Resolution 12

- 3

Approved August 28, 2012 Colorado Springs, Colorado

As certified by

R. Steven Brown

Executive Director

REGARDING NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR RESIDENTIAL WOOD

BURNING DEVICES

WHEREAS, wood is an important renewable dome stic energy resource for home heating; and

WHEREAS, inadequately designed and/or poorly controlled residential wood burning devices can emit high levels of fine particulate and air toxic pollutants that may impact public health, affecting sensitive popula tions such as children, the elderly, and those with existing medical conditions; and

WHEREAS, inadequately designed and/or poorly controlled residential wood burning devices can cause or contribute to violations of federal air quality health standards fo r fine particulate causing a significant public health and economic burden on urban and rural nonattainment communities across the country; and

WHEREAS, the Clean Air Act requires the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA)

to establish N ew Source Performance Standards (NSPS) based on best demonstrated emission control technology and to review and, if appropriate, update such standards every 8 years; and

WHEREAS, advances in technology have occurred since the NSPS for Residential Wood Bu rning Heaters was initially created in 1988, and these cleaner burning designs are available in global markets such as the United States and European markets today; and

WHEREAS, as demonstrated by the 1988 NSPS and more recently in Europe, the introductio n of cleaner,

more fuel

- efficient designs of residential wood burning devices has stimulated sales of new wood burning devices and the use of wood as an energy resource; and

WHEREAS, advanced residential wood burning devices are highly efficient and can r educe energy costs for consumers; and

WHEREAS, stricter emission and design standards for residential wood burning devices would benefit urban and rural communities that may be struggling with the adverse public health and economic consequences of nonatta inment.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL OF THE STATES (ECOS):

Recommends that U.S. EPA act immediately to update the NSPS establishing health protective emission limits for all Residential Wood and Biomass Burning Devices, including fireplaces, woodstoves, outdoor

wood

- fired boilers (also known as outdoor hydronic heaters), and both indoor and outdoor furnaces that reflect today’s Best Demonstrated Technology taking into account the cost of achieving such reduction;Recomm ends that U.S. EPA revise test methods as appropriate and necessary so that the emissions

performance of cleaner residential wood and biomass

- burning devices can be accurately quantified;

Supports closing loopholes and eliminating exemptions for pellet st oves and single

- burn rate appliances;

Supports promoting efficiency improvements that will save consumers money on fuel; and

Supports working with U.S. EPA and the appliance and wood fuel manufacturers to maximize the opportunities to expand the use of w ood and biomass as important domestic energy sources in a way that protects public health and saves consumers money.