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For Immediate Release
December 1, 2009
Contact: Adam Pankake
(717) 787-3280

Sen. Yaw Encourages Participation at Upcoming Public Hearing on Proposed Outdoor Wood-Fired Furnaces 

(HARRISBURG)  Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) is encouraging the public to participate in an upcoming public hearing regarding proposed regulations on Outdoor Wood-Fired Furnaces.   

The hearing, which is being conducted by the Environmental Quality Board (EQB), will take place at 1 p.m. on Thursday, December 3, at the Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Northcentral Regional Office in Williamsport, 208 West Third Street. 

Yaw says he has been receiving phone calls and e-mails from area residents who are concerned about the proposed regulations.   

"Many people are voicing their concerns about these regulations and DEP's involvement in what should be a local government issue to be decided on a municipality-by-municipality basis," Yaw said.  "I encourage anyone who wishes to comment on these proposed regulations to attend the public hearing on Thursday, or to submit written comments to the EQB."  

Under the proposed regulations: 

• A person may not purchase, sell, offer for sale, distribute or install a boiler unless it meets Phase 2 standards for efficiency.
• New boilers must be installed at least a minimum of 150 feet from the nearest property line.
• New boilers must have a permanently attached stack that must be at least 10 feet above ground and extend at least two feet above the highest peak of the highest residence located within 150 feet of the boiler.
• Existing boilers that do not meet Phase 2 standards must also have a permanently attached stack that is at least 10 feet above ground and extends at least two feet above the highest peak of the highest residence located within 500 feet of the boiler.
• Only clean wood, wood pellets made from clean wood and certain home heating oil, natural gas or propane fuels can be used in the boilers.

The regulations are currently open for public comment. Comments must be received by the Environmental Quality Board by January 4, 2010. People have three options for submitting comments:

• Send written comments to Environmental Quality Board, P.O. Box 8477, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8477 (express mail: Rachel Carson State Office Building, 16th Floor, 400 Market St., Harrisburg, PA 17101-2301). No fax comments will be accepted.
• Send written comments via e-mail to RegComments@state.pa.us. A subject heading of the proposal and a return name and address must be included in each e-mail. If the sender does not receive acknowledgement that the comments were received within two working days, the sender should resubmit his or her comments.