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Regulators want to ban fireplace blazes on 'Spare the Air nights'
Mercury News ^ | 3/1/08 | Paul Rogers

Posted on 03/01/2008 10:27:38 AM PST by NormsRevenge

Mention air pollution, and what comes to mind? Factories. Oil refineries. Auto tailpipes.

Now Bay Area smog regulators are trying to crack down on another source that they say is just as significant, even if beloved: home fireplaces.

Citing growing medical research that soot causes more severe health problems than was previously realized, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District is proposing a ban on all wood burning in fireplaces and wood stoves in the nine Bay Area counties during winter "Spare the Air" nights.

--snip--

If approved, fireplace police would enforce the rules, and neighbors would be encouraged to report neighbors.

"We understand a crackling fire is a long-held tradition of American family life," said Jack Broadbent, executive officer of the air district, based in San Francisco.

"But traditions need to be changed when there is information showing that our health and our neighbors' health are impacted."

--snip--

Supporters compare wood smoke dangers to that of cigarette smoke, and note natural gas fires are much cleaner. Critics call the proposal bureaucracy run amok.

--snip--

Kathy Voss-Jensen and Joel Jensen favor the rules. Three years ago, the Redwood City couple got a new neighbor who burns wood nearly every winter day despite their requests to limit it.

"It's very noxious and irritating," she said. "We have to keep our windows closed tight for several hours a day. And we have to keep them closed all night."

Others say the proposal goes too far.

"I think this is a precursor to banning all wood burning. It is a camel's nose under the tent," said Steve Drenker, a Los Altos sales manager whose 1950s ranch home has a fireplace.

Drenker burns only dry oak, he said, and his fires do not smoke up the neighborhood.

(Excerpt) Read more at origin.mercurynews.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: airpollution; blazes; california; fireplace; nannystate; regulators; smokenazis; snitch; sparetheair
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To: NormsRevenge

They’d love it in my area....we burn coal as well as wood.


41 posted on 03/01/2008 11:37:06 AM PST by Roccus (Able Danger??? What's an Able Danger????)
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To: blastdad51
We could just ban paople, That would solve the problem. (Extreme sarcasm)

No sarcasm tag necessary - that's the logical end-point of environmentalist beliefs, as some of them are honest enough to admit.
42 posted on 03/01/2008 11:37:31 AM PST by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: NormsRevenge; Just another Joe; CSM; lockjaw02; Publius6961; elkfersupper; nopardons; metesky; ...

Nanny State Ping..............


43 posted on 03/01/2008 11:41:44 AM PST by Gabz (Don't tell my mom I'm a lobbyist, she thinks I'm a piano player in a whorehouse)
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To: samtheman
We should just all check into prison, where we can be more closely monitored and watched.

No worries mate, when "Obama Bin Your Mama" gets elected we can just stay in place cuz with a liberal as Prez and a Liberal Congress America WILL BE a Prison.

44 posted on 03/01/2008 11:42:46 AM PST by Mad Dawgg ("`Eddies,' said Ford, `in the space-time continuum.' `Ah,' nodded Arthur, `is he? Is he?'")
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To: NormsRevenge

I also burn m plastic bottles in the fireplace. Don’t want them ending up in a landfill.


45 posted on 03/01/2008 11:43:21 AM PST by gesully (gesully)
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To: All

Can’t wait for spring so I can have fires.. constantly!


46 posted on 03/01/2008 11:44:30 AM PST by CygnusXI (Now LIVE: http://www.fightglobalwarminglies.com)
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To: NormsRevenge

I think these liberal moonbats need something to do. They should get a job or get religion or get a life.


47 posted on 03/01/2008 11:44:32 AM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Libloather

Hmmm, let me guess, #5 has a label (If you look real closely at the chimney.) “INSERT JDAM HERE.”

I’ll Let my F-15 driving nephew have a copy of this photo fer sher.....


48 posted on 03/01/2008 11:48:20 AM PST by PSYCHO-FREEP (Juan McCain....Viva El Presidente! "I'm not prejudice, I hate everybody the same.")
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To: NormsRevenge; Gabz

Second-hand fireplace smoke is a menace. I say ban all fireplaces in restaurants and workplaces. People should not be allowed to use the fireplace in their cars if children are present. You can not have a fireplace within 50 feet of the entrance of a public building.

