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Borough reports progress on wood‑stove change‑out program; SIP approval and grant timing remain uncertain
Summary
Air-quality staff told the borough commission that the wood‑stove change‑out program has completed about 4,900 change‑outs and is ahead of schedule, the borough runs 17 active community monitors, EPA review of the state SIP is underway and an incentive increase approved by EPA awaits borough assembly action.
Fairbanks — At its May 7 meeting the Fairbanks North Star Borough’s air-quality manager reported progress on the borough’s wood‑stove change‑out program, current monitoring and federal and state steps remaining to finalize a state implementation plan (SIP).
The air‑quality manager said the program has completed “4,900 and some odd” change‑outs overall and that the borough is roughly “400 change‑outs ahead” of the schedule DEC provided for the SIP. He said staff expects change‑out activity to increase in the second and third quarters of 2025 after a typical spring slowdown.
The manager reported the borough operates 17 active community air monitors and is seeking locations that are locally owned or collaboratively hosted (for example schools and fire departments). “Most of the time we are looking at schools, fire departments, places that are either owned by the borough or collaborative with the borough,” he said.
Staff briefed commissioners on funding and grants: the manager said the borough is operating on three targeted airshed grants (it had previously administered four) and that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved a planned roughly 25% increase to the program’s removal incentives; that increase still requires borough assembly approval. The manager said the borough is awaiting federal action and applications for additional targeted airshed (TAS) grants and described delays caused by federal processing.
On the SIP timeline, borough staff reported the EPA proposed to approve the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) SIP and that the second public comment period has closed. “The EPA is reviewing those comments now and will hopefully have a final action by September,” the manager said. He added that the separate conformity determination has additional steps before a conformity freeze can be lifted and that DEC and EPA are hoping to complete that work in fall 2025.
Commissioners asked several procedural questions about potential state regulations tied to the SIP. When asked whether an energy‑audit requirement in the state regulation would depend on EPA’s action, the manager said EPA can approve or disapprove the SIP but cannot directly change state‑written regulations; changes to state regulations would be up to the state administration. The manager also described the timing for new ADEC regulation packages (he said some energy‑audit provisions are slated to start in January 2026) and noted the EPA has up to two years to act on a submitted boundary designation for national ambient air quality standards.
Staff also described a recent grant‑extension issue: a requested extension for a 2019 targeted airshed grant was informally approved, briefly rescinded amid administrative changes, and then ultimately approved with a 24‑month extension. The manager said borough staff expects they can spend the grant funds but cautioned there is uncertainty in federal timing and approvals.
Outreach activities reported included mailers across the nonattainment area, radio and TV advertising reminding residents the program remains active after December 2024, and staff attendance at community events. The manager said staff are coordinating with DEC to explore other assistance options beyond change‑outs.
No formal actions or votes on program funding or incentive increases occurred at the May 7 meeting; the incentive changes have EPA approval and await assembly approval, according to staff.
