Connecting Alaska to the World And the World to Alaska
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Borough Hosts First in Series of Public Meetings on Air Quality

Fairbanks, AK - The Fairbanks North Star Borough unveiled anew community action program during a meeting in North Pole on Thursday night.  The program encourages residents to voluntarily refrain from burning wood on days when air quality is poor. 

The Fairbanks North Star Borough has reported a “Very Unhealthy” Air Quality Index in North Pole for most of the week.  That’s why Borough officials decided to unveil a new ‘Air Quality Community Action Program’ there.  Borough Air Quality Manager Doctor Jim Connor told an audience of roughly 20 people residents need take responsibility for the problem. “Blaming the inversions is like blaming gravity for being overweight,” he joked to the audience.

Borough officials are asking area residents to voluntarily cut back on burning wood when air quality is poor.  Wood burning accounts for more than half the fine particulate matter that’s contributing to a think hazing currently hanging over the region.  Borough Chief of Staff Jeff Jacobsen says beyond  subzero temperatures this week, conditions are prime for dangerous levels of pollution. “We have the EPA guidelines that we have to meet by 2014," says Jacobsen, "and we have super high energy costs which are placing stress on families to find cheaper ways to heat their homes and pay their electric bill which is of course increasing the use of wood and coal, which add to the air quality problems.”

When residents sign up for the new Borough-wide program they’ll receive a text message, phone call or email on days when air quality is poor.  The advisory will ask resident to voluntarily turn to a heating source other than wood for at least 24 hours.  Doctor Jim Conner estimates that if residents voluntarily switch to heating oil, it will cost roughly 10 dollars a day. “Really the only way that we have to fix this problem is to reduce the emission problem that we put out with our home heating," says Connor.  "It’s really the only thing that we can do.”

Conner says the Borough would be well on its way to solving its air quality woes if 7800 households sign up and respond to the alerts.