HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2000-028
RESOLUTION NO. 2000-28
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING HOUSE RESOLUTION 1876 IN THE UNITED
STATES CONGRESS TO AMEND THE CLEAN AIR ACT
WHEREAS, the City of North Richland Hills is a member of the Regional
Transportation Council (RTC); and,
WHEREAS, the Regional Transportation Council serving as the Metropolitan
Planning Organization for the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG),
is responsible for the long-range transportation plan; and,
WHEREAS, the Regional Transportation Council IS responsible for air quality
conformity; and,
WHEREAS, the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 require that in air
quality nonattainment areas transportation plans and improvement programs conform to
the applicable air quality implementation plan; and
WHEREAS, on November 4, 1997, the Circuit Court ruled against the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), invalidating the one-year grace period
provision of the conformity regulations which provided a one-year grace period before
newly designated non-attainment areas were subject to conformity; and,
WHEREAS, newly designated non-attainment areas must now contend with
conformity upon designation and these newly designated non-attainment areas will be
in a conformity lapse until conformity is demonstrated; and,
WHEREAS, House Resolution 1876 and Senate Bill 1053 were introduced in the
United States Congress in May 1999 to reinstate the grace period for newly designated
areas that have proven that good faith efforts are underway, and reinstate full
grandfathering in all nonattainment areas that have also proven that good faith efforts
are underway; and
WHEREAS, if the state designates new nonattainment areas, the City of North
Richland Hills in cooperation with the region is asking Congress to give the State the
time to develop a State Implementation Plan, which would provide the time needed for
the Metropolitan Planning Organization to develop a plan to meet conformity; and,
WHEREAS, a conformity lapse would cause a suspension of federally funded
design and right-of-way acquisitions, prevent advancement of regionally significant non-
federally funded projects by state and local transportation agencies and prevent federal
agencies from completing NEPA actions on non-exempt projects; and,
WHEREAS, the State, in cooperation with the region and the cities in the region,
is working to avoid the possibility of a conformity lapse;
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and City Council of the
City of North Richland Hills that:
The City of North Richland Hills supports House Resolution 1867 and the
companion Senate Bill 1053 to amend the Clean Air Act to incorporate specified
provisions of transportation conformity regulations as in effect March 1, 1999; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by the Mayor and City Council of North Richland
Hills that this resolution shall be sent to Representative Frost, Representative Granger
and Representative Barton in the United States House of Representatives, and Senator
Gramm and Senator Hutchison in the United States Senate.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 24th day of April 2000.
APPROVED:
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Charles Scoma - Mayor
ATTEST:
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'-Patricia Hutson - City Secretary
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