ALBANY -— New York Farm Bureau today announced a fight-back campaign against proposed Department of Environmental Conservation regulations that aim to restrict the use of outdoor wood boilers in rural New York. "This is another attempt by Albany bureaucrats to single out the rural residents of New York," said Dean Norton, president of New York Farm Bureau, in a written statement. "DEC's decision on restricting the use of outdoor wood boilers will literally impact thousands of farmers and rural landowners across the state." DEC is holding a series of public information sessions/hearings around the state in June on the proposal. Farm Bureau has posted information on its Web site, including the hearing schedule, talking points and a proposed e-lobby letter opposing the regulations to DEC and your state legislators Owners of outdoor wood boilers could have to retrofit costly smokestacks to meet new DEC height requirements and limit the use of their units for almost half of the year, Farm Bureau said. The proposed regulations could have financial implications for farm and rural homeowners that heat their houses, barns and greenhouses. Jeff Williams, Farm Bureau's Deputy Director of Public Policy, added, "This regulation punishes thousands of honest people that own outdoor wood boilers, use their own wood from their property and operate their units responsibly.