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Smoke from Outdoor Wood Boilers Prohibited
As the price of home heating oil, natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) increases, many households are looking for heating alternatives. Increasingly, people are turning to Outdoor Woodburning Boilers (also known as OWBs, Outdoor Furnaces, Outdoor Wood Heaters, or Outdoor Wood–Fired Hydronic Heaters) to provide space heating, year-round heating of hot water, and heating of swimming pools, jacuzzis, and hot tubs.
Outdoor woodburning boilers in New Jersey must comply with N.J.A.C. 7:27-3, “Control and Prohibition of Smoke from Combustion of Fuel.” This regulation mandates that stationary indirect heat exchangers, such as outdoor woodburning boilers, produce no smoke, except for three minutes in any 30-minute period. This does not include outdoor fireplaces such as chimineas and firepits.
Homeowners and Local Building Officials should be aware that the requirement of no visible emissions makes it most likely that operating an outdoor woodburning boiler at a residence can violate state regulations. There are substantial fines associated with their use should they produce any visible smoke. These penalties start at $300 for a first offense.
CALL IN COMPLAINTS CONCERNING OWBs TO THE DEP's 24 HOUR TOLL-FREE ENVIRONMENTAL HOTLINE at 1-877 WARN DEP ( 1-877-927-6337)
The following web sites can be accessed for additional information regarding this advisory:
A copy of NJAC 7:27-3, “Control and Prohibition of Smoke from Combustion of Fuel” can be found at:
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/aqm/Sub03v2002-02-04.pdf.
For more information on the issues associated with emissions from these units, please see the report
“Assessment of Outdoor Woodburning Boilers” by the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use
Management (NESCAUM) at: http://www.4cleanair.org/OWB-NESCAUM-Report_March2006.pdf.
General information on wood burning in New Jersey: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/baqp/woodburning.html
Visit the following web site for general DEP information:
http://www.nj.gov/cgi-bin/dep/contactdep.pl
USEPA Diesel Project Grants
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is making nearly $5.4 million in grants available for clean diesel projects under the 2008 Northeast Diesel Collaborative (NEDC) program to reduce harmful diesel pollution.
Projects may include a variety of diesel emissions reductions solutions such as add-on emission control retrofit technologies; idle reduction technologies; cleaner fuel use; engine repowers; engine upgrades; vehicle or equipment replacement; and the creation of innovative finance programs to fund diesel emissions reduction projects.
All projects must benefit the air quality in the geographic areas that include Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Vermont; and Tribal lands belonging to the federally recognized Indian tribes in these regions. The deadline for applying is June 12, 2008.
USEPA Rachael Carson Essay/Photography Contest
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Aging Initiative, in partnership with Generations United and the Rachel Carson Council Inc., are inviting submissions for its Second Annual Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Intergenerational Poetry, Essay, and Photography Contest.
Carson is considered to be the founder of the contemporary environmental movement through her landmark book, Silent Spring. Its publication is credited with reversing the nation's pesticide policy.
Using the title of another of Carson's books, "The Sense of Wonder," the contest is seeking submissions from intergenerational teams "that best express the "Sense of Wonder" that you feel when observing the sea, the night sky, forests, birds, wildlife, and all that is beautiful to your eyes."
"Through this contest, we are inspiring the youngest and oldest among us to appreciate wonders and beauty of the natural world," said USEPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson.
"We experience a sense of wonder at every point in our lives, whether as children or older adults. The contest's intergenerational message exemplifies a long history of environmental work bridging the generations which goes back to the first Earth Day," said Donna Butts, executive director of Generations United. "We are delighted to again co-sponsor this important contest."
The contest's intergenerational approach reflects Carson's desire to have adults share with children a sense of wonder about nature and help them discover its joys. Entries must be intergenerational involving a team of persons related or unrelated and describe the intergenerational project and how this project brought the team in touch with the natural world.
The deadline for entries is Monday, June 16, 2008. A panel of expert judges will select finalists. The winners in each category will then be determined by the public, who will have an opportunity to vote on-line in July and August for their favorite submission in each category: photography, essay, and poetry. Winners will be announced on the USEPA Aging Initiative Web site in October during Children's Health month.
Carson wrote that she would endow every child with "a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life." However, "if a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in."
