County Commission Approves Submission of CMAQ Application
Johnson County is planning to apply for a Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) grant for a proposed dust mitigation project in 2026. The grant application, approved by the Johnson County Commission, seeks funding of $418,516, with a 20% local match of $83,703.
The CMAQ program, which has been active in Johnson County for approximately 18 or 19 years, has seen an increase in the number of participating counties. This expansion may impact the funding allocated to each county, potentially leading to reduced funding per participating county, including Johnson County.
As of mid-2025, there is no specific publicly available information indicating that CMAQ grant funding has been directly allocated to dust mitigation projects in Johnson County or explicitly detailed for dust mitigation in other participating counties.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) approved a large TIP amendment in mid-2025 that included new CMAQ-related projects with an overall net funding increase of about $175.7 million. However, the listed projects do not specify dust mitigation or Johnson County by name.
A regional grant program in 2025 allocated approximately $3 million for CMAQ within a broader context of transportation grants covering California and Nevada, but no specific project details or county breakdowns were provided that mention Johnson County or dust mitigation specifically.
Additional CMAQ funding announcements indicate amounts around $5 million to $358 million at various jurisdictional levels, intended for broad air quality and transportation improvements, but project specifics such as dust control in Johnson County or other counties are not disclosed.
Federal and state guidance resources mention overall CMAQ grants under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) but do not provide a project-level distribution focused on dust mitigation in the counties of interest.
For precise local dust mitigation funding status, it may be necessary to consult county transportation or air quality management officials or specific state DOT grant award announcements not captured in publicly aggregated summaries.
County Road and Bridge Supervisor Scott Pehringer presented the request before the commission this week. The 2026 dust mitigation project is the subject of the grant application, but further details about the purpose of the local match and the specific project are yet to be disclosed.
The CMAQ program's increased participation may pose challenges for Johnson County in securing sufficient funding for its dust mitigation projects. It is recommended that county officials continue to monitor grant opportunities and engage in dialogue with relevant agencies to ensure the best possible outcomes for Johnson County's dust mitigation initiatives.
[1] Source: Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) TIP Amendment, 2025 [2] Source: Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA) Grant Program, 2025 [3] Source: Various CMAQ Funding Announcements, 2025 [4] Source: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) CMAQ Program Guidance, 2025 [5] Source: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Guidance, 2021
- Due to the increase in participating counties within the CMAQ program, there might be a reduction in the funding per county, including Johnson County, raising concerns about securing sufficient funding for their proposed dust mitigation projects in politics and general news.
- As the CMAQ program expands, county officials in Johnson County may need to actively engage in dialogue with relevant agencies to ensure they receive the best grant opportunities for their dust mitigation initiatives, as funding allocations and project details are not explicitly detailed for dust mitigation projects in their county or other participating counties, according to the latest general news and political updates.
