Fairbanks must now use new emissions budgets for transportation planning

US environmental regulators have approved new motor vehicle emissions budgets for Fairbanks, Alaska. This means the city must now use these specific budgets when planning its transportation projects.

Fairbanks has been out of compliance with air quality standards for fine particulate matter for years. This ruling forces the city to use updated, likely stricter, emissions targets for all new roads and public transit. It makes it harder to build new infrastructure that would increase vehicle traffic.