El Paso Comprehensive Modal Emissions Model (CMEM) Case Study (0-2107-2)

Federal and environmental transportation laws require that transportation projects conform to air quality goals in nonattainment areas . If the plan does not conform, funding for transportation could be delayed or withheld. Analysis tools are needed to better estimate the impacts of transportation projects on air quality . This report documents the methodologies and data requirements for running the comprehensive modal emissions model (CMEM) and documents the results of a case study conducted in the El Paso, Texas, area . The report also discusses the advantages of using the CMEM software and suggests potential uses for the software in the El Paso area . The CMEM software predicts emissions from light-duty vehicles, automobiles, and small trucks . The model estimates emissions for light-duty vehicles under various operating conditions and is capable of predicting fuel consumption and second-by-second tailpipe emissions for various vehicle categories . The main purpose of the model was to estimate vehicle tailpipe emissions for various categories of vehicles, with consideration given to the length of time the vehicle is operating and vehicle operations such as accelerating, decelerating, idling, and cruising.