NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A181A
SPONSOR: Abinanti TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in
relation to emissions performance standards from outdoor wood boilers
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: To create emission performance stand-
ards for outdoor wood boilers.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section 1 amends Article 19 of the
environmental conservation law by adding a new title 13 to:
1. Prohibit the use of outdoor wood boilers in the state after June 1,
2017 unless such wood boilers have been tested for and can achieve
particulate and contaminant emission standards of 2.5 grams per hour for
catalytic outdoor wood boilers and 4.5 grams per hour for all other
outdoor wood boilers; and
2. Define "outdoor wood boilers" to mean a fuel burning device that
(a) is designed to burn wood or other fuels; (b) is specified by the
manufacturer for outdoor installation or installation in structures not
normally occupied by humans; and (c) is used to heat building space
and/or water via the distribution, typically through pipes, of a gas or
liquid (e.g. water or water/antifreeze mixture) heated in the device.
Section 2 directs the commissioner of environmental conservation to
adopt regulations consistent with the provisions of this act.
Section 3 is the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION: According to a 2005 study by the Environmental
Protection Agency, homeowners are increasingly turning to outdoor wood
boilers (OWB) to heat their homes. OWB sales have tripled in New York
from 1999 to 2004.
OWB emit wood smoke particulate matter-a mix of very tiny solid and
liquid particles into the air we breathe. According to the U.S. Envi-
ronmental Agency (EPA) this fine particulate matter poses a great health
risk by penetrating deep inside the lungs and passing through the blood
stream. Studies have shown that particulate pollution can increase the
risk of heart disease, lung cancer and asthma and can interfere with the
growth and work of the lungs.
Furthermore, OWB emissions contribute to air pollution. While we are
trying to resolve regional air pollution we should not ignore the
impacts of local air pollution.
Current New York state and federal regulations are not sufficient to
protect our citizens from these outdoor wood smoke emissions. This
legislation seeks to lower acceptable levels of emission standards for
OWB and is similar to legislation enacted in several sates including
Washington and Oregon. By lowering allowable air contaminant emissions
from OWB the people of the state of New York will be better protected
from the harmful health and environmental impacts of particulate emis-
sions.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 2012: A.10743 referred to environmental
conservation
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None to the state, individuals who use wood boil-
ers incur some cost in upgrading their units to meet the standards spec-
ified.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.
