(AGENPARL) – lun 23 ottobre 2023 Issued: Oct 23, 2023 (3:32pm EDT)
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State of Alaska, Fairbanks North Star Borough receive $10M EPA grant to
improve air quality
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded $10 million in
Targeted Airshed Grant funding to the Alaska Department of Environmental
Conservation (DEC) to help the Fairbanks North Star Borough improve air
quality in the nonattainment area. 
EPA’s Targeted Airshed Grants are used to support local clean air projects
in areas facing the highest levels of ground-level ozone and fine particulate
matter, commonly known as smog and soot. Since Alaska’s first Targeted
Airshed Grant in 2017, the EPA has provided nearly $42 million to help the
State and Borough improve air quality.
The borough will use the grant funds to reduce direct fine particulate matter
emissions in the Fairbanks North Star Borough nonattainment area through
multiple projects: removing and replacing solid-fueled heating devices,
replacing oil heating appliances with natural gas or propane, and expanding
the availability of natural gas to underserved communities via mainline
extensions. This is the first time that Targeted Airshed Grant funding has
been awarded to expand access to natural gas.
“The state, the borough, and local leaders are making progress on improving
air quality for local communities,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey
Sixkiller. “We are all working together to develop the right approach to get
to healthier air, and this round of EPA’s Targeted Airshed Grant funding
will further bolster the community’s efforts to reduce wood smoke pollution
and improve air quality in the Borough.”
Wood smoke remains the largest source of fine particle pollution in the
Fairbanks North Star Borough. The borough’s existing woodstove conversion
program has removed or converted 464 woodstove or other solid fuel-fired
heating devices in the non-attainment area. This grant is estimated to remove
or convert an additional approximately 335 solid-fueled heating devices and
oil heating appliances to natural gas or propane. 
DEC is partnering with the Interior Gas Utility in order to extend its natural
gas distribution lines to more areas within the nonattainment area with a
priority focus on communities with environmental justice concerns. This
expansion will broaden the depth of eligible applicants for solid fuel burning
appliances and oil to gas conversion and further assist in the reductions of
PM2.5 and SO2. 
Criteria for determining where to extend natural gas main lines will include
location within an environmental justice area, distance from the existing main
line, and concentration of consumer interest. A combination of these factors
will ensure that the main lines that are extended as a result of the grant
funding will reach residents who are ready to switch to natural gas. It will
also focus expansion to serve communities with environmental justice
concerns. 
“All Alaskans deserve clean air and warm homes, and this funding can help
our Interior residents achieve both,” said Representative Peltola. “This
$10 million grant will help the Fairbanks-North Star Borough continue the
progress they have made in tackling this issue and shows what can happen when
the federal government works with Alaskans rather than against us. I’m
grateful for this partnership that is focused on helping our communities
achieve shared goals rather than punishing Alaskans for relying on the fuels
we have available. That’s also why I am especially glad to see $5 million
dedicated for supporting natural gas hookups in the community. Alaska’s
natural gas resources could play a major role in both decreasing the cost of
energy and reducing pollution from particulate matter, and I will continue to
push for affordable, Alaska-made energy solutions to benefit our
communities.”  
“While this grant targets natural gas and fuel oil, funding remains from
prior grant awards for switching out current woodstoves for more efficient
woodstoves. DEC’s Division of Air Quality has worked diligently to produce a
list of approved clean burning woodstoves to inform the Fairbanks North Star
Borough Wood Stove Change Out Program,” said Alaska Department of
Environmental Conservation Acting Commissioner Emma Pokon. “We appreciate
the support for the FNSB community and our air quality team to produce
solutions that allow Alaskans to affordably heat their homes and achieve
healthier air for all.”  
Borough Mayor Bryce J. Ward said, “The support and aid of the Environmental
Protection Agency and the State of Alaska Department of Environmental
Conservation are greatly appreciated as we continue to navigate this complex
journey to attain the national PM2.5 standard and have cleaner air for all
borough residents. This award of the Targeted Airshed Grant will continue to
help reduce emissions in the Fairbanks non-attainment area by assisting
homeowners to upgrade existing home heating devices to gas-fired ones.”
Contact
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