriate political subdivisions, regional transportation agencies, if any, and the public shall be undertaken for the following:

1. Evaluating events which will trigger new conformity determinations in addition to those triggering events established in R18-2-1404 and including any changes in planning assumptions that may trigger a new conformity determination. The consultation process pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated by ADOT or the MPO where one exists.

2. Consulting on emissions analysis for transportation activities which cross the borders of MPOs or nonattainment areas or air basins. The consultation process pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated by ADOT or the MPO where one exists. The public involvement process described in subsection (P) is not required for the purposes of this subsection.

3. Where the metropolitan planning area does not include the entire nonattainment or maintenance area, a consultation process involving the MPO and ADOT for cooperative planning and analysis for purposes of determining conformity of all projects outside the metropolitan area and within the nonattainment or maintenance area. The consultation process pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated by ADOT. The public involvement process described in subsection (P) is not required for the purposes of this subsection.

4. The design, schedule, and funding of research and data collection efforts and regional transportation model development. The consultation process pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated by ADOT or the MPO where one exists.

5. Determining that a conforming project approved with mitigation no longer requires mitigation. The consultation process pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated by ADOT or the MPO where one exists.

O. The following consultation processes involve recipients of funds designated under 23 U.S.C. or the Federal Transit Act:

1. A consultation process involving the MPO, ADEQ, a county air pollution control agency where one exists, ADOT, recipients of funds designated under 23 U.S.C. or the Federal Transit Act and any agency created under state law that sponsors or approves transportation projects shall be undertaken to assure that plans for construction of regionally significant projects which are not FHWA or FTA projects, including projects for which alternative locations, design concept or scope, or the no-build option are still being considered, are disclosed as soon as practicable to ADOT or the MPO where one exists, so as to assure that any significant changes to the design concept or scope of those plans are disclosed as soon as practicable. The political subdivision having authority to adopt or approve a regionally significant transportation project, and any agency that becomes aware of any such project through applications for approval, permitting, funding, or otherwise shall disclose such project to ADOT or the MPO if one exists as soon as practicable. To help assure timely disclosure, the political subdivision having authority to adopt or approve any potential regionally significant transportation project shall disclose to ADOT or the MPO on a schedule prescribed by ADOT or the MPO, whichever is appropriate, each project for which alternatives have been identified through the NEPA process and, in particular, any preferred alternative that may be a regionally significant project. The consultation process shall include assuming the location, design concept, and scope of the project, where the sponsor has not yet decided these features, in sufficient detail to allow ADOT or the MPO to perform a regional emissions analysis. The consultation process pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated by ADOT or the MPO where one exists.

2. A consultation process involving the MPO, ADEQ, a county air pollution control agency where one exists, ADOT, recipients of funds designated under 23 U.S.C. or the Federal Transit Act, any agency created under state law that sponsors or approves transportation projects, and the public shall be undertaken for the development of procedures as described in R18-2-1429. The consultation process pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated by ADOT or the MPO where one exists.

P. Public involvement processes shall be conducted according to the requirements of this subsection.

1. ADOT or the MPO, where one exists, when making conformity determinations on transportation plans, programs, and projects shall establish and continuously implement a proactive public involvement process which provides opportunity for public review and comment prior to taking formal action on a conformity determination for all transportation plans and TIPs, that meets the following minimum requirements:

a. Includes a process that provides complete information, timely public notice, full public access to key decisions and supports early and continuing involvement of the public in developing plans and TIPs.

b. Requires a minimum public comment period of 45 days before the public involvement process is initially adopted or revised.

c. Provides timely information about transportation issues and processes to citizens, affected public agencies, representatives of transportation agency employees, private providers of transportation, other interested parties and segments of the community affected by transportation plans, programs, and projects, including but not limited to central city and other local jurisdiction concerns.

d. Provides reasonable public access to technical and policy information used in the development of plans and TIPs and open public meetings where matters related to the federal-aid highway and transit programs are being considered.

e. Requires adequate public notice of public involvement activities and time for public review and comment at key decision points, including, but not limited to, approval of plans and TIPs and approval of changes in plans and TIPs. In nonattainment areas classified as serious and above, the comment period shall be at least 30 days for the plan, TIP, and major amendments. Public notice shall include mailing of notice to a list of all persons who have requested notice of actions covered by this Article.

f. Demonstrates explicit consideration and response to public input received during the planning and program development processes.

g. Seeks out and considers the needs of those traditionally underserved by existing transportation systems, including but not limited to low-income and minority households.

h. When significant written and oral comments are received on a draft transportation plan or TIP, including the financial plan, as a result of the public involvement process or the consultation process required by this Section, a summary, analysis, and report on the disposition of comments shall be made part of the final plan and TIP.

i. If the final transportation plan or TIP differs significantly from the one which was made available for public comment by the MPO and it raises new material issues which interested parties could not reasonably have foreseen from the public involvement efforts, an additional opportunity for public comment on the revised plan or TIP shall be made available.

j. ADOT or the MPO where one exists shall specifically address in writing all public comments that known plans for a regionally significant transportation project which is not receiving FHWA or FTA funding or approval have not been properly reflected in the emissions analysis supporting a proposed conformity finding for a transportation plan or TIP.

k. Public involvement processes shall be periodically reviewed by ADOT or the MPO in terms of their effectiveness in assuring that the process provides full and open access to all.

l. These procedures will be reviewed by the FHWA and the FTA during certification reviews for TMAs, and as otherwise necessary for all MPOs, to assure that full and open access is provided to MPO decisionmaking processes.

m. Metropolitan public involvement processes shall be coordinated with statewide public involvement processes wherever possible to enhance public consideration of the issues, plans, and programs and to reduce redundancies and costs.

