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Environment - Air Quality

What does the Air Quality group at WSDOT do?

  • Regulatory Compliance. The Air Quality Program within WSDOT works to improve the air in our state by ensuring our transportation projects comply with applicable environmental laws.
  • Promote clean transportation options. In addition to regulatory compliance, WSDOT is also working with other organizations to develop and promote clean transportation for people and goods in Washington.
  • Reducing our emissions. Within the agency we are taking steps to cut our operating emissions and reducing diesel exhaust continues to be a high priority.

For more info on air quality, read our Air Quality Folio (pdf 688 kb) and check out some of the additional air quality resources. 

For information on what WSDOT is doing about climate change, please visit our main climate change page. Information on how we are addressing climate change in project documents is included on our energy page. 

How does WSDOT analyze air quality?

If you are working on a WSDOT project and need an air quality analysis, please submit a completed Task Request Form (doc 167 kb) to Jim Laughlin.

Regulatory Compliance

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) office of Transportation and Air Quality regulates emissions from vehicles, engines, and fuels. Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Air Quality site provides more information about the air quality requirements for transportation projects. Before a project is built, we must show that it will not adversely affect air quality. The FHWA Conformity site describes regulations governing these analysis. 

In Washington State, regional planning organizations, such as the Puget Sound Regional Council, coordinate local transportation projects in transportation implementation plans every four years. These individual plans are complied into multi-sector plans by the local clean air agencies. In the Puget Sound region, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has this responsibility. These plans must show that the projects conform with state and federal regulations. 

WSDOT evaluates each project for its effects on our air quality. We focus on four primary types of pollutants:

  • Carbon monoxide, in significant quantities, can inhibit the body's ability to take up oxygen. However, carbon monoxide is no longer much of a problem because of improved vehicle exhaust systems. Nonetheless, conformity regulations require us to analyze carbon monoxide concentrations at project intersections.
  • Ozone is harmful to the respiratory systems of animals. It is not emitted by vehicles, rather it is a byproduct of several other vehicle emissions. Like carbon monoxide, this pollutant is not currently a big issue. However climate change may change ozone's prevalence.
  • Particulate matter (e.g., dust, smoke, and diesel exhaust) also negatively affect human health, especially the respiratory system. Particulate matter is produced both as a byproduct of combustion and when dust released into the air. Regulations regarding particulate matter are changing to require tighter controls on these emissions.
  • Mobile source air toxics (MSATs) are a group of chemicals prioritized by the EPA for reduction in transportation projects. These chemicals are known to adversely impact human health.

What we are working on with others?

WSDOT is working in conjunction with other group to address vehicle pollution.

  • The Puget Sound Maritime Air Forum is working to reduce air pollution at ports in the Northwest.
  • Cascadia Center supports the development of a balanced, integrated, and expanded transportation system for people and goods in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. This center is part of the Discovery Institute.
  • The annual Faster Freight - Cleaner Air conference covers resources and solutions to reduce emissions while improving operations.

What is WSDOT doing to reduce its own emissions?

Within the agency we are working to reduce our emissions as well. Some of the steps we have taken include

  • Reducing idle times. Our no-idle policy (pdf 362 kb)instructs employees to turn off engines when they are not needed to reduce idling. This both reduces air pollutants and saves fuel. In addition to reducing idling in vehicles, we are also implementing this easy strategy for equipment that is not being used.
  • Mowing less often. Our maintenance crews are mowing the right of way area next to the roads less frequently. Again, while reducing air pollutants, this also conserves fuel.
  • Installing LED lights. We are installing LED warning lights on many vehicles. With these high-efficiency lights we can turn the engine off without worrying about running down the batteries. Many traffic signals have also been replaced with LED lights.
     

What is being done to reduce diesel pollution?

In addition, to further address diesel exhaust, in 2002 the EPA released new standards for diesel fuel reducing the allowable sulphur levels. 

Additional air quality resources

Within Washington State the Department of Ecology regulates emissions of air pollutants. See Ecology's Air Quality website for more information on what they do.

If you are interested in what other state transportation departments are doing regarding air quality, check out the Oregon Department of Transportation and the California Department of Transportation websites.

Air quality is one factor that is considered in the Comprehensive Plans/Growth Management development process.

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