Letters: Freeman, owner of Kuma Stoves, on Utah ban wood burning stoves
As a 33-year manufacturer of wood burning products, and your neighbor to the north in Idaho, I thought I might bring a perspective from a little different angle.
Our industry has much experience in situations where there are air quality problems in a particular valley, usually stemming from pressure from the EPA threatening to withhold highway funds if the air shed is not cleaned up.
Too many times we see the wood stove industry become the easy whipping boy. Governor Herbert’s total ban in the winter months proposal will be an exercise in futility.
It would be like telling Utahns that they couldn’t have guns. Would it work? Frankly, no. It would be like saying to the Governor “You can own a gun, but you cannot use it when you need it.”
The proposed ban on wood burning in the winter months will criminalize the user who must burn wood for economic reasons, and turn his neighbors into the “smoke police.”
Banning the old, dirty stoves makes sense. But punishing those who already have made the investment is insane.
Here are some facts: Wood stoves pre-EPA certification put out an average of 60 grams per hour of particulate emissions. Almost all EPA certified stoves now emit around 4 grams on average.
A reduction of 1,500 percent sounds like a good investment especially when I understand that only about 5 percent of air pollution is from wood burning. Additionally, wood fired appliances we build have also gone from about 45-50 percent efficiency to 80 percent, which means less fuel is now burned.
If the right path is not a total ban, then there must be an alternative. There is.
Our industry association (Hearth, Patio, Barbecue Association — HPBA.com — has both experience, and resources to successfully start and execute a valley wide wood stove changeout program.
Monies from EPA, the state, state tax credits, low interest loans and special discounts from manufacturers and dealers will bring incentive for folks to change out their old, smoke belcher to a newer efficient wood burner.
The governor’s ban plan is a stop gap only. The changeout will bring a more permanent solution without the political garbage. Ask the folks in Libby, Montana. It worked for them.
Mark Freeman, Rathdrum, ID
