PUBLIC NOTICE: NOTICE OF CANCELLATION OF PUBLIC HEARING
STATE OF ALASKA
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
University of Alaska Fairbanks
University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) has made a preliminary decision to approve University of Alaska Fairbanks’s (UAF’s) application for Air Quality Control Minor Permit AQ0316MSS08 Rev. 1 for the University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus (UAF Campus).
Applicant:
University of Alaska Fairbanks
803 Alumni Drive, P.O. Box 757380, Fairbanks, AK 99705
Location:
Fairbanks, Alaska
64.8579º North; 147.8348º West
Activity:
The basis for this permit revision is classified under AS 46.14.130(c)(2), because the Department finds that public health or air quality effects provide a reasonable basis to regulate the stationary source. This finding is contained in the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) Serious Nonattainment Area (NAA) adopted on November 19, 2019.
The Department is processing Minor Permit AQ0316MSS08 Rev. 1 under the Department’s revoke and reissuance procedures under AS 46.14.280(a)(2), and therefore no permit application was submitted by the Permittee. The Department is preparing a new comprehensive SIP with a new determination that SO2 BACT limits for major stationary sources are not required to satisfy the State’s obligations under the Clean Air Act requirements for stationary sources in the NAA. Given that the Department originally issued Minor Permit AQ0316MSS08 for the purpose of implementing SO2 controls identified in the FNSB NAA SIP for the UAF Campus, The Department now finds no underlying basis for issuing such permit.
The Department sent UAF a notice of intent to revoke and reissue Minor Permit AQ0316MSS08 Rev. 1 under AS 46.14.280(a)(2), on July 30, 2024, to remove SO2 conditions and add PM2.5 conditions and additional monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting (MR&R) requirements.
Emissions:
Minor Permit AQ0316MSS08 Rev. 1 authorizes a change in SO2 emissions only. With this permitting action, UAF’s potential SO2 emissions will revert to 761 tons per year, the levels in place prior to the issuance of AQ0316MSS08, before the existing SO2 limits went into effect on October 1, 2020. The Department does not consider this change to be a potential or actual emissions increase under 18 AAC 50.502(c)(3), or a potential or net emissions increase under 40 C.F.R. 52.21(b).
ADEC Preliminary Review:
ADEC drafted a preliminary permit decision for this project under AS 46.14 and 18 AAC 50.
Available Information:
Copies of the revoke and reissue letter, ADEC’s preliminary minor permit and technical analysis report (TAR) are available at the following offices:
ADEC Air Permits Program, 410 Willoughby Avenue, Suite 303, Juneau, AK 99801
ADEC Air Permits Program, 555 Cordova Street, Anchorage, AK 99501
These documents are also available at ADEC’s website at: http://dec.alaska.gov/Applications/Air/airtoolsweb/AirPermitsApprovalsAndPublicNotices/
Opportunity for Public Participation:
Any interested person may present written statements relevant to the preliminary decision by October 25, 2024. ADEC will consider all comments received and make any changes ADEC finds beneficial or necessary to assure compliance with 18 AAC 50 or state law. ADEC will issue a final decision to issue or deny the permit after the close of the public comment period.
ADEC complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If you are a person with a disability who may need a special accommodation in order to participate in this public process, please contact Julia Schweminiski at (907) 269-7660 or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY or dial 711 by the 15th day of this public comment period to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.
Comments relevant to the preliminary minor permit and draft operating permit may be submitted electronically via ADEC’s public notice site at https://dec.alaska.gov/Applications/Air/airtoolsweb/FormalComments, or to Dave Jones by mail to PO Box 111800, Juneau, AK 99811-1800, or by email to dave.jones2@alaska.gov and dec.air.comment@alaska.gov. Comments must be received by close of public comments period at 11:59 p.m. Alaska time on October 25, 2024. Except for comments classified under AS 46.14.520, all public comments submitted during the public comment period can be viewed at https://dec.alaska.gov/Applications/Air/airtoolsweb/AirPermitsApprovalsAndPublicNotices after the public comment period.
Hearing:
ADEC published a public notice regarding these proposed changes on September 23, 2024. In the public notice the Department announced that a public hearing for these proposed regulations was tentatively scheduled for Thursday, October 24, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. via teleconference. The Department did not receive a request to hold the public hearing by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 17, 2024, as required in the original public notice. Therefore, the public hearing will not be held.