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 theyre 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 Alaskas 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, theres no replacement for wood-burning stoves in Alaskas interior. Heating oil is too expensive for a lot of people, and natural gas isnt available. So theyve got to burn something.
[ ] This of course is a ridiculous situation. The EPA has no business telling Alaskans they shouldnt 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 theyre the result of something called inversion. At -30 degrees Fahrenheit, smoke doesnt rise. It drops down to ground level and settles in low-lying areas. But this doesnt 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.
How many days?
(assuming that animals haven't chowed down all traces in the meantime)
Play wilderness games, win wilderness prizes . . .
Now more than ever we need to drain the EPA swamp.
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
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?
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
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
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.
We need to, immediately after the January inauguration, cut off ALL power & utilities (including water) to EPA headquarters’ buildings. Let THEM live “earth friendly”.
I’d bet some of those vans gather more than thermal data.
I thought they were just saying you couldn’t burn wood. How do they know you’re not burning propane?
Wood burning stoves/fireplaces/BBQs are illegal in SF nuthouse.
The EPA has to go.
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?
From Townhall.com
Alaska Ping!
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!
What say we burn EPA apparatchiks instead.
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.
Here’s hoping the EPA shortly gets shit-canned.
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