A map of the various levels of attainment and non-attainment in key areas around the state of Texas helps state planners implement Clean Air Act compliance mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency. The main exceptions to compliance are: carbon monoxide in El Paso and ozone in Houston/Galveston/Brazoria, Dallas/Ft. Worth, and El Paso (one-hour). There are also three early action compact areas: San Antonio, Austin and Northeast Texas. They have pledged to meet the 8- hour ozone standard earlier than required. Two areas are near non- attainment by a slim margin, Corpus Christi and Victoria. The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) launched the Center for Air Quality Studies in 2000 to help non-attainment areas meet federal goals and to keep attainment areas in compliance. Projects include: evaluating the cost effectiveness of mobile source emissions reduction programs, assisting in reviewing project selection processes for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), evaluating forecasting model used to estimate reduction measures' effectiveness, and developing a list of new mobile source emission reduction measures.
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