Urbanized Area of Fairbanks
The Urbanized Area of Fairbanks has enacted a Stormwater Ordinance in order to establish minimum stormwater management requirements and controls to protect and safeguard the general health, safety, and welfare of the public residing in watersheds within this jurisdiction. The Urbanized Area of Fairbanks is the permitting authority for all land disturbing activities and requires the land owner to maintain all on-site stormwater control facilities and all open space areas (e.g. parks or “green” areas) required by the approved stormwater control plan. The Urbanized Area of Fairbanks will only provide construction permits to projects that establish a plan to manage stormwater runoff occurring during the construction process. The Urbanized Area of Fairbanks, under the NPDES program, also has the authority to inspect properties for noncompliance and can issue a notice of violation (NOV) for any deficiency or infraction onsite. Property owners are responsible for the maintenance of any stormwater facilities or practices located on the property. The Urbanized Area of Fairbanks has the authority to inspect stormwater facilities and practices in order to ascertain that they are properly maintained and functioning.
Fairbanks Urbanized Area Stormwater Laws & Regulations
Fairbanks Urbanized Area regulations are compliant with the Alaska Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System (APDES) permit requirements for the area’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) under two APDES permits (AKS-053414 and AKS-053406). The City of Fairbanks, the City of North Pole, Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB), and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) have collaborated to create nearly identical storm water management plans within the Fairbanks Urbanized Area. Because of this collaboration, each agency follows the same basic plan, but have separate areas of jurisdiction and project review authority.
Four (4) co-permittees have jurisdiction over the Fairbanks Urbanized Area:
The Fairbanks Urbanized Area Storm Water Management Agency Review & Project Submittal Requirements handout was drafted by the collaborating agencies in order to alleviate any confusion in terms of jurisdiction and submittal requirements. After determining which agency has jurisdiction over your area of operation, review the agency-specific requirements here. (City of Fairbanks, City of North Pole, Fairbanks North Star Borough, State of Alaska/ADEC)
EXCERPT- Fairbanks Storm Water Management Program, 2015
In 2005 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mandated local government agencies in Fairbanks develop, implement, and enforce a Storm Water Management Program to control pollutants in storm water being discharged from their storm drain systems to local water bodies.
In response…the Fairbanks North Star Borough, City of Fairbanks, City of North Pole, Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, and University of Alaska Fairbanks (each owning segments of storm drain system in the Fairbanks area) teamed up to create the program and collectively tackle storm water pollution. The program’s focus is to improve the water quality of the Chena River, Noyes Slough, Chena Slough, and all other water bodies to which storm water discharges in the Fairbanks area.
Supplemental Documents:
Fairbanks Urbanized Area Stormwater Construction Plan
Storm Water Management and Permitting Requirements
State of Alaska documents:
APDES Stormwater Website
Alaska Storm Water Guide
