Alaska files suit against OWB owners

[mikefrommaine]

Saw this in another forum.

http://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/article_1206334a-5a3b-11e2-8e89-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=jqm

 

[mikefrommaine]

My town actually had a few OWB that were legally installed and permitted. Neighbors complained and town instituted a ban on OWB. And ended up buying the old OWB from the owners.

 

[CTguy9230]

we have such a list of rules and regulations in my town that its damn near impoosible to
put one in now....its a shame that the government can tell you how you can heat
your house all because of a few people who dont like the smell of wood burning

 

[maple1]

I don't think it's just the few people who don't like burning wood smell - it's more like the huge amounts of wood smoke that some of these things pump out. If I was downwind of one, I likely wouldn't like it much either - and I'm a wood smoke smell liking wood burner.

 

[TheMightyMoe]

The problem is we live in a bowl and it's -40... ANY smoke stays around for a very long time...

We don't have IMs because cars cannot pass them at -40. Likewise, the city fails every single air quality test it throws at us...

We just had legislation to get rid of the local EPA nazis (They couldn't find a way to enforce EPA standards / meet them realistically) and now it is the states / feds job to enforce it. This is just the beginning, of MANY law suits to come. Almost every neighborhood has a wood burner here. (Our alternative to wood is oil heating...)

Some people shouldn't live in ALASKA... Just saying.

 

[Frozen Canuck]

Progress folks. Cleaner wood burning tech has been available for a long time. Made in the USA if you so choose. The potential fine of 100K & 10K/day afterward should give the owners all the incentive they need to adopt some cleaner burning tech. Way cheaper than the potential fines. Big bonus is the neighbors should have a cleaner environment.

 

[BoilerMan]

we have such a list of rules and regulations in my town that its damn near impoosible to
put one in now....its a shame that the government can tell you how you can heat
your house all because of a few people who dont like the smell of wood burning

It's a sticky subject to say the least. Those who read my posts would could say I'm conservitive to say the least, I'm the last one to say much good about gov't regulation........especially on emissions. Just to get some perspective.

However, I did live two buildings down (back when I had an apartment) from a carwash heated with a conventional OWB. This was in town, and it was, at times, eye-watering to be outside. This was at least three times a week. I do believe it is irresponsible to burn like that in anything. Pollution, is not the issue, we polluted this earth much more during the industrial revolution, and has anyone ever been to a third world nation, where they burn whole dumpsters full of garbage out of frustration? Well I have, and to say the least the "carbon ticket" is a political money grab, 'nough said.

This is a free country, and if you want to live in a cardboard box and burn 6,000 gallons of oil to heat then you are free to do that, just don't ask me to fund it with my tax dollars. If you want to smoulder your wood in a water-jacked box and waste 80% of the potential energy in it, then you are free to do so. But, if you are truly a nucence and choking off people doing it, well I have to say, some action is required. There are clean ways to burn wood (and less wood is required, preaching to the choir i know), legislation to force someone to use that tech. is totally UN-American IMHO. There should, however, be a distinction in urban areas and the people is truly does effect. What that may be, I don't know. If I owned a building and had complaints about smoke, I'd do something about it if I were able. If you are out in the country and own acres and acres, you are free to do as you please, if you so choose. See I'm not totally anti-gov't, just a much, much, much smaller one.

No one complains about the guy who burns through 10,000 gallons of oil, because they can't smell it, same as the guy who burns 10 cord of wood in his gasser. Money saved with less wood = return on investment for gasser, that's real economics.

TS

 

[nate379]

Nope, was this forum... https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...o-use-my-stove-right-now.103389/#post-1335180

Saw this in another forum.

http://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/article_1206334a-5a3b-11e2-8e89-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=jqm

 

[kopeck]

There's a place on my drive to work that is in a bit of a bowl, on cold mornings the smoke hangs in there, it's bad enough that you have to slow down...really fog like.

I wouldn't want to live next door.

Some may feel that their free country should allow them to heat however they want, I would like to think that it would also allow their neighbors to breath.

K

 

[pen]

There's a place on my drive to work that is in a bit of a bowl, on cold mornings the smoke hangs in there, it's bad enough that you have to slow down...really fog like.

I wouldn't want to live next door.

Some may feel that their free country should allow them to heat however they want, I would like to think that it would also allow their neighbors to breath.

K

There's a place like that entering the town I work in. Driving through that haze which must affect 30 homes, I am always amazed that the owner doesn't have severe leaks in each of his truck's tires, daily.

pen

 

[mikefrommaine]

There's a place like that entering the town I work in. Driving through that haze which must affect 30 homes, I am always amazed that the owner doesn't have severe leaks in each of his truck's tires, daily.

pen

Tires? I would be looking for holes in his boiler.

 

[TheMightyMoe]

Here is a follow up article - http://www.newsminer.com/blogs/staff_blogs/article_d1b1f89a-5a82-11e2-89de-0019bb30f31a.html

It was all done legally, now if the owner can burn dryer wood make it more effective, he should be allowed to try...

