Commission Approves Submission of CMAQ Request toJoCo County
Johnson County is set to participate in the Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) grant program once again, with the Johnson County Commission approving the submission of a grant application for a 2026 dust mitigation project on County Road and Bridge.
The application, totalling $418,516, requires a 20% local match, amounting to $83,703. If successful, the federal portion of the grant, after the local match, would be $334,812.
County Road and Bridge Supervisor Scott Pehringer presented the request to the commission.
Over the years, the participation of more counties in the CMAQ grant program has resulted in funding being distributed among a larger number of counties. This trend implies that as the CMAQ program draws more county participants, the overall pie of funds does not necessarily increase proportionally, causing more competition and smaller shares per county.
Johnson County, along with around five other counties, has been participating in the CMAQ program for approximately 18 or 19 years. However, with more counties involved, each county receives less funding for their projects.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) revisions show ongoing updates and allocation of CMAQ funds in regional projects, reflecting active program management and distribution. However, there is no direct evidence that total funding has increased to offset the rise in participating counties.
Specific projects continue to utilize CMAQ funds for environmental and engineering design phases, but funding pressure likely grows as more applicants participate.
The CMAQ grant program has been instrumental in supporting various projects across Johnson County over the years. As the program continues to expand, it remains to be seen how the distribution of funds will evolve to accommodate the increased competition.
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- As Johnson County prepares to apply for a 2026 dust mitigation project, it's crucial to consider that the increasing number of counties participating in the CMAQ grant program may result in less funding per county due to the program's budget not necessarily increasing proportionally.
- As the CMAQ grant program expands and attracts more county participants, it's essential to investigate if the allocation of funds in environmental-science, industry, and finance sectors will evolve to accommodate the increased competition, ensuring sustainable growth for all participating jurisdictions.
