EPA Bans Most Wood-Burning Stoves
Wood-burning stoves offer warmth and enhance off-grid living options during cold weather months, but the tried-and-true heating devices now are under attack by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA has banned the production and sale of the types of stoves used by about 80 percent of those with such stoves. The regulations limit the amount of “airborne fine-particle matter” to 12 micrograms per cubic meter of air. The current EPA regulations allow for 15 micrograms in the same amount of air space.
Most of the wood stoves currently nestled inside cabins and homes from coast-to-coast don’t meet the new environmental standard. The EPA launched a “Burn Wise” website to help convince the public that the new regulations were needed.
Trading in an old stove for a newer stove isn’t allowed.
“Replacing an older stove with a cleaner-burning stove will not improve air quality if the older stove is reused somewhere else,” the website says. “For this reason, wood stove change out programs usually require older stoves to be destroyed and recycled as scrap metal, or rendered inoperable.”
In some areas of the country, local governments have gone further than the EPA and banned not just the sale of such stoves, but the usage of old stoves – and even the usage of fireplaces. That means that even if you still have a stove or a fireplace, you can’t burn it for fear of a fine. Puget Sound, Washington, is one such location.
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Burn Wise is a partnership program associated with the EPA that is tasked with emphasizing the “importance of burning the right wood, the right way, in the right stove.” Information shared on the website operated by the federal government also states that both state and local agencies are pursuing ways to improve air quality that relate to wood-burning stoves.
The overall goal of the EPA Burn Wise program is to educate both local governmental agencies and citizens about the need for more “cleaner-burning” in the marketplace. Three of the most recent highlighted articles and webinars on the EPA Burn Wise website include details about a voluntary wood burning fireplace program, strategies for reducing residential wood some in state, tribal, and local communities, and a recording entitled, “Reducing Residential Wood Some: Is it Worth it?”
The EPA also has compiled a list of “approved” stoves.
According to a Washington Times review of the wood stove ban, the most dangerous aspect of the EPA proposed guidelines is the one-size-fits-all approach to the perceived problem. The same wood burning stove rules would apply to both heavily air-pollution laden major cities and far cleaner rural regions with extremely cooler temperatures. Families living in Alaska, or off the grid in wilderness area in the West, will most likely have extreme difficulty remaining in their cold, secluded homes if the EPA wood stove rules are approved.
The Times further said that wood burning stoves put less airborne fine-particle manner in the air than is present from secondhand some in a closed vehicle. When an individual smokes inside a car with the windows up, passengers are reportedly exposed to approximately 4,000 micrograms of soot per cubic meter.
Wrote the Times’ editorial board:
“Alaska’s 663,000 square miles is mostly forested, offering residents an abundant source of affordable firewood. When county officials floated a plan to regulate the burning of wood, residents were understandably inflamed. ‘Everybody wants clean air. We just have to make sure that we can also heat our homes,’ state Rep. Tammie Wilson told the Associated Press. Rather than fret over EPA’s computer-model-based warning about the dangers of inhaling soot from wood smoke, residents have more pressing concerns on their minds such as the immediate risk of freezing when the mercury plunges.”
Do you support the EPA’s wood stove ban?
Source: http://www.offthegridnews.com/2013/10/02/epa-bans-most-wood-burning-stoves/
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Whistler Blowers, Insiders
This is being done so that when the SHTF people will freeze to death and won’t be able to keep warm or cook. It is all about population control, folks. They will outlaw wood stoves, fireplaces, kerosene heaters and the sale of firewood…that way they can control all of the energy and cause the death of millions. The EPA is a NWO population control tool.
They can go f themselves with both fists
Let’s all us folks with common sense make our own little state somewheres…that would be so much funnnn!!! Imagine, a REAL Constitutional state….where the government feared the people instead of the people fearing the government…just like the FOUNDING FATHERS planned it!!! I can dream, can’t I?
More proof, as if we needed any more, this Administration is Cra-Zy as Jay-Zy.
