The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) proposes to adopt regulation changes addressing air quality, to adopt federally required amendments to the state air quality plan, and amend requirements of the woodseller registration program for the Fairbanks North Star Borough Nonattainment Area.
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation proposes to adopt changes in 18AAC 50 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with air quality, including the following:
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Amend 18 AAC 50.010 to update the annual PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
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Amend 18 AAC 50.030 to adopt revisions to the State Air Quality Control Plan in:
Volume II Section III: Areawide Pollutant Control Program:
Adopt new Section III.L: Interstate Transport of Pollution;
Volume II Section III.K: Areawide Pollutant Control Program for Regional Haze:
Amend Section III.K.8: Long-Term Strategy, and
Amend Section III.K.10: 308 Future Plan Revisions;
Volume III Appendix to Volume II Section III.K: Areawide Pollutant Control Program for Regional Haze:
Amend Appendix III.K.8: Alaska Enhanced Smoke Management Plan, and
Amend Appendix III.K.10: 2015 Regional Haze Progress Report; and
Volume III Appendix to Volume II Section II: State Air Quality Control Program:
Amend Clean Air Act Section 110 Infrastructure Certification Documentation.
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Amend 18 AAC 50.065(e) to reference an existing regulation.
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Amend 18 AAC 50.076 to account for wood sellers that use mechanical or kiln drying methods and exempt portions of registered wood seller sales from moisture content measurement and disclosure requirements.
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Amend 18 AAC 50.715 to add a federal reference.
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Amend 18 AAC 50.720 to clarify charges imposed for inspection and copying of information related to a transportation conformity determination.
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Repeal 18 AAC 50.735: Frequency of Transportation Conformity Determinations.
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Amend 18 AAC 50.990 to modify the definition of “woodstove.”
Posting
The above list of proposed changes to the regulations only provides a concise summary of their subject matter. Copies of the proposed regulation changes and SIP amendments are available at http://dec.alaska.gov/air/anpms/SIP/AirQualityRegulations-2015.htm. A copy of material proposed for adoption by reference is available at http://dec.alaska.gov/Air/anpms/SIP/18AAC50ReferenceMaterials.htm.
Questions
You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action using the electronic question form at http://dec.alaska.gov/air/anpms/SIP/AirQualityRegulations-2015.htm;by email to dec.air.comment@alaska.gov;by facsimile to (907) 269-7508; or by mail to: Alex Edwards, Division of Air Quality, 619 E Ship Creek Ave, Suite 249 Anchorage, Alaska 99501. Questions may also be submitted verbally in testimony at the public hearing, if held. The department will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on http://dec.alaska.gov/air/anpms/SIP/AirQualityRegulations-2015.htm.The questions must be received by November 23, 2015. The Department may, but is not required to, answer written questions received after November 23, 2015, the 10-day cut-off date.
Comments
You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying and practical alternatives to the proposed changes. Submit written comments through the electronic comment form at https://dec.alaska.gov/Applications/Air/airtoolsweb/FormalComments;by e-mail to dec.air.comment@alaska.gov;by facsimile to (907) 269-7508; or by mail to: Alex Edwards, Division of Air Quality, 619 E Ship Creek Ave, Suite 249 Anchorage, Alaska 99501. Comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. on December 3, 2015. Comments received after this date will not be considered in final action on these rules and the air quality plan.
Hearings
ADEC has tentatively scheduled two public hearings for these proposed regulations on November 17, 2015, from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m., at the ADEC Anchorage Bayview Office, Conference Room A, 619 E Ship Creek Ave., Ste. 249, Anchorage, Alaska 99501 and the ADEC Fairbanks Office, Conference Room B, 610 University Dr., Fairbanks, Alaska 99709. The public hearings will be held only if a request to hold a public hearing is received by 5:00 p.m. on November 12, 2015. You may request a public hearing by calling Alex Edwards at 907-269-7695between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday or by e-mailing a request to alex.edwards@alaska.gov. If no request for a public hearing is received, the public hearing will be cancelled. ADEC will announce the cancellation of the public hearing by publishing a public notice, by 5:00 p.m. on November 13, 2015,on these websites: http://dec.alaska.gov/air/anpms/SIP/AirQualityRegulations-2015.htm and http://dec.alaska.gov/commish/public_notices.htm. If the public hearing is held, ADEC will accept written or oral comments and there will be a call-in number if you are unable to attend the meeting in person. The call-in number will be 1-800-315-6338, and the MeetMe Code will be 75791#. If held, the hearing will be extended if necessary to accommodate those present before 1:30 p.m. who did not have an opportunity to comment.
If you experience a disability and need special accommodation to participate inthis public process, please contact Natalie Wolfe at (907) 269-0291 or TDDRelay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY or dial 711 seven days prior to the public hearing to ensure necessary accommodations can be provided.
After the public comment period ends, ADEC will either adopt these or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulations may be different from that of the proposed regulations. YOU SHOULD COMMENT DURING THE TIME ALLOWED IF YOUR INTERESTS COULD BE AFFECTED. Written comments are public records and are subject to public inspection.
Statutory Authority: AS 46.03.010,AS 46.03.020, AS 46.14.010, AS 46.14.030
Statutes BeingImplemented, Interpreted, or Made Specific: AS 46.14.010, AS 46.14.030
Fiscal Information: The proposedregulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.Date: October 15, 2015
/s/
Alice Edwards, Deputy Commissioner
Anchorage,Alaska