Proposed new regulations from the state Department of Environmental Conservation about outdoor wood boilers have some people voicing their opinions against the proposed guidelines.
DEC representatives will conduct a meeting Thursday evening at the Robert McLaughlin College Center at Herkimer County Community College. An informational session will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. and a public session from 6 to 8 p.m.
According to the DEC’s Web site, the new regulations would state that any existing outdoor wood boiler that started operating before Sept. 1, 2005 must be replaced with a new outdoor wood boiler meeting DEC emission requirements. Any outdoor wood boiler installed between Sept. 1, 2005, and April 14, 2011, must be replaced with a new outdoor wood boiler meeting the requirements 10 years after the start of the boiler’s operation, but no later than Aug. 31, 2020.
Ron Aldrich, owner of North Creek Auto/Heat, said the proposed regulations are too strict. He said those who would only get 10 years or so of use out of their boilers would not be getting their money’s worth as most come with a 20- to 25- year warranty.
The DEC is also proposing chimneys be 18 feet above ground level by Oct. 1, 2011 or two feet above the peak of any roof structure within 150 feet. Aldrich said chimneys of that size would be much larger than normal, more expensive, and would probably violate local government codes.
Aldrich said people use OWFs to heat an entire house, barns for their cows and stock and other buildings on their property. He said the problems stemming from OWFs are few and normally relate to garbage being burned or it being too close to a neighbor’s property. Aldrich said there are 20,000 OWFs in the state, with only 70 formal complaints made to the DEC. He said most complaints are handled by the local codes enforcer.
“[The DEC] will go after indoor wood furnaces next, because they can.” said Aldrich. “That’s their job to go out and try to regulate everything.”
An e-mail sent to a DEC representative was not answered Tuesday evening. For a complete description of the DEC’s proposals, go to the Web site www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/64459.html.
“I wish people with inside and outside furnaces will attend the meeting so they would understand the new law that the DEC is proposing,” said Aldrich.
Anyone who wants to share their comments with the DEC but cannot attend a public hearing can submit their comments as public record by July 2. It can be mailed to John Barnes, P.E.; NYSDEC Division of Air Resources; 625 Broadway; Albany, NY 12233-3251. Comments can also be submitted by e-mail to Barnes at 247owb@gw.dec.state.ny.us.
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Proposed new regulations from the state Department of Environmental Conservation about outdoor wood boilers have some people voicing their opinions against the proposed guidelines.
DEC representatives will conduct a meeting Thursday evening at the Robert McLaughlin College Center at Herkimer County Community College. An informational session will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. and a public session from 6 to 8 p.m.
According to the DEC’s Web site, the new regulations would state that any existing outdoor wood boiler that started operating before Sept. 1, 2005 must be replaced with a new outdoor wood boiler meeting DEC emission requirements. Any outdoor wood boiler installed between Sept. 1, 2005, and April 14, 2011, must be replaced with a new outdoor wood boiler meeting the requirements 10 years after the start of the boiler’s operation, but no later than Aug. 31, 2020.
Ron Aldrich, owner of North Creek Auto/Heat, said the proposed regulations are too strict. He said those who would only get 10 years or so of use out of their boilers would not be getting their money’s worth as most come with a 20- to 25- year warranty.
The DEC is also proposing chimneys be 18 feet above ground level by Oct. 1, 2011 or two feet above the peak of any roof structure within 150 feet. Aldrich said chimneys of that size would be much larger than normal, more expensive, and would probably violate local government codes.
Aldrich said people use OWFs to heat an entire house, barns for their cows and stock and other buildings on their property. He said the problems stemming from OWFs are few and normally relate to garbage being burned or it being too close to a neighbor’s property. Aldrich said there are 20,000 OWFs in the state, with only 70 formal complaints made to the DEC. He said most complaints are handled by the local codes enforcer.
“[The DEC] will go after indoor wood furnaces next, because they can.” said Aldrich. “That’s their job to go out and try to regulate everything.”
An e-mail sent to a DEC representative was not answered Tuesday evening. For a complete description of the DEC’s proposals, go to the Web site www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/64459.html.
“I wish people with inside and outside furnaces will attend the meeting so they would understand the new law that the DEC is proposing,” said Aldrich.
Anyone who wants to share their comments with the DEC but cannot attend a public hearing can submit their comments as public record by July 2. It can be mailed to John Barnes, P.E.; NYSDEC Division of Air Resources; 625 Broadway; Albany, NY 12233-3251. Comments can also be submitted by e-mail to Barnes at 247owb@gw.dec.state.ny.us.
