Alaska officials are outlining new measures to control pollution in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, as federal regulators plan to upgrade two borough cities from moderate to serious air quality nonattainment areas this summer.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports that Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation officials say the new rules for Fairbanks and North Pole will have the most immediate impact on wood sellers, home sellers, and power plant operators.
The regulations include requiring homeowners to remove old wood and pellet stoves before selling their properties and having power plant operators place additional filters in their smoke stacks.
Efforts to improve air quality in the two areas have already been underway, with businesses voluntarily disclosing the moisture content of firewood and power plants taking additional steps to reduce emissions.