Also the 10k per day fines, what kind of joke is that. Replace your heat source in mid-winter for 20 thousand dollars, or get fined 10k a day. That makes sense... A 10k annual fine would make me change my heat in no time.

I'm not saying he is in the right, I am just saying, they have been trying to pass blanket pollution laws for Fairbanks, and we keep refusing them, because they are unrealistic to the needs of Fairbanks, THE coldest city in North America. (Not due to wind either, it is just cold...) We also live in a bowl, where nothing leaves, car exhaust, boiler exhaust, sewer exhaust.. You name it, it stays here.

 

[Benwa907]

Burning responsibly would go a long way to help improve the air quality of Fairbanks. A friend of mine had one of the smoke dragon OWB that was pretty awful and burned a lot of wood, when he started burning good dry wood the smoke was reduced dramatically and the wood consumption went down a bit also. After he couldn't handle having to burn 20+ cords a year he participated in the borough buy back program and was paid 7500 to get rid of it. I don't think many of the heavy polluters are letting their wood season enough. Like stated above we live in a valley that holds smoke for long periods of time, something def does need to be done, but in a fair and ethical manner.

 

[kopeck]

When the OWB first started showing up around here not having to burn dry wood was being used as a selling point.

It's no wonder people hate these things.

K

 

[blades]

I think some of these mfg. of owb's need a push in the right direction. Similar to wood stoves themselves. What I do not understand is the people installing them accepting the horrendous inefficiency of most of these units at the megga prices asked for them especially when the technology already exists.

 

[ihookem]

Yes, they are more expensive. My neighbor payed 13k for a Central boiler 6048. I payed 9400 for mine. The small shed doubles as a chicken feed, wood shed, garden tool storage too. I see him burning all the time and it is never a smoke dragon. My smokes but is mostly steam. Mine is way more efficient too. I don't think it's the boiler as much as it's bad fuel supply. I hate laws too but when people are so stupid they smoke out a neighbor they have it coming but some should be a personal suit instead of an EPA mandate. Maybe OWB should have storage too. Then run it full blast so it runs clean. I think they are way over kill and that makes em smolder.

 

[BoilerMan]

Yes, they are more expensive. My neighbor payed 13k for a Central boiler 6048. I payed 9400 for mine. The small shed doubles as a chicken feed, wood shed, garden tool storage too. I see him burning all the time and it is never a smoke dragon. My smokes but is mostly steam. Mine is way more efficient too. I don't think it's the boiler as much as it's bad fuel supply. I hate laws too but when people are so stupid they smoke out a neighbor they have it coming but some should be a personal suit instead of an EPA mandate. Maybe OWB should have storage too. Then run it full blast so it runs clean. I think they are way over kill and that makes em smolder.

Most do have some storage, they hold several hundered gallons. It's the thing with lighting a new fire all the time that people think is sooooo hard. When I tell people about my setup, most say something to the effect "Oh, so you have to light a new fire every day? You mean it won't keep a fire all day....there aren't engough coals to keep it going?" I'm like really??? The 5 less cords is enough motivation for me to re-kindle a fire daily in this weather. To each their own I guess.

TS

 

[heaterman]

When the OWB first started showing up around here not having to burn dry wood was being used as a selling point.

It's no wonder people hate these things.

K

Still is by the lizards that sell them around here.

 

[nate379]

The several installs I have seen didn't have any kind of storage.

My brother's wife's uncle (whatever that relation is) uses one to heat his dairy farm and house. Burns 100-120 cords a year in it. It runs close to 24x7 year round and it's pretty smokey. They load 3-4ft long logs in it, not split or anything. Skid trees out of the woods, cut into pieces and feed the boiler.

 

[BoilerMan]

Burns 100-120 cords a year in it. It runs close to 24x7 year round and it's pretty smokey.

Zoiks!! Thatsolttawood!

TS

 

[ihookem]

100-120 cords a year. That's a full time job right there, and to think they could save 50 cord a year with a gasser/

 

[nate379]

They have machinery and the manpower to handle burning that much wood. Keeping it fed is the job of at least one of the farm hands I believe.

Heats the house/garage, indoor swimming pool, large shop (75x100ish with tall ceilings), and a milking parlor all off that boiler.

I can't remember the name of the farm, it's something weird like Be-Bo-Tom Dairy. Tom Quinn is the farmer and the farm is off Rt 1 close to the Hodgedon Mills Rd insection in Houlton/Hodgedon. Some of you guys might know him.

 

[BoilerMan]

I think I do know him....... still solotta wood!

TS

 

[nate379]

Imagine if he was using oil instead. At $4/gal it would be about $70,000.

I think I do know him....... still solotta wood!

TS

 

[goosegunner]

we have such a list of rules and regulations in my town that its damn near impoosible to
put one in now....its a shame that the government can tell you how you can heat
your house all because of a few people who dont like the smell of wood burning

Yeah its a shame the government can tell your neighbor they can't dump motor oil, paint and chemicals on their lot line either. I mean geeze it's their property who cares if it could migrate to your drinking water....

gg