A compendium of news and commentary about wood burning collected (mostly) from around North America. If you see a relevant item that doesn't appear here, please post it in the comments section below.

States get tough on outdoor wood furnace smoke
"Wood smoke is not benign but people think it is," said Philip Etter, environmental analyst with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. "They sort of grew up with it - because it smells nice in sort of a nostalgic sense - and they think it's fine, but it's not."

Typically the boilers are in sheds with short chimneys and heat water that is circulated through floors or radiators in a nearby residence. Some are used to heat water year-round.

Vermont was the first state to adopt emissions standards for wood boilers in 2007. Other New England states followed, including Massachusetts, with stricter limits. Last week, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire tightened their standards for new furnaces. Vermont is now offering furnace owners financial incentives to replace older, dirty units with new cleaner ones.

"It's a win-win for the neighbors, for the schools nearby, for the environmental quality and the people who own these outdoor boilers," said Sen. Virginia Lyons, chairwoman of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee, who introduced the bill.

A compendium of news and commentary about wood burning collected (mostly) from around North America. If you see a relevant item that doesn't appear here, please post it in the comments section below.

Outdoor furnace ban killed
A state Senate bill aimed at banning outdoor wood burning furnaces died in committee Friday, likely ending legislation on the hot topic for this year. “Things worked out,” said Wayne Budney, owner of Four Winds Farm in Lebanon and president of the New London County bureau. “The legislators understood the balance.” Budney testified earlier this month before the committee, saying a few furnace abusers are bringing disgrace on the entire practice. He called for heavier fines on repeated misusers.

A compendium of news and commentary about wood burning collected (mostly) from around North America. If you see a relevant item that doesn't appear here, please post it in the comments section below.

Draft bylaw ‘leaves questions unanswered’
The Draft by-law to regulate the destruction or injury of trees in woodlands has been revised by Dufferin’s Museum and Archives and Heritage Lands Board committees and the legal firm of Cassels Brock and Blackwell LLP. This latest version leaves many questions unanswered. A landowner may harvest trees without a permit if they are for personal use but must have a permit if they are sold.

It is difficult to understand why personal use is allowed while sales are not. Once a tree is cut or as the province likes to call destroyed or injured, it makes absolutely no difference to the remaining woodlot by whom the saw logs or firewood is used. This distinction, which discriminates against people who do not burn firewood, should be removed. Few landowners, especially those of older ages, utilize wood heating.

A compendium of news and commentary about wood burning collected (mostly) from around North America. If you see a relevant item that doesn't appear here, please post it in the comments section below.

Wood-fired boiler burns up neighbor
To appease Donnelly and meet county ordinances, Furness extended the smoke stack on the freestanding unit twice, from 2 feet to 32 feet. The wood smoke is a source of soot or particle emissions, which cause respiratory problems, heart problems and premature death. People who live within a few hundred feet of a wood-burning heater are exposed to short-term particle levels that are unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, the elderly and people who have a heart- or lung condition, according to IDEM.