More mission creep, more highhanded government causing problems for citizens
(Fox News) A federal proposal requiring more efficiency from wood-burning stoves has ignited a debate between the Obama administration and lawmakers who oppose the new regulations, arguing the rules impose an unfair burden on people in remote areas.
The Environmental Protection Agency proposed a rule changes in January that would dramatically tighten emissions requirements on new wood-powered heaters, though does not impact ones already in homes.
The EPA estimates that as much as 13 percent of all soot pollution in the U.S. is a result of inefficient wood-fired stoves and boilers.
Is soot a problem from a purely environmental viewpoint? Yes. Just like it has been since Man discovered fire. Of course, these wankers are looking at it from a “climate change” point of view, rather than simply a clean air and water view. I wonder if they plan on implementing regulations against Mother Nature for when she starts fires from lightening strikes?
Among those opposed to new rules are South Dakota Republicans Sen. John Thune and Rep. Kristi Noem, who say the new requirements will have a big impact on South Dakotans who rely on wood stoves during the long winter.
“Leave it to the EPA to impose more regulations on an affordable and renewable fuel source after one of the coldest winters on record and a costly propane shortage,” Noem said.
Hey, the EPA saw a sector that was booming, and someone said “hey, let’s use our Power to Do Something”, and that do something is to require an 80% decrease in “emissions” within 5 years.
It would apply to wood heaters, including outdoor and indoor wood-fired boilers, known as hydronic heaters. The changes would only apply to new stoves and rules would not impact outdoor fireplaces, fire pits or other types of outdoor fire containers.
Those are used in typically non-urban areas to provide heat. Can’t have people being warm, now, can we? At least not with a large increase in cost.
In October, seven states primarily located in the urban northeast — New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont — sued the EPA asking the agency to update their emission policy to include wood-fired boilers.
So, instead of simply dealing with this in their own states, these Progressive (nice fascist) states want to foist and force their beliefs on Everyone Else. This probably won’t go down too well for people in upstate NY nor Vermont, where they would be more prone to using the stoves.
Crossed at Right Wing News.
I think it’s time for a large number of EPA administrators to go to prison. The agency has gone rogue, ignored court rulings and federal law, and gone far outside its charter. It’s time to either rein them in or to dismantle the EPA until it’s overreaching staffers have been reduced to a number that will be just big enough to enforce what rules and regs are legal, but not so big that they have enough time to think up new ways to screw over the American people, and by extension, the American economy.
Most of those states already have restrictions they just want others to do the same because of the prevailing westerlies those states must inhale everyone else’s pollution