Latest NSPS EPA news. Some of it good

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Fsappo

Minister of Fire
Apr 9, 2008
4,331
Central NY
EPA Releases Its Proposed NSPS Numbers
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA

Good news concerning the EPA's New Source Performance Standard (NSPS). Although the fat lady has yet to sing, it appears that the EPA is moving toward a standard that will be much friendlier to the hearth industry than previously thought.

The EPA is planning on one emissions number to include both catalytic and non-catalytic appliances. Despite rumors that the number might be as low as 2 gph, Gil Wood, EPA's staff lead for the NSPS, confirmed that EPA will propose the Washington State emissions standard of 4.5 gph.

The good news for manufacturers is that 85 percent of the current wood stoves and inserts already meet that standard. Pellet stoves also will be required to meet the Washington State pellet appliance standard of 2.5 gph.

The EPA has said that the NSPS revisions will include "all solid fuel heaters," and the HPBA has been arguing that wood-burning fireplaces are not heaters and that the voluntary ASTM Phase 2 standard should be accepted.

Wood also has confirmed that the NSPS will not include wood-burning fireplaces "at this time," and that the current ASTM Phase 2 voluntary standard will be accepted. The EPA is continuing to develop revised or new NSPS standards for hydronic heaters, single-burn wood stoves and masonry heaters according to Wood.

The EPA also has threatened to set standards for pellet fuel, but reaction by the Pellet Fuels Institute (PFI) to revise its fuel standards has met with favor from the EPA. "There are still some details to work out with the PFI, but we're very pleased by where the PFI fuel standards are headed," Wood acknowledged. "We are ensuring that no construction waste will be included in the fuel so we won't have to write new standards."

The proposed revised NSPS will be published in June of 2011, followed by a 60-day comment period. The final NSPS is to be published in July 2012. Wood stove and insert manufacturers will be required to produce products meeting the standard, "as quickly as possible," after publication of the NSPS, according to Wood. "The time to go into effect is a little bit shorter now, since 85 percent of the models already meet the standard."

Other products included in the revised NSPS will be phased in and published at various times, according to Wood.

Wood does offer caution about celebrating just yet. "I'm not the EPA administrator and we don't know for certain how this will all come out. Nothing is a done deal yet."


Not as bad as the industry feared, but nothing is written in stone yet.
 
All you geeks on here and no banter about this? This is industry news baby. Or should we talk about the upcoming fishing season?
 
I want to see it when it comes out. Not that I live in washington state or anything but my township periodically sends out their newsletter going "so for anyone who isn't interested in oil, we just heard about this newfangled woodstove thing" and there's a collective groan in the house wondering what idiot pointed the township towards the local stove shop.
 
I dont get it, why would someone be an idiot for telling folks to go to a local stove shop so they can learn about burning wood instead of oil? Maybe I'm just slow or reading this wrong.
 
Good to know they didn't (or don't plan to) go all draconian with the numbers, but, honestly I wasn't worried.. my stove blows those numbers away, as does my dream stove..lol

I agree, I don't understand the oil vs wood stove comment.. something lost in translation, or a pre-coffee post...??
 
Our township tends towards forcing people to update. While I realize this isn't everyone's township up until recently they simply were not aware of woodstoves or boilers or whatever. I am slyly accusing the stove shop of educating the township full well knowing if the township forces people to update they will have to buy from the stoveshop. It was funny to me in a roundabout way.
 
More fun to stop by the local stove shop and see if they even know that this going on. :smirk:
 
tiber said:
Our township tends towards forcing people to update. While I realize this isn't everyone's township up until recently they simply were not aware of woodstoves or boilers or whatever. I am slyly accusing the stove shop of educating the township full well knowing if the township forces people to update they will have to buy from the stoveshop. It was funny to me in a roundabout way.

I don't know, sounds win-win to me. The people in your township might get cleaner air, and a local business might get more sales. I can't imagine they will go house to house welding old stoves shut.. but do like those western states and have them changed or removed when a home sells... and of course it doesn't sound like the township is MAKING anyone switch to wood/biomass..
 
Franks said:
Wood also has confirmed that the NSPS will not include wood-burning fireplaces "at this time," and that the current ASTM Phase 2 voluntary standard will be accepted. The EPA is continuing to develop revised or new NSPS standards for hydronic heaters, single-burn wood stoves and masonry heaters according to Wood.

I'm all for banning new fireplaces. Grandfather the old ones, but if people just want ambiance they can burn propane or ng.

There, I said it.
 
madrone said:
Franks said:
Wood also has confirmed that the NSPS will not include wood-burning fireplaces "at this time," and that the current ASTM Phase 2 voluntary standard will be accepted. The EPA is continuing to develop revised or new NSPS standards for hydronic heaters, single-burn wood stoves and masonry heaters according to Wood.

I'm all for banning new fireplaces. Grandfather the old ones, but if people just want ambiance they can burn propane or ng.

There, I said it.

Pagan heretic!
 
Just ban all woodburners, then we won't have to worry about it anymore! ;-P
 
Todd said:
Just ban all woodburners, then we won't have to worry about it anymore! ;-P

Blasphemy!
 
madrone said:
Franks said:
Wood also has confirmed that the NSPS will not include wood-burning fireplaces "at this time," and that the current ASTM Phase 2 voluntary standard will be accepted. The EPA is continuing to develop revised or new NSPS standards for hydronic heaters, single-burn wood stoves and masonry heaters according to Wood.

I'm all for banning new fireplaces. Grandfather the old ones, but if people just want ambiance they can burn propane or ng.

There, I said it.

Tisk, tisk, live and let live is what I say.
Obviously you're not a mason or in favor of the previous statement! ;-)
What if they decided to put in wood stove burn bans in your town? Or do you have them already, if so, how do you like being told what to heat your house with?

On a more POSITIVE note, no worries here, my stove's EPA emission rating is among the best in the industry @ 1.4 grams per hour. Way better than the standard, it even burns methane and other gasses that are not even EPA standards yet. But I'm glad the standards don't seem to be going against the industry.
 
VCBurner said:
What if they decided to put in wood stove burn bans in your town? Or do you have them already, if so, how do you like being told what to heat your house with?

Oregon recently passed a law requiring removal of non-certified stoves whenever a house is sold. I think it's great.

Whenever we have temperature inversions around here, the neighborhood fills with blue smoke from open fireplaces. Nobody benefits from that when there are tons of options for heating with low emissions, including solid fuels.
 
tiber said:
Our township tends towards forcing people to update. While I realize this isn't everyone's township up until recently they simply were not aware of woodstoves or boilers or whatever. I am slyly accusing the stove shop of educating the township full well knowing if the township forces people to update they will have to buy from the stoveshop. It was funny to me in a roundabout way.

Sounds like the city here. The biggest electrical contractor is sure putting a lot of effort to get a school building bond to pass. I wonder who would get the contract for the electrical upgrades in the existing buildings and for the new school?
 
With all this regulation talk I have a question. What loop hole allows for the sale of barrel kits? Ain't nothing EPA about 2 55 gallon drums tied together with a door on the front.......except they really HEAT!
 
Wait til the Feds get further involved,those will be verboten!
 
Franks said:
All you geeks on here and no banter about this? This is industry news baby. Or should we talk about the upcoming fishing season?

good idea!

the sturgeon are running up the Sacramento River, we got skunked a week ago though
 
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