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Summary of Fairbanks Carbon Monoxide (CO) Maintenance Plan and Second 10-Year Limited Maintenance Plan

Background

The urban portion of the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) was designated in 1990 as a nonattainment area for CO and classified as moderate. Fairbanks was reclassified as a serious nonattainment area for failing to attain the ambient eight-hour CO health standard by the December 31, 1995 deadline on March 30, 1998.

A new plan was required by October 1, 1999. However, an attainment plan was not submitted to EPA by the deadline.

On April 3, 2000, the EPA published a Federal Register Notice (65 FR 17444 (PDF)(2 pp, 215 K, About PDF)) stating that initial, mandatory sanctions would be triggered if a new plan was not submitted by October 2, 2001.

In March 2001 Fairbanks and the Department of Environmental Conservation submitted a request to EPA for an extension of the attainment date from December 31, 2000 to December 31, 2001. On May 25, 2001, EPA granted approval (66 FR 28836 (PDF)(4 pp, 137 K)).

Alaska submitted a new plan on August 30, 2001, and EPA approved the plan on February 4, 2002 (67 FR 5064 (PDF)(6 pp, 151 K)). 

The State of Alaska submitted a maintenance plan and redesignation request on June 21, 2004. EPA proposed (69 FR 44632 (PDF)(3 pp, 145 K)) and approved (69 FR 44601 (PDF)(7 pp, 166 K)) the plan and redesignation to attainment on July 27, 2004.

The State submitted three revisions to the Alaska SIP relating to the motor vehicle inspection and maintenance program in Fairbanks:

  1. A March 29, 2002, submittal containing minor revisions to the statewide I/M program.
  2. A December 11, 2006, submittal containing more substantial revisions to the statewide I/M program.
  3. A June 5, 2008, submittal containing major revisions to the statewide I/M program discontinuing the I/M program in Fairbanks as an active control measure in the SIP and shifting it to a contingency measure.

EPA proposed to approve the revisions on September 15, 2009 (74 FR 47154 (PDF)(6 pp, 158 K)) and took final action on March 22, 2010 (75 FR 13436 (PDF)(6 pp, 159 K)). 

On April 22, 2013, the State of Alaska submitted the Second 10-Year Limited Maintenance Plan (LMP) for the Fairbanks, Alaska CO area. The area qualified for an LMP because the second highest 8-hour CO concentration for the Fairbanks area for the most recent 8 quarters (2011-2012) was 3.6 ppm, which is significantly below the LMP Option requirement of 7.65 ppm.

The EPA approved the LMP on August 9, 2013 (78 FR 48611 (PDF)(5 pp, 264 K)). 

Summary

The maintenance plan focuses on the Federal Motor Vehicle Emission Control Program, electrical plug-ins to facilitate the use of block heaters for employee parking spaces, and public awareness campaigns to boost transit ridership.

Rules

  • 40 CFR Part 86, Federal Motor Vehicle Emission Control Program.

Ordinances

  • Ordinance No. 2001-17, An Ordinance Mandating a Fairbanks North Star Borough Motor Vehicle Plug-in Program.
  • Ordinance No. 2003-71, October 30, 2003, An Ordinance amending the Carbon Monoxide Emergency Episode Prevention Plan including implementing a Woodstove Control Ordinance.

Contingency Measures

  • Measures are focused on expanded transit operations, increasing the number of parking spaces equipped with electrical plug-in units, and road system improvements. Fairbanks is implementing these measures early.
  • Ordinance No. 91-044, October 1991, Requiring the Borough to issue twice-daily CO forecasts during the months of November through February.
  • 18 AAC 52, Emissions Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) requirements for Motor Vehicles.

Attainment Date

December 31, 2001

Redesignation EPA Effective Date

September 27, 2004

Second 10-Year LMP Effective Date

October 9, 2013