The contest seeks to spur and instill that same sense of wonder among all generations. For more information, see: http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/thesenseofwonder/index.htm.
Kill-a-Watt to Live Greener in Pennington, NJ
(Hopewell, NJ) The Pennington Borough Environmental Commission has acquired five "Kill-a-Watt" meters for residents to monitor their household electricity use.
The Pennington Public Library, located at 30 N. Main St. (adjacent to Borough Hall), has agreed to lend these meters and instructions for their use to library patrons.
The Kill-a-Watt meter can be used to measure electricity consumption, understand energy costs, and make educated decisions on conserving energy, shutting off devices, and upgrading to more efficient home appliances.
The best way to begin improving energy efficiency is to understand how it is used (and wasted). The Pennington Borough Environmental Commission urges residents to check out one of the meters and begin improving household energy efficiency now.
Source: Hopewell Valley News
New Web Multimedia Portal Launched on EPA.gov
Contact: David Twomey, (202) 564-5403 / twomey.david@epa.gov
(Washington, D.C. – Monday, February 25, 2008) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) today launched its new web multimedia portal: www.epa.gov/multimedia. The multimedia portal is the USEPA’s one-stop location for environmental video, audio/podcasts, and photography.
The portal also includes interactive features such as “Ask EPA” and the Deputy Administrator's blog, “Flow of the River”. Another feature called "EPA in Action" goes behind-the-scenes; following the diverse jobs performed by the USEPA workforce and examines some of the most pressing environmental issues facing our nation today.
Viewing video is integrated into the site using flash player, while photos of events and USEPA work will be posted in a series of online galleries. Users may also subscribe to several podcast series or select from a number of individual podcasts featuring USEPA experts and senior officials.
This new multimedia portal is an important resource for the public, journalists, academia, local governments and the environmental community. The portal will help increase awareness of important news items through an intuitive, media-rich focus, rather than through traditional electronic print.
NJDEP Puts the Brakes on Construction Vehicle Idling
(08/14) TRENTON--Advancing efforts to improve New Jersey's air quality, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson today launched a statewide campaign that focuses on reducing harmful diesel emissions from idling construction vehicles.
"Nearly one third of all diesel vehicle emissions in New Jersey come from the construction industry," Commissioner Jackson said. "This is a significant initiative given the fact that scientific studies consistently show a link between exposure to harmful diesel emissions and increased incidents of respiratory disease."
Construction vehicles produce about 1,600 tons of the 5,700 tons of diesel particulate emissions that are generated every year in New Jersey. Beginning March 1, the NJDEP will work with construction trade organizations and interest groups throughout the state to raise awareness about the benefits of lower diesel emissions. Construction vehicle operators can save money in fuel costs and repair expenses from reduced idling.
The education and outreach campaign will continue for six months, followed by an enforcement sweep to ensure compliance with idling regulations. New Jersey law prohibits engines from idling for more than three minutes in most instances.
The NJ DEP also announced today that it distributed $750,000 in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant money to fund the purchase of auxiliary power units, bunk heaters and tailpipe retrofits for heavy-duty trucks. In September 2006, the NJDEP partnered with the New Jersey Motor Truck Association to purchase these devices to reduce harmful diesel emissions inside and outside truck cabins. Auxiliary power units and bunk heaters provide heating, cooling and electrical power to truck cabins while the engine is shut down.
The construction sector anti-idling campaign and the DEP's partnership with the New Jersey Motor Truck Association are part of a larger effort to reduce the public's exposure to harmful diesel exhaust. In September 2005, New Jersey became the first state in the nation to pass legislation requiring emissions controls on diesel vehicles. The landmark program funds the installation of air pollution controls on transit buses, garbage trucks and school buses with revenue generated from the state's Corporate Business Tax.
For more information about the NJDEP's diesel program, visit www.stopthesoot.org.
New Jersey Wood Burning Webpage; NJDEP Cautions Public on Use of Wood Burning Stoves
Wood burning stoves seem as pure as mom and apple pie. As fuel oil prices continue to soar, many homeowners believe they are an economical, healthy, and environmentally correct energy alternative.
Although wood is a renewable source of energy, wood burning results in air pollution including fine particulate matter and carbon dioxide, which contribute to global warming and cause respiratory ailments.
