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EPA To Alaskans: We Might Fine You For Burning Wood To Stay Warm
Townhall ^ | Jan 01, 2017 | Matt Vespa

Posted on 01/02/2017 5:57:52 AM PST by xzins

Well, in the Alaskan interior, winters can be brutal. With temperatures dropping below zero, burning wood is the only viable way for Alaskans in these rather desolate areas to stay warm. Yet, government thinks this is a problem concerning small-particle pollution. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency is so concerned that they’re mulling fining people who burn wood to stay warm. John Daniel Davidson, a senior correspondent for The Federalist (and Alaskan native) had more:

***If only the bureaucrats in Washington DC knew what the wolf-dog knew. But alas, now comes the federal government to tell the inhabitants of Alaska’s interior that, really, they should not be building fires to keep themselves warm during the winter. The New York Times reports the Environmental Protection Agency could soon declare the Alaskan cities of Fairbanks and North Pole, which have a combined population of about 100,000, in “serious” noncompliance of the Clean Air Act early next year.

Like most people in Alaska, the residents of those frozen cities are burning wood to keep themselves warm this winter. Smoke from wood-burning stoves increases small-particle pollution, which settles in low-lying areas and can be breathed in. The EPA thinks this is a big problem. Eight years ago, the agency ruled that wide swaths of the most densely populated parts of the region were in “non-attainment” of federal air quality standards.

That prompted state and local authorities to look for ways to cut down on pollution from wood-burning stoves, including the possibility of fining residents who burn wood. After all, a declaration of noncompliance from the EPA would have enormous economic implications for the region, like the loss of federal transportation funding.

The problem is, there’s no replacement for wood-burning stoves in Alaska’s interior. Heating oil is too expensive for a lot of people, and natural gas isn’t available. So they’ve got to burn something.

[…] This of course is a ridiculous situation. The EPA has no business telling Alaskans they shouldn’t burn wood to keep warm in the depths of winter. For one thing, concern over air pollution from wood smoke is misplaced. The high levels of particulate matter in places like Fairbanks in January are not the same thing as smog in Los Angeles.

The areas affected by pollution from wood stoves are relatively small because they’re the result of something called inversion. At -30 degrees Fahrenheit, smoke doesn’t rise. It drops down to ground level and settles in low-lying areas. But this doesn’t happen city-wide, it happens on a single block or street.***

Well, hopefully things will change once the Trump administration takes over on January 20.


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alaska; elections; environment; epa; epaoutofcontrol; obama; trump; wood; woodburning; woodburningstoves
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1 posted on 01/02/2017 5:57:52 AM PST by xzins
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To: Lazamataz

How many days?


2 posted on 01/02/2017 5:58:12 AM PST by xzins (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.)
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To: xzins
I've heard that tragic accidents can happen up there in wintertime, and bodies can go years before being found.

(assuming that animals haven't chowed down all traces in the meantime)

Play wilderness games, win wilderness prizes . . .

3 posted on 01/02/2017 6:02:10 AM PST by tomkat
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To: xzins

Now more than ever we need to drain the EPA swamp.


4 posted on 01/02/2017 6:03:25 AM PST by From The Deer Stand
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To: xzins

EPA, what do you mean we’re out of a job? ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha


5 posted on 01/02/2017 6:04:29 AM PST by ronnie raygun
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To: xzins

What good are fireplaces if you can’t burn wood?
Is this from the same crowd that wants us to stop BBQ in our backyard?


6 posted on 01/02/2017 6:04:33 AM PST by Tai_Chung
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To: xzins
hi ya X - when a free man has to pay for a life sustaining activity, we have truly rounded a corner..I can only hope Trump reigns in this nonsense

I am fortunate that even in the remote southern tier of NY - I can count on propane as a back up....but even so, NY has regulated the woodburner to a ridiculous level of expense

7 posted on 01/02/2017 6:04:40 AM PST by Revelation 911 (clean up is a breeze)
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To: xzins

Dear President-elect Trump.

You would do the country a world of good if you were to DUMP THE EPA.... and right away.

They have become a political organ of the Marxist and need to be scrapped.

Thanks in advance

Vaquero


8 posted on 01/02/2017 6:04:49 AM PST by Vaquero ( Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
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To: tomkat

The likely way they’ll enforce this is to use heat detectors in either satellites or planes. Then they would send you the fine in the mail. Fail to pay the fine and they’ll show up and take your driver’s license or have you arrested until you do pay. (That last should be unconstitutional, but few people have the money to take them to court.)

In California and Washington state they use vans and drive down the street taking thermal pictures. Then you get the fine in the mail.


9 posted on 01/02/2017 6:05:19 AM PST by Gen.Blather
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To: xzins

We need to, immediately after the January inauguration, cut off ALL power & utilities (including water) to EPA headquarters’ buildings. Let THEM live “earth friendly”.


10 posted on 01/02/2017 6:06:48 AM PST by House Atreides (Send BOTH Hillary & Bill to prison.)
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To: Gen.Blather

I’d bet some of those vans gather more than thermal data.


11 posted on 01/02/2017 6:06:51 AM PST by wally_bert (I didn't get where I am today by selling ice cream tasting of bookends, pumice stone & West Germany)
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To: Gen.Blather

I thought they were just saying you couldn’t burn wood. How do they know you’re not burning propane?


12 posted on 01/02/2017 6:09:41 AM PST by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: xzins

Wood burning stoves/fireplaces/BBQs are illegal in SF nuthouse.


13 posted on 01/02/2017 6:10:35 AM PST by Carriage Hill ( Peace is that brief glorious moment in history, when everybody stands around reloading.)
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To: xzins

The EPA has to go.


14 posted on 01/02/2017 6:10:45 AM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: xzins

If it’s 45 degrees below zero, the likelihood of an EPA bureaucrat coming around to even look at your chimney is fairly low, isn’t it?


15 posted on 01/02/2017 6:12:31 AM PST by Pearls Before Swine
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To: xzins; cracker45; Tainan; Jet Jaguar; SENTINEL; redpoll; ArmyTeach; Eska; hattend; hosepipe; ...

From Townhall.com

Alaska Ping!

16 posted on 01/02/2017 6:13:39 AM PST by KC_Lion ("I'm a believer that you don't need a title, and you don't need an office to make a difference"~S.P.)
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To: xzins

Alaska to EPA:

In about 18 days you might be burning wood or trash to stay warm after President Trump terminates your parasitical actions against the American People.

Have a nice day!


17 posted on 01/02/2017 6:13:53 AM PST by Calvinist_Dark_Lord ((I have come here to kick @$$ and chew bubblegum...and I'm all outta bubblegum! ~Roddy Piper))
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To: xzins

What say we burn EPA apparatchiks instead.


18 posted on 01/02/2017 6:19:37 AM PST by Noumenon (Proud Irredeemable Deplorable, heavily armed Infidel. Islam delenda est.)
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To: xzins

It will take 10+ years to rid the EPA of these pinheads. Therefore, President Trump and congress should abolish the entire agency and let states manage environmental issues.


19 posted on 01/02/2017 6:20:17 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
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To: Calvinist_Dark_Lord

Here’s hoping the EPA shortly gets shit-canned.


20 posted on 01/02/2017 6:20:42 AM PST by xzins (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.)
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