Northeast Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association Blog

Climate Action Council wants to reduce 'Upstate NY wood smoke' - Albany Times-Union

21 December 2021

ALBANY - The council working on the beginning stages of a plan to dramatically reduce greenhouse gases in the state is looking into how reducing wood smoke could benefit the health of upstate New Yorkers.

The 22-member Climate Action Council is in the midst of a year-long study of how to achieve the goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), an ambitious law passed in 2019 mandating the state reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent when compared to 1990 levels by 2030 and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

During the October council meeting, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Director of Energy and Environmental Analysis Carl Mas made a presentation predicting reducing wood smoke by 40 percent upstate could reduce non-fatal heart attacks, asthma-related hospital visits and deaths significantly.

Wood smoke upstate comes from home heating methods, such as wood stoves, pellet stoves and fireplaces, as well as campfires and industrial production.

The council is looking at two scenarios for decreasing greenhouse gases, one of which includes the use of biofuels and green hydrogen. The second scenario envisions transitioning to renewables without biofuels. Both call for reducing wood consumption by 40 percent “relative to business as usual” by 2050, according to NYSERDA.

This reduction would have the greatest health benefits in upstate New York, according to Mas’ presentation, because more wood is burned here.

Reducing wood burning would have two health benefits, according to Mas, though only one of them has to do with climate change.

The first is reducing the small, inhalable particles produced by burning wood.

Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies President Emeritus William H. Schlesinger, a biogeochemist and expert on wood smoke, said burning wood produces large amounts of tiny particles called aromatic compounds, carbon-based molecules that can cause cancer.

It is also “increasingly believed by the medical profession” that breathing particles from wood smoke can lead to increased rates of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, Schlesinger said.

Wood smoke produces far more of these inhalable particles – some of which are carcinogenic – than all other forms of combustion in the state combined, according to Mas’ presentation.

Reducing wood consumption by 40 percent in New York would have quantifiable benefits, according to Mas’ presentation, with per capita health benefits from 2020-2050 of between $3,000 and $4,000 for Albany County and much of the Catskills.

Reducing wood burning would also reduce the amount of nitrogen oxide released into the atmosphere. Though burning wood only produces a tiny silver of all the nitrogen oxide released into the state’s air, the chemical has a drastic effect on climate change. A pound of nitrogen oxide has as much of an effect on the atmosphere as 265–298 pounds of carbon dioxide, according to the EPA.

Burning wood produces more nitrogen oxide than burning oil or natural gas, according to NYSERDA.

The council has not released its recommendations on how to reduce wood smoke upstate, but the task appears challenging, as wood, unlike other fuels, can be gotten for free by just foraging for it.

Kyle Morrison, who took over Gem Stove and Fireplace Company in Greene County from his grandfather a year ago, said wood stoves and pellet stoves are attractive to people because their fuels are cheap.

“Recently, with times changing and fuel prices going up, a lot of people are getting into wood,” he said.  “Our wood stove sales have been absolutely through the roof this year – pellet stoves as well were through the roof – we’re up about 230 percent in sales compared to last year.”

Morrison said his business has never recommended heating a home only with a wood or pellet stove, but that people requested it anyway. For many who aren't on municipal gas lines, choosing an alternative heat source like wood, oil or propane is a necessity.

A ton of wood chips costs $330, and most homes only need two to three tons to get through a winter, making it cheaper than propane, Morrison said, adding that those with access to firewood could essentially heat their homes for free.

New York isn’t the only state to set climate goals. Vermont released its draft Climate Action Plan in November, which has similar goals to New York’s but different methods. Notably, Vermont’s plan actually endorses burning wood as a way of cutting emissions.

“Efficient wood heat – whether with efficient stoves or automated boilers and furnaces – both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and can save consumers money compared to fossil heat,” according to the plan.

Vermont’s plan endorses switching “from fossil-fuel dependent heating systems to cleaner and more efficient systems” including efficient wood stoves and heat pumps.

Though New York’s Climate Action Council has not yet made its recommendations, it is considering models where all new heating systems installed after 2035 would be heat pumps – low-energy systems that pull air from the surrounding air or ground to heat and cool homes.

State Sen. Daphne Jordan, whose district includes Columbia County and part of Rensselaer, Saratoga and Washington counties, said her initial question was “if anyone at the council has reached out to, or even considered, the estimated hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, the vast majority of whom live in upstate and rely on wood to heat their home, to gauge their thoughts and concerns about this potential proposal?”

“…Wood remains a reliable, affordable, accessible fuel source” Jordan's statement continued. “Before Albany rushes forward with potential new mandates on the use of wood for home heating – mandates that would appear to target upstate – the Council should carefully consider the potential negative impact of such a proposal on family budgets.”

The council’s recommendations are due at the end of the year.

Source: Albany Times-Union 

Latest Net Zero/Natural Gas Bans Update for New England and New York

23 January 2020

Here is an update on Net Zero/Gas Ban Events around New England and New York. Is Northeast HPBA missing anything? Is there anything we don't know about that is happening in your area that we need to know? Contact us!

Massachusetts:

There are 240 towns out of 311 towns in MA considering this stretch code. 

The Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS): 

• Held a public hearing in October, prior to their vote to pass a state-wide Net Zero Stretch Code. 
• NEHBA got the heads up about this public hearing through a building official in Sutton who is on the BBRS board.
• NEHPBA Executive Director and President represented with talking points at that public hearing. 
• There were over 100 people there in support of a Net-Zero Stretch code, including selectman from cities and towns across MA, along with organized protestors.
• There were 11 board members in-total and 9 were in favor of the NZ stretch code. 
• NEHPBA succeeded in converting 5 members of the BBRS to our side. 
• They did NOT vote, and they have PUT OFF the vote indefinitely as a result of our talking points at the public hearing and the letter writing campaign NEHPBA implemented (over 300 letters sent to the board chair). 

