Posted on 01/31/2015 11:14:52 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Better go out and buy a gas fireplace and stove soon before federal regulations make them more expensive. Federal officials are looking to regulate the energy usage of fake fireplaces as part of the Obama administration’s effort to fight global warming.
The Energy Department has proposed new regulations that would mandate that “gas-fired hearth products” like decorative fireplaces and stoves be more energy efficient and produce fewer carbon dioxide emissions. DOE says its rule would save $165 over the lifespan of the average hearth and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 11.1 million metric tons through 2030.
The major change DOE demands is the end of continuously burning pilot lights that make it so fireplaces and stoves can be used at a moment’s notice. Instead, the DOE is mandating the use of electric ignition systems to save energy and fight global warming.
The DOE also notes that the price of gas hearths will likely go up because of its mandate. For example, smaller hearth producers could see the costs of making an outdoor hearth increase by $65 per unit. The cost of a vented indoor hearth could increase by $31 per unit because of the electronic ignition system.
DOE notes that the added costs per unit will decrease with higher production levels. The department says that the rule could add $61 million per year in increased compliance costs to the hearth industry, but would yield “186 million per year in reduced equipment operating costs, $67 million per year in CO2 reductions, and $7.0 million per year in reduced NOX emissions.”
“In this case, the net benefit would amount to $199 million per year,” according to the DOE’s regulatory analysis of the proposed hearth rule.
President Obama pledged in 2013 to make global warming a major priority during his last term in office, quickly ordering that carbon dioxide emissions from power plants be reduced, and that agencies regulate methane emissions from oil and natural gas operations.
A less noticed Obama strategy is to regulate the energy efficiency of everyday appliances and equipment. In 2014, the DOE began updating energy efficiency standards for everyday products. Regulators recently finalized standards for fluorescent lamps and ice machines.
“As part of President Obama’s climate action plan, the Energy Department set an ambitious goal of finalizing 10 energy efficiency standards this year, and with the new efficiency standards for general service fluorescent lamps and automatic commercial ice makers, we have reached that goal,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.
While the DOE’s energy efficiency regulations have largely escaped public notice, Environmental Protection Agency rules regulating wood stoves became a major political battle as it could force millions of Americans to replace their old stoves.
The wood stove lobby (yes, there is actually a wood stove lobby) said the rules were so strict that they would harm air quality. Lobbyists said EPA rules would increase the costs of buying stoves and people would opt to keep their old one longer than they would have otherwise instead of buying a new one.
“Unfortunately, some of the standards proposed for the appliances do not meet the government’s duty to set standards based on data that show both a tangible benefit to consumers and cost-effectiveness,” said Jack Goldman, president of the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association.
“We are hopeful that our thoughtful, fact-based comments will help guide the EPA in setting regulations that are achievable, cost-effective, and helpful in reaching our common goal of cleaner air for the public,” said Goldman.
Well, hope is a great thing, but trying to reach liberal bureaucrats (read: tyrants) with fact-based logic is not going to do you much good. I would suggest instead that you try radical, emotion-based screeching instead. They may not change their minds, but at least you'll be speaking the same language.
Last month he announced he was placing more regulations on gas and oil companies to “reduce their methane output to stop global warming.”
What is the current percentage of Methane in the atmosphere?
0.00017%
Zero point zero zero zero.
“Wait until they expand that to one waltz per day.”
I am sure that somewhere they are working on Penile Pedometers with RFID!
“Last month he announced he was placing more regulations on gas and oil companies to “reduce their methane output to stop global warming.””
The last time I looked, they wanted to reduce our consumption of beef and other animal flesh because of their “flatulence” being a “major atmospheric methane source.”
What about Korean ONDAL Heaters?
It will really cause some serious hell raising when they decide to go after charcoal grills and smokers. You just KNOW the day is coming. I’d bet the rules/regulations have already been written and are on a desk somewhere as we speak.
“Feds To Ban Elections To Stop Global Warming”.
Lets start a new group.
Citizens to ban politicians from opening their mouths to prevent globull warming.
What's next? Outlawing Bean Burritos?
“What’s next? Outlawing Bean Burritos?”
Actually, I think that “the environazis” want to eliminate all people except themselves. That way they can have their “private world” to enjoy without the rest of us to “despoil their environment.”
10-4 on that
Agreed.
How about smokers? Cigarettes produce CO2 as well.
(I’m being facetious, of course.)
FEDS TO LIMIT NUMBER OF BEAN BURRITOS TACO BELL CAN SELL
In their ongoing effort to stop globull warming, the Feds say Taco Bell will be required to reduce sales of bean burritos in 2015 to 90% of 2014, and further reduce by 5% a year for the next 5 years
Federal bean counters (pun intended) estimate that this will also save 10 million gallons of water a year due to fewer toilet flushings; as well as 1/2 million trees a year from reduced toilet paper use.
Critics contend that the average cost of a meal will increase by 20% to as high as 45% due to the switch from beans to meat. Critics also point out that the increased cow production resulting from switching to meat burritos will actual mean a net increase in the globull warming gas methane because of more cow flatulence.
The Feds are considering requiring that “meat” burritos be made from ground chicken and turkey to prevent the larger cow herds.
An unnamed source inside the administration was reputed to have said that the real goal is to put Taco Bell out of business and eliminate burritos entirely. “People shouldn’t be allowed to eat that crap anyway” said the administration lackey who declined to be quoted by name.
Show me the math. Maybe they borrowed a global warming model.
Some figures here.
http://www.homeenergy.org/show/article/nav/heating/page/5/id/1264
If a fireplace uses 7.3 therms of gas per year, and gas is less than $1 per therm, then they are assuming a 23 (round it to 25) year life span of the stove/fireplace.
However, no estimate of the extra cost and reduced reliability.
See post #53 for a news release on that subject.
We put up with it, the blame is on us.
In the end, I just don’t think we’re principled enough. We’ll gladly let the gov’t crackdown on stuff we don’t like, and then whine when they turn the power we’ve ceded to them on us.
I s there ANY QUESTION that the EPA needs to be COMPLETELY resized down to a very SMALL non-controlling government agency?
When is congress going to stop this climate change hoax?
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