As used in this Article:
(1) "Conformity" means the extent to which transportation plans, programs, and projects conform to federal air quality requirements as specified in 40 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 93, Subpart A (1 July 1998 Edition).
(1a) "Consolidated Metropolitan Planning Organization" means a metropolitan planning organization created on or after January 1, 2001, through a memorandum of understanding by the consolidation of two or more metropolitan planning organizations in existence prior to January 1, 2001, and in accordance with 23 U.S.C. § 134.
(2) "Department" means the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
(3) "Interface" means a relationship between streams of traffic that efficiently and safely maximizes the mobility of people and goods within and through urbanized areas and minimizes transportation-related fuel consumption and air pollution.
(4) "Metropolitan Planning Organization" or "MPO" means an agency that is designated or redesignated by a memorandum of understanding as a Metropolitan Planning Organization in accordance with 23 U.S.C. § 134.
(5) "Regionally significant project" has the same meaning as under 40 Code of Federal Regulations 93.101 (1 July 1998 Edition).
(6) "Regional travel demand model" means a model of a region, defined in the model, that is approved by the Department and each Metropolitan Planning Organization whose boundaries include any part of the region and that uses socioeconomic data and projections to predict demands on a transportation network. (1999-328, s. 4.10; 2000-80, ss. 1-3.)