Public Outcry Delays Outdoor Wood Boiler Regs

Aubertine: Public unhappy with DEC rules, delay provides opportunity to go back to drawing board

WATERTOWN (August 23, 2010)—State Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine today heralded news that public outcry has forced the Department of Environmental Conservation to delay any action on its proposed regulations for Outdoor Wood Boilers until at least the Spring of 2011.

According to an article published in the Kingston Daily Freeman testimony from more than 2,000 concerned citizens will require further review by the DEC. Sen. Aubertine through his website collected testimony from more than 130 residents from the district and across the state opposed to the regulations. This testimony was submitted with his own on July 2.

“It’s clear that the public is not happy with the idea of having the DEC interfere and effectively ban Outdoor Wood Boilers in New York State. This delay provides the opportunity for the DEC to step back, go back to the drawing board and protect the rights of rural New Yorkers,” Sen. Aubertine said. “The outpouring of opposition to my office was substantial and the DEC knows that the Senate has already acted to unanimously pass legislation I sponsored to protect the rights of rural residents to own outdoor wood boilers, leaving regulation to local zoning boards not the DEC.”

On June 30, the Senate voted 61-0 to pass Sen. Aubertine’s legislation (S.8061) to allow for the continued use of outdoor boilers currently in operation, require any new boilers sold in New York be EPA approved, and allow for local decision making with respect to zoning issues such as setbacks and chimney heights. Hundreds of rural residents have reached out to the Senator in support of his legislation in addition to those whose testimony was submitted.

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