DEC publishing Fairbanks air quality plan

Alan Bailey

Petroleum News

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation has announced that in mid-May it anticipates releasing a draft air quality plan for the Fairbanks North Star Borough. The plan, termed a serious state implementation plan, or SIP, has been mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency to address major problems with fine particulates in the Fairbanks air, primarily resulting from the use of wood burning stoves to heat buildings during the winter. Winter thermal inversions tend exacerbate the problem.

The particulate pollution infringes the federal Clean Air Act - hence the mandated SIP.

DEC and the borough have been designing the SIP and plan to hold public outreach meetings during the week of May 13 to present the draft plan and answer questions. The department is also reviewing suggestions from a local stakeholder group. The agency plans formal public hearings in the borough on June 25 and 26.

“Local solutions are critical to improving air quality and we look forward to engaging with the community on the draft plan and associated regulations in the coming months,” said DEC Commissioner Jason Brune. “It is our goal to address this public health concern and meet the federal Clean Air Act requirements while developing a final plan that can best address the local air pollution problem.”

The federal deadline for attaining the required air quality standard is the end of this year. However, the agencies have realized that this deadline cannot be met and are designing a SIP for a longer timeframe. Although the agencies had previously made a formal application for a five-year extension to the deadline, they have now moved to developing a plan aimed at reducing pollution emissions by 5% per year.

“The air monitoring data has shown significant improvements over the past few years, but there is more work to be done to bring the area into compliance with the health standards,” said borough Mayor Bryce Ward. “The proposed approach will provide for steady progress and allow time for air quality programs to work and for the community to succeed.”

- ALAN BAILEY