Document ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0734-0771
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2014-03-14T04:00Z

Statement of Greg Green
                        Outreach and Information Division
                 Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards 
                     U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
                                       
                 Public Hearing on Proposed Revisions to the 
           Standards of Performance for New Residential Wood Heaters
                                       
                             Boston, Massachusetts
                               February 26, 2014

Thank you Jim. 

As Jim mentioned, my name is Greg Green, and I am the Director of the Outreach and Information Division in EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. 

We are here today to listen to your comments on our proposal to revise EPA's New Source Performance Standards for Residential Wood Heaters. EPA proposed these revisions January 3, 2014, to strengthen emissions requirements for new wood stoves, while establishing the standards for several other types of new residential wood heaters, including outdoor and indoor wood-fired boilers ( which also are known as hydronic heaters), pellet stoves, forced air furnaces, masonry wood heaters and a type of previously unregulated woodstove know as a "single burn-rate" stove.

EPA issued the existing regulations for wood heaters in 1988. That rule applied to adjustable burn-rate woodstoves and fireplace inserts. Since that time, the technology for reducing emissions from wood heaters has significantly improved and now is available to make a range of wood heaters more efficient and less
polluting. 

As Regional Administrator Spalding noted, the proposed updates would make new residential wood heaters significantly cleaner than currently required, reducing emissions of fine particles and other pollutants that can pose significant health problems, especially for people with heart or vascular disease, lung disease, older adults and children. 

Under the proposal, manufacturers would meet emissions limits in two phases over five years. This would give manufacturers time to adapt technology to their model lines.

The health benefits of the proposed rule are large: EPA estimates that for every dollar spent to comply with these standards, the American public will see between $118 and $267 in health benefits. EPA estimates the increases in cost to make the cleaner units would range from an estimated 2 percent for pellet stove manufacturers to 6 percent for manufacturers of single burn-rate stoves. 

Before I turn things back over to Jim, I want to take a moment to underscore what this rule would NOT cover: The proposal would not affect any wood burning heaters, fireplaces or stoves that are in stores today or are currently in use in homes  -  it only applies to devices manufactured in the future. So if you have a woodstove or other type of wood heater at your house now, this rule will not apply to that stove. The rule also would not apply to outdoor fireplaces, pizza ovens, barbecues or chimineas, and it would not apply to new or existing heaters that are fueled only by oil, gas or coal. 

In addition, the proposed rule also would not apply to indoor fireplaces, because fireplaces are not effective heaters. However, EPA is seeking data and comments on this issue. 

We will prepare a written transcript of the hearing. The transcript for the hearing will be available as part of the official record for this rule. EPA will consider your comments as we move forward to complete a final rule, which we anticipate issuing by February 2015. We are also accepting written comments on the proposed rule until May 5, 2014. There are handouts with detailed information for submitting written comments available at the registration area.

Now I'm going to turn things back to Jim, who will describe the procedures for today's hearing.