# 2024-30649: EPA Gives Alaska More Time to Fix Fairbanks' Dirty Air

2024-30649, Interim Final Determination To Defer Sanctions; AK, Fairbanks North Star Borough, is a Federal Register rule from an unnamed agency published 2025-01-08, effective 2025-01-08 (as of 2026-06-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2024-30649
- As of: 2026-06-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2024-30649
- Title: Interim Final Determination To Defer Sanctions; AK, Fairbanks North Star Borough
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: unknown
- Citation: unknown
- Published: 2025-01-08
- Effective: 2025-01-08
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: no
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-11

## In one line

EPA Gives Alaska More Time to Fix Fairbanks' Dirty Air

## Summary

The EPA has decided to pause penalties for the Fairbanks North Star Borough in Alaska because the state fixed its air pollution plan to meet clean air rules. This means no sanctions will hit the area for now, starting January 8, 2025, while the EPA reviews public comments until February 7, 2025. Residents and businesses can breathe easier knowing the state’s efforts are keeping the air cleaner without immediate fines or restrictions.

## Abstract

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making an interim final determination that the State of Alaska has submitted state implementation plan (SIP) revisions that satisfy outstanding Clean Air Act requirements. This interim final determination defers the imposition of sanctions for the 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) Fairbanks North Star Borough PM<INF>2.5</INF> nonattainment area. This determination is based on a proposed approval, published in the "Proposed Rules" section of this Federal Register, of the SIP revisions, submitted by the State of Alaska (Alaska or the State) on December 4, 2024, to address Clean Air Act requirements for the 2006 24-hour PM<INF>2.5</INF> national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS).

## Effects PRIA read

- Sanctions Deferred for Fairbanks Area: benefit, low. The EPA is pausing the imposition of CAA section 179 offset and highway sanctions for the Fairbanks North Star Borough PM2.5 nonattainment area effective January 8, 2025, because Alaska submitted SIP revisions on December 4, 2024. The pause remains while the EPA reviews public comments through Febr…
- Sanctions Could Be Reimposed After Comments: cost, medium. If public comments change the EPA's assessment, the EPA may take subsequent final action to impose the offset and highway sanctions pursuant to 40 CFR 52.31(d). Comments are accepted until February 7, 2025, and petitions for judicial review of this action must be filed by March 10, 2025.
- Sanctions End If SIP Fully Approved: benefit, low. If the EPA issues a full final approval of Alaska's SIP revisions, all sanctions and the sanction clocks related to the December 5, 2023 disapproval will be permanently terminated on the effective date of that full approval.
- No New Requirements for Small Businesses: benefit, low. The EPA states this action defers sanctions and imposes no new requirements, and certifies under the Regulatory Flexibility Act that it will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

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## Sources
- [2024-30649 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/08/2024-30649/interim-final-determination-to-defer-sanctions-ak-fairbanks-north-star-borough)
- [2024-30649 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-01-08/pdf/2024-30649.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2024-29967, Spectrum Rules and Policies for the Operation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2024-29967)
- [Next: 2024-30826, Certificates of Compliance](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2024-30826)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2024-30649 (as of 2026-06-11).