Brookline, MA:

• Selectmen held a Special Town Meeting in November to make the Net Zero code a law in Brookline. (The problem with a special town meeting is that they are not on the regular schedule and no one knows about them, can’t plan for them, which is how these agendas get passed).
• There were 231 votes in favor and 11 opposed, only 242 people showed up to vote in the ENTIRE CITY OF BROOKLINE. Population 59,000 (one of largest Cities in MA.)
• Brookline Net-Zero “law” is still at MA Attorney General’s office being reviewed for constitutionality.

Cambridge, MA:

• Passed a Net-Zero Stretch Code. 
• That hearing was much more bipartisan in its audience, 50/50 pro vs con regarding the stretch code. 
• The council had their minds made up before the comments session even started. NEHPBA ED and President were present with talking points at this hearing.
• Mayor of Cambridge was outgoing, he wanted a legacy. The stretch code passed in Cambridge 5 to 1.
• Cambridge is expected to formally vote at their next City Council meeting on 1/27.

Somerville, MA:

• NEHPBA found out on 12/12/19 that the vote was happening on 12/12/19 and that the public comments session was on 12/11. 
• Somerville held their meeting in the evening on a weeknight and passed a natural gas ban. 

Governor Baker, State of the Commonwealth Address:

• 1/21/20 State of the Commonwealth Address: Gov Baker committed to net-zero emissions goal by 2050 for Massachusetts.
• Transportation and Climate Initiative is a cap-and-trade program that could increase gas prices (tax) up to $0.17/gallon to pay for NetZero.  

Senator Ed Markey Green New Deal Town Hall In Acton, MA:

• Markey (Author of Green New Deal with AOC which was introduced LESS THAN 1 YEAR AGO in US Senate) wants MA to be a solely “Solar Economy.”
• Over 800 people were present for this event, all in favor. NEHPBA ED, President and 1 dealer member were present.
• MA Senate will be taking up a “Bold Climate Change Bill” Markey wants it to be “the boldest in the Country.” Wants the rest of the country to model and follow MA.
• Markey is Pro Net-Zero building codes.
• “We will bury the fossil fuel industry in the next 10 years” got a huge round of applause.
• Markey wants “wind, solar and storage so we can say goodbye to Natural Gas.”

Other MA Towns/Communities:

• NEHPBA is aware of discussions in the following MA towns/cities: Arlington, Ashland, Concord, Lexington, Newton and Wellesley. 
• The mayors of Worcester, Somerville, New Bedford, and Easthampton have organized a coalition calling on state policymakers to transition MA to meet its heating, transportation, and electricity needs entirely through renewable energy, the group plans to extend invitations into other cities.

Rhode Island:

• Governor Raimondo signed executive order Executive Order 19-06 in July 2019 to reduce carbon emissions from Heating Sector by April 2020.
• 1/20/20 Raimondo set 2030 as goal for Rhode Island to be 100% renewable energy.
• National Grid (electric utility in RI) believes it may be possible that she is pushing renewable generation (solar, wind, storage) and not addressing gas heating and other uses at this time with this order. (She did refer to that Executive Order on 1/20/20).

Vermont:

• Mayor Miro Weinberger wants Burlington to become a Net Zero Energy city by 2030.
• Wants to reduce and eventually eliminate fossil fuel use in the “heating and ground transportation sectors, the two largest greenhouse gas emissions contributors in Burlington and in the state of Vermont.”
• VT is actually passing legislation to allow their state to be sued if they don’t meet their mandates. 

Connecticut:

• Gov. Ned Lamont’s signed executive order to reduce carbon emissions and sets the goal for a 100% carbon-free energy market in the state by 2040.

New York:

• July, the state of New York (state Senate) passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, Carbon-free electricity by 2040 and a net-zero carbon economy by 2050.
• Last month, NEHPBA member lost a 350 unit apartment community deal in upstate New York. Each home was to have a gas fireplace. The builder cancelled for fear that they would not be able to pipe in Natural Gas by the time construction began. 

Maine:

• June 2019, Governor Mills Signs Major Renewable Energy and Climate Change Bills Into Law. Signed legislation to achieve goals of 80% renewable energy by 2030 and emissions reductions of 80% by 2050.

New Hampshire:

• March 2019, Town of Derry, NH. Mission: To explore and achieve cost effective solutions for reduced energy use and sustainable energy development on town-controlled property, municipal buildings, vehicles, schools, while developing a comprehensive plan to achieve the goal of "Net Zero" compliance by all key Stakeholders by 2025. Additionally, to promote energy conservation, energy efficiency, and explore other ways to reduce carbon emissions among the Town's residents and businesses.  Lastly, to reduce water usage where feasible. 

What is NEHPBA doing?

Right now NEHPBA is Networking with: Plumbers Union, VP of Government Affairs and VP of Communications with National Grid, Community Relations Specialist at Eversource, Director at Eversource, President of the Union for Eversource, New England Gas Workers Alliance, PROGANE (Propane Gas of New England), Regional AGA affiliate, Massachusetts Chimney Sweeps, BBRS, numerous building inspectors in MA, NAIOP, National Grid in RI. 

If there are any introductions you can make in your area, no matter how big or small, please introduce me via email or phone. Contact NEHPBA with any questions. Like our Facebook page to stay up-to-date!

Image: Sen Markey Green New Deal Town Hall