The EPA can take a wood stove and put it where the sun does not shine, Those scum bags think they can tell you when to take a dump and then try to charge you for doing it! When are we ALL gonna stand up and take this country back and hang all these corrupt people from the nearest tree! lets bagem and tagem !!! i have had enough of there BS
Yep not a damn word about millions of tons of particulate being sprayed into the clouds day in and day out. Just go after wood smoke, one of the most natural things on the planet.
The EPA shut down the coal industry and are nothing more than thugs. They will now attempt to control how we heat our homes or cabins. The end result of all this is to force people to heat the way they tell you. Minor to some on the outside but if you open it up the guts are rotten. This federal govt. is wayyyyyy out of control! As far as I am concerned they can kiss my crack!
Really! Shut down the coal industry! Jeeze, all those trains heading east from Wyomning and elsewhere must be a drug-induced illusion that everyone they pass sees.
Hmm, i find it curious that the only “news” about this is here, and that the EPA ban on certain wood stoves has been in effect since about the 1980s.
Certain jurisdictions have established legal requirements to reduce wood smoke. For example, some communities have restrictions on installing wood-burning appliances in new construction. The most common and least restrictive action is to limit use at those times when air quality is threatened. The appropriate agency issues an alert, similar to the widespread Ozone Action Day alerts.
Go to Regulations.gov to search for EPA regulations and related documents.
Bay Area Air Quality Management District
Bans during “Spare the Air Tonight” advisories. Proposed new requirements for new construction (only pellet stoves, gas stoves, and EPA-certified wood stoves can be sold). Labeling required for firewood, firelogs, and wood pellets sold.
Bernalillo County (Albuquerque), NM
Winter Advisory/No Burn Program from October through February restricting use of non-EPA certified fireplaces or stoves.
Denver, CO
Mandatory bans on “red” advisory days during the annual high air pollution season, with some exceptions.
Lagrande, OR
Voluntary curtailment of wood stove use for heat based on daily advisories.
Puget Sound, WA
Air-quality burn bans temporarily restrict some or all indoor and outdoor burning, usually called when weather conditions are cold and still.
San Joaquin County, CA
Existing wood stoves must be replaced with an EPA certified wood stove when a home is sold. Only pellet stoves, gas stoves, and EPA-certified wood stoves can be sold. Wood-burning limited on days when air pollution approaches unhealthy levels. Limits on the number of wood stoves or fireplaces that can be installed in new residential units.
Santa Clara County and The City of Palo Alto, CA
Burn bans: Stage 1, use only certified stoves; Stage 2, use wood stove only if it’s the primary heat source. Have banned the installation of new wood-burning stoves or fireplaces.
Yolo-Solano AQMD has initiated “Don’t Light Tonight” – a voluntary program to encourage residents not to use wood stoves and fireplaces when air pollution approaches unhealthy levels. The district also encourages cleaner burning techniques and switching to cleaner burning technology.
Top of page
State Action – Laws, Fees and Taxes
Colorado
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment posts wood-burning advisories on its website. During red advisories, mandatory residential burning restrictions generally apply to everyone in the 7-county Denver-Boulder metro area below 7,000 feet. There are exceptions for those who use Colorado Phase III (Phase II EPA) certified wood-burning stoves, state-approved pellet stoves, approved masonry heaters or those whose stoves or fireplaces are their primary source of heat.
Idaho
The state of Idaho offers taxpayers who buy new wood stoves, pellet stoves, or natural gas or propane heating units for their residences a tax deduction to replace old, uncertified wood stoves.
Michigan
Michigan’s Model Ordinance for Outdoor and Open Burning (PDF) (21pp, 306K) – contains provisions and optional provisions that Michigan municipalities can “pick and choose” from
Montana
The state of Montana offers an Alternative Energy Systems Credit against income tax liability for the cost of purchasing and installing an energy system in a Montana resident’s principal home that uses ” . . . a low emission wood or biomass combustion device such as a pellet or wood stove.”
