2026 Fairbanks Nonattainment Area Split Regulations – North Pole Oral Hearing

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has initiated a regulatory process to amend 18 AAC 50, aiming to divide the existing Fairbanks North Star Borough 24-hour PM 2.5 nonattainment area into two separate zones: the Fairbanks area and the North Pole area. This proposal is intended to better align air quality management strategies with local conditions. The agency also plans to update the State Air Quality Control Plan to reflect these changes, which will subsequently be submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for inclusion in the State Implementation Plan. The public is invited to provide comments on the proposed regulations, including potential compliance costs, until 11:59 p.m. on November 30, 2026. DEC has scheduled two public hearings: one in Fairbanks on November 17, 2026, and one in North Pole on November 18, 2026. Questions regarding the proposal must be submitted by November 20, 2026, to ensure a formal response from the agency. DEC Commissioner Randy Bates signed the notice, which cites statutory authority under AS 46.03.020 and AS 46.14.020, 030, and 140. The department does not anticipate that these regulatory changes will require an increased appropriation.