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DRAFT GUIDANCE ISSUED TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY

Release Date: 06/09/2000
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FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 2000

DRAFT GUIDANCE ISSUED TO STATE AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY


EPA is releasing draft guidance, “Recognizing the Air Quality Benefits of Local and State Land Use Policies and Projects in the Air Quality Planning Process.” The document gives guidance to communities to develop “smart growth” strategies for improving air quality. This can be accomplished by accounting for the air quality benefits of land use measures that reduce vehicle miles traveled and pollution from cars and other mobile sources in a state’s air quality planning processes. The guidance supports and recognizes innovation and creativity in land use policies and projects through voluntary measures. Examples include infill development, brownfield redevelopment and development oriented toward public transit projects. The draft guidance proposes options that will allow communities who experience air quality problems to recognize the benefit of developing land use activities. These options could be used to encourage communities to try new strategies that could provide a wealth of benefits in addition to better air quality. EPA is also seeking comment on various methods for assessing and quantifying these benefits. The Agency plans to issue final guidance by this fall. A copy of the draft guidance is available at: www.epa.gov/otaq/traq.

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