Utah
Utah has a “Red Light, Green Light” program to curtail wood-burning along the Wasatch Front during winter inversions. RED: No residential/commercial burning. The Division of Air Quality staff inspect the valleys for smoke coming from chimneys. The staff also investigate complaints made to the Division. Offenders are ticketed, and fines may be levied. First-time offenders face a fine of $25; second-time offenders pay $50 to $140; and third-time offenders face fines from $150 to $299. YELLOW: reduce burning; GREEN (clearing index high): burning allowed.
Washington
The state of Washington has established wood stove emission performance standards that are more stringent than the federal rule. In addition, the state of Washington assesses a flat fee on the sale of every wood-burning device to fund the education of citizens about wood smoke health and air quality impacts and the benefits of cleaner burning wood stoves.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Model Ordinance – contains suggestions and options for local governments to regulate open burning at the local level
Vermont
Vermont has compiled a state listing of regulatory action for hydronic heaters.
Top of page
NESCAUM Model Rule – model rule that state and local agencies can use to regulate hydronic heater emissions
Examples of Outdoor Furnace Codes – provides samples of local codes for municipalities, including information like setback restrictions, stack locations, and restrictions on types of fuel
NSPS for Residential Wood Heaters (1988) (PDF) (19pp, 175k) – Performance Standards for New Residential Wood Heaters
NSPS for Residential Wood Heaters Amendments (1996) (PDF) (32pp, 45k) – Amendments included to ensure that wood heaters that should not have been originally certified due to an invalid certification test are not sold to consumers.
Area Source Rule for Small Industrial, Commercial or Institutional Boilers
Briefing Paper, January 29, 2009 (PDF) (3pp, 30k)
Outreach Meeting Presentation, February 10. 2009 (PDF) (19pp, 182k)
Control Cost Summary, January 23, 2009 (PDF) (5pp, 55k)
Preliminary Economic Impacts Outline, December 4, 2008 (Excel Spreadsheet) (600k)
New Source Performance Standards for Residential Wood Heaters
EPA is in the process of developing revisions to the residential wood heater new source performance standards under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act. In addition to tightening the emission limits on currently regulated wood heaters to reflect improvements in best demonstrated technology, EPA anticipates new regulations for other residential devices that use solid biomass as fuel. For example, EPA anticipates new regulations for outdoor and indoor hydronic heaters and forced air furnaces. EPA anticipates proposing the revisions and the new regulations by Summer 2012.
Residential Wood Heaters NSPS Draft Proposal Update (Mar 22, 2013) (PDF) (13pp, 111k)
Environmental Justice Community Outreach Call (March 9, 2011) (PDF) (24pp, 729k)
NSPS: An Overview (Dec 8, 2011) (PDF) (12pp, 49k)
Draft Options Being Considered for NSPS (Feb 15, 2011) (PDF) (3pp, 26k)
Draft Review Document (2009) (PDF) (86p,816k)
Staff Recommendations (2009) (PDF) (9pp, 44k)
Small Business Panel on Revising Standards for New Residential Wood Heaters and Other Devices
Draft Proposed Rule – NSPS for New Residential Wood Heaters – Webinar on February 9 at 2:00 ET
have younot noticed they have been passing laws like crazy BUT NOT enforcing them YET! just wait they are bidding there time and then they will start enforcing lots of there new laws, we need to BAGEM and TAGEM, take our country BACK!!! to the people!!!!
National Socialists and Environmental Fascists!!!
Nah, aliens, i tell you. all the government run by space aliens. that will be revealed when the earthquakes hit on Oct. 17 an bigfeet take over the earth, led by that damned Obama. The same “That damned Obama” who is now fiddling with everything from plate tectonics, hence causing earthquakes, and aliens talking to Jesus, to the Navy shooting, and he also has somehow found the time to secretly travel to New England (probably either in an invisible hellicopter made with alien technology, to make a baby in connecticut with some woman… for some reasons so mysterious, even intelligent people can’t understand the connection(But pathetically delusional morons clearly in need of either heavy meds or entertainment between seventh grade english and math class see it clearly). Go figger…
Rrrright.