Therefore, homeowners using wood burning stoves and boilers as primary or supplemental energy sources may wish to reconsider their choice. The same environmental and health concerns apply to the use of fire rings or chimineas which are used in warmer months for backyard gatherings or events.
One option is to consider upgrading your stove to a USEPA-certified wood stove or using a USEPA-certified wood stove or fireplace insert which reduces air pollution. A better option may be to replace stoves with a pellet or gas stove, which produces less than 150 times the amount of fine particles compared to a USEPA-certified wood stove. (Source: http://www.epa.gov/woodstoves/refp.html)
New Jersey's Clean Energy Program offers homeowners environmentally preferable renewable energy options such as solar, wind, or landfill gas to supplement their primary energy source. More information is available at http://www.njcleanenergy.com/renewable-energy/home/home.
However, if you do continue to burn wood, follow these tips to reduce pollution and protect your health and safety and the health and safety of those around you:
*Season wood outdoors through the hot, dry summer for at least 6 months before burning it. Properly seasoned wood is darker, has cracks in the end grain, and sounds hollow when smacked against another piece of wood.
*Never burn wet, rotted, diseased, or moldy wood or green (unseasoned) logs.
*Start fires with clean newspaper and dry kindling.
*Burn hot, bright fires. A smoldering fire is not a safe or efficient fire.
*Use smaller fires in milder weather.
*Keep a fire extinguisher handy.
*Never burn household garbage or cardboard. Plastics and the colored ink on magazines, boxes, and wrappers produce harmful chemicals when burned.
*Never burn coated, painted, pressure-treated wood, plywood, particle board, or any wood with glue on or in it. They all release toxic chemicals when burned.
**Check the local air quality at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/airmon/ prior to burning wood. I f the air quality in your area is poor, consider other heating alternatives.
**Check the New Jersey Fire Service webpage at http://www.njwildfire.org for burning restrictions in your area.
Remember, if you must burn wood, burn smartly by following the tips above. These tips and other information on wood burning are accessible on NJDEP's new webpage, http://www.state.nj.us/dep/baqp/woodburning.html.
NJDEP Air Quality Study on Teterboro Airport
The general purpose of the study was to evaluate the potential air quality and health risks associated with operations of Teterboro Airport. Four monitoring stations were established near each end of the two runways, and equipment was set up to monitor volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbonyls, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), and other gaseous compounds (continuously measured by open path monitors), as well as wind speed and direction, traffic, and aircraft activity. The study showed that (1) concentrations of certain VOCs (e.g., formaldehyde, toluene) at Teterboro Airport were higher than at other New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) monitoring locations; (2) risks associated with the concentrations of VOCs at parts of Teterboro Airport were higher than risks at other NJDEP monitoring locations (based on conservative risk screening calculations intended to overestimate exposures and be health protective), but these risks were not necessarily associated with the airport operations; (3) similar to other locations in New Jersey, risks at Teterboro Airport exceed health benchmarks, and these exceedances are typical of urban areas in the U.S; (4) PM2.5 average concentrations at Teterboro Airport appears to be higher than at other New Jersey monitoring locations in 2006, although the method used to measure PM2.5 at Teterboro Airport typically yields higher concentrations than the Federal Reference Method; (5) high BC, PM2.5 concentrations, and signals from open path monitors were observed to come from both roadways and the airport. It is concluded that the airport activities have measurable impacts on local air quality, although the data were insufficient to quantify these impacts.
New USEPA Website for Local Communities
A new USEPA website features dozens of projects that local communities can do to help make the air cleaner and healthier to breathe. The "Improving Air Quality in Your Community" website features activities for reducing both indoor and outdoor pollution, including diesel engine retrofit programs, improving air quality in local schools, and pollution prevention options for small businesses. These projects have a successful track record: they were previously put into action by state and local governments across the country. This site includes information about the costs to establish and maintain each project, and how local communities can apply for USEPA grants to kick-start their activities.
Compliance & Enforcement Air Advisories
New Jersey's Air Compliance & Enforcement program performs several activities from stack testing to negotiating compliance schedules and penalty settlements to ensure compliance with the Air Pollution Control Act and compliance with issued permits. Be sure to check the air advisories webpage for new items.
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