Section 18 AAC 50.015 - Air quality designations, classifications, and control regions(a) To identify an area by its air quality, all geographic areas in the state are designated by the federal administrator as "attainment," "nonattainment," or "unclassifiable." An area is designated "attainment" for a particular air pollutant if its air quality meets the ambient air quality standard for that air pollutant. If air quality does not meet the ambient standard for a particular air pollutant, that area is designated "nonattainment" for that air pollutant. If there is insufficient information to classify an area as attainment or nonattainment for a particular air pollutant, the area is designated "unclassifiable" for that air pollutant.(b) The following areas have been designated by the federal administrator in 40 C.F.R. 81 as "nonattainment" for the specified air pollutants: (3) for PM-2.5: Fairbanks and North Pole urban area.(c) To establish standards for the prevention of significant deterioration of air quality, geographic areas in the state are (1) divided into four "air quality control regions" as follows: (A) Cook Inlet Intrastate Air Quality Control Region;(B) Northern Alaska Intrastate Air Quality Control Region; (C) South Central Alaska Intrastate Air Quality Control Region; and(D) Southeast Alaska Intrastate Air Quality Control Region; and(2) classified as shown in Table 1 in this subsection for each air pollutant for which the area is designated "unclassifiable" or "attainment." Table 1. Air Quality Classifications
| Classification | Geographic Area |
| Class I areas | Denali National Park including the Denali Wilderness but excluding the Denali National Preserve |
| Bering Sea National Wildlife Refuge designated as a National Wilderness Area |
| Simeon of National Wildlife Refuge designated as a National Wilderness Area |
| Tuxedni National Wildlife Refuge designated as a National Wilderness Area |
| Class II areas | All other geographic areas in Alaska not classified as Class I or Class III |
| Class III areas | No areas in Alaska |
(d) The following areas are subject to maintenance plan requirements for carbon monoxide, as required under 42 U.S.C. 7505 a, and as adopted by reference in 18 AAC 50.030 as part of the state air quality control plan:(1) the Municipality of Anchorage;(2) Fairbanks and North Pole urban area.(e) The following areas are subject to maintenance plan requirements for PM-10, as required under 42 U.S.C. 7505 a, and as adopted by reference in 18 AAC 50.030 as part of the state air quality control plan: (1) Eagle River area of Anchorage.(2) Mendenhall Valley area of Juneau.Eff. 1/18/97, Register 141; am 2/20/2004, Register 169; am 6/24/2004, Register 170; am 10/10/2004, Register 171; am 12/9/2010, Register 196; am 10/6/2013, Register 208, January 2014; am 4/17/2015, Register 214, July 2015 ; am 11/7/2020, Register 236, January 2021The nonattainment area and maintenance boundaries, the air quality control region boundaries, and the Class I area boundaries are depicted on maps in the state air quality control plan adopted by reference in 18 AAC 50.030. Air quality control region and nonattainment area boundaries are described in 40 C.F.R. 81, as revised as of July 1, 2003.
As of Register 154, July 2000, the regulations attorney made a technical revision under AS 44.62.125(b)(6) in Table 1 at 18 AAC 50.015(c)(2).
As of Register 184 (January 2008), the regulations attorney made a technical revision under AS 44.62.125(b)(6), to Table 1 in 18 AAC 50.015(c).
As of Register 193 (April 2010), the regulations attorney made a technical revision under AS 44.62.125(b)(6), to 18 AAC 50.015(d).
Authority:AS 46.03.020
AS 46.14.010
AS 46.14.030