The EPA has begun to release what will likely be their new proposed emission standards for wood and pellet stoves, boilers and other appliances. EPA is proposing to match the Washington State standards that they adopted in 1995 of 4.5 grams an hour for wood and pellet stoves and 2.5 grams and hour for catalytic stoves.
Its appears that single burn rate stoves will continue as a class of appliances but EPA is proposing a 3.0 g/hr limit for them. Indoor and outdoor boilers would be held to 0.32 lb / mmBTU heat output by 2014 and 0.15 lb / mmBTU heat output for 2016.
These proposals will appear in the federal register in June 2011 for public comment and will be final in July 2012. New standards will come in effect in 2013. The proposals confirmed what EPA had been messaging – that pellet stoves, single burn rate stoves and all boilers would have to meet mandatory and stricter emission limits.
[Update: The proposal was not published in the Federal Register until 2014, and public comment period ended in May 2014.)
But many proposals came as a surprise. EPA has decided not to include fireplaces in the NSPS. And, while adhering to the 4.5 limit initially, there will not be a stricter Phase 2 limit for wood stoves. Possibly one of the most surprising proposals is that pellet stoves will not be held to a stricter standard than wood stoves. For the powerpoint presentation containing these and more detailed proposals: Residential Wood Heaters NSPS Current Draft Revisions
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