Last but not least we need a Fireplace Tax on all fireplaces whether they are used or not.

I have to go build a fire in my fireplace but I’ll catch yall later.


49 posted on 03/01/2008 11:48:59 AM PST by Conspiracy Guy (I voted Republican because no Conservatives were running.)
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To: FMBass
First they came for the cigarette smokers, but I didn’t smoke so....

Your post should send a chill down the back of every Go-fearing, freedom loving American. Unfortunately our education system has made it a point to dumb down the teaching of history AND it's meanings.

50 posted on 03/01/2008 11:56:29 AM PST by 7mmMag@LeftCoast (The DNC and Rino's: they put the CON into congress everyday.)
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To: blastdad51
We could just ban paople, That would solve the problem. (Extreme sarcasm)

Do not make light. Extreme leftists would love to increase abortions, legalize euthanasia for the infirm, severly disabled etc. They mirror the most vile of Nazi's in their humanist views and policies.

51 posted on 03/01/2008 12:00:45 PM PST by 7mmMag@LeftCoast (The DNC and Rino's: they put the CON into congress everyday.)
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To: NormsRevenge

“It’s very noxious and irritating,” she said.

The nanny state is going to bite EVERYONE in the ass, thanks to these progressive twits!


52 posted on 03/01/2008 12:05:20 PM PST by gathersnomoss (General George Patton had it right.)
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To: 7mmMag@LeftCoast
"Do not make light. Extreme leftists would love to increase abortions, legalize euthanasia for the infirm, severly disabled etc. They mirror the most vile of Nazi's in their humanist views and policies."

I wish America was Survivor.

I get chills down my spine when I fantasize about Jeff Probst addressing the Libtards Saying: "Leftest twits, the tribe has spoken!" and then he snuffs out their torch!!!"

53 posted on 03/01/2008 12:05:58 PM PST by Mad Dawgg ("`Eddies,' said Ford, `in the space-time continuum.' `Ah,' nodded Arthur, `is he? Is he?'")
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To: Cicero
I think these liberal moonbats need something to do. They should get a job or get religion or get a life.

LOL, they have a religion. It is the house of worship that places humanism, socialism and environmentalism on a pedestal and denies the existence of God.

54 posted on 03/01/2008 12:11:18 PM PST by 7mmMag@LeftCoast (The DNC and Rino's: they put the CON into congress everyday.)
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To: Gabz; Abathar; Abcdefg; Abram; Abundy; akatel; albertp; AlexandriaDuke; Alexander Rubin; ...
If approved, fireplace police would enforce the rules, and neighbors would be encouraged to report neighbors.



Libertarian ping! To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.
55 posted on 03/01/2008 12:13:51 PM PST by traviskicks (http://www.neoperspectives.com/Ron_Paul_2008.htm)
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To: NormsRevenge
re: "It's very noxious and irritating," she said. "We have to keep our windows closed tight for several hours a day. And we have to keep them closed all night.")))

If it's winter, and cold enough for burning wood to warm a house--why are his windows open? Just sounds like your usual busybody.

56 posted on 03/01/2008 12:16:58 PM PST by Mamzelle (Time for Conservatives to go Free Agent)
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To: mrs. a
It smells wonderful. I love it. I wish they’d burn more!

I always thought of a wood fire as one of the nice smells of Winter.

57 posted on 03/01/2008 12:19:05 PM PST by 6SJ7
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To: NormsRevenge
I am stuck on Fireplace Police, I can't get over that.

Why don't they pay the homeless a bottle of 20/20 for every fire they find?

58 posted on 03/01/2008 12:20:55 PM PST by razorback-bert (Eco-wackos make love by candlelight, it is the only light they have.)
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To: NormsRevenge
If approved, fireplace police would enforce the rules, and neighbors would be encouraged to report neighbors.

Snitch alert!

59 posted on 03/01/2008 12:25:31 PM PST by an amused spectator (AGW: If you drag a hundred dollar bill through a research lab, you never know what you'll find)
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To: Conspiracy Guy
I have to go build a fire in my fireplace but I’ll catch yall later.

As long as you have a permit we might let you do it, else we will send the fireplace police after you... they ride on Møøses and we all know how nasti they can be. :-)

On another note -- good to see you back. Have noticed that you've been absent for a while.

60 posted on 03/01/2008 12:37:28 PM PST by ken in texas (come fold with us - team #36120)
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