2. Local and regional transportation agencies when making conformity determinations on regionally significant transportation projects shall establish and implement a public involvement process which meets, at a minimum, the following requirements:

a. Provides to the affected agencies and interested members of the public information describing the upcoming decision process.

b. Distributes or provides access to draft documents and all information needed for meaningful input.

c. Solicits early and continuing input from interested agencies and the public.

d. Provides an opportunity for informal question and answer on the draft document or proposed decision.

e. Provides an opportunity for formal written comment.

f. Provides for writing and distributing both a response to comments and the final document or decision. The response to comments shall consider the views of each agency and the public. The response to comments shall be made in a timely, substantive written manner prior to taking any final action and shall be made part of the record of any action.

Q. Any conflict among state agencies or between state agencies and an MPO shall be escalated to the Governor if the conflict cannot be resolved by the directors of the involved agencies. In the first instance, such entities shall make every effort to resolve any differences, including personal meetings between the directors of such entities or their policy-level representatives, to the extent possible. Within 14 calendar days after ADOT or the MPO has notified ADEQ of its decision, ADEQ may appeal a proposed determination of conformity, or other policy decision under this Article, to the Governor. ADEQ must provide notice of any appeal under this subsection to ADOT or the MPO. If ADEQ does not appeal to the Governor within 14 days, ADOT or the MPO may proceed with the final determination or decision. If ADEQ appeals to the Governor, the final conformity determination or policy decision shall have the concurrence of the Governor. The Governor may delegate to another official or agency within the state the role of hearing any appeal under this subsection and of deciding whether to concur in the determination or decision but may not delegate these functions to the director or staff of ADEQ, to any local air quality agency, to ADOT, to any state transportation commission or board, to an MPO, or to any agency that has responsibility for any of these functions.

R. The following procedures shall govern the consultation process regarding regionally significant transportation projects as defined in R18-2-1401(37):

1. By September 1, 1995, ADOT or the MPO where one exists shall develop and make available, for each nonattainment or maintenance area, consistent with A.R.S. § 49-408(A), the following:

a. A map of the highway or transit facilities in the nonattainment or maintenance area that serve regional transportation needs.

b. Guidance on which undertakings to implement or modify a highway facility are not transportation projects as defined in this Article, because they are not of sufficient length to address environmental matters on a broad scope.

c. Guidance on which types of transportation projects are normally included in the regional transportation model.

2. The map and guidance described in subsection (R)(1) shall be produced only after consultation with ADEQ, a county air pollution control agency where one exists, ADOT, a transit authority where one exists, local and regional transportation agencies, and the public. The map developed pursuant to subsection (R)(1) shall be updated prior to the commencement of the next TIP or STIP development cycle, unless no changes have occurred. The guidance developed pursuant to subsection (R)(3) shall be revised as necessary to reflect changes in the regional transportation model.

3. ADOT or the MPO where one exists shall develop and initiate the consultation process described in subsection (H) for a proposed list of transportation projects to be considered regionally significant. The consultation process shall include the MPO where one exists, ADEQ, a county air pollution control agency where one exists, ADOT, a transit authority where one exists, local and regional transportation agencies, EPA, USDOT, and the public. The list shall include information supporting the proposed classification.

4. In determining whether a facility serves regional transportation needs, ADOT or the MPO where one exists shall consider at a minimum whether the facility:

a. Would be classified as a principal arterial based on average daily traffic or other factors, if not for limitations that the USDOT places on the percentage of streets that can be so classified.

b. For all other roadways, whether the facility:

i. Serves regional mobility needs, as opposed to local access.

ii. Carries regional traffic from one principal arterial to another.

iii. Is a modification that expands a facility such that it would serve regional transportation needs.

5. For the purposes of this Article, a street with a lower classification than a collector street, as specified in the most recent federal classification map for the region, does not serve regional transportation needs.

6. None of the following attributes, by itself, shall require a transportation project to be included in the modeling of a metropolitan area's transportation network:

a. The connection of a facility that does not serve regional transportation needs to a facility that does serve regional transportation needs.

b. The addition or modification of a lane other than a through lane.

S. An agency having a role or responsibility under this Section may delegate that role or responsibility to another entity pursuant to the applicable state law but shall notify all other parties to the consultation process of this fact when the delegation occurs and shall also provide to the other parties the name, address, and telephone number of one or more contact persons representing the entity that is accepting the delegated role or responsibility.

T. The provisions of this Section apply only to TIP and STIP planning cycles beginning with the cycles next following the effective date of this Section. The provisions of 40 CFR 51, Subpart T, continue to apply to all TIP and STIP planning cycles in progress at the time of the effective date of this Section. The provisions of this Section apply to consultation on projects and TIP amendments as of the effective date of this Section.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R18-2-1405

Adopted effective June 15, 1995 (Supp. 95-2).