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In Case You Missed it
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Top stories in past issues:
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Office Equipment Needed
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Have a printer, scanner or computer that is still relatively up to date and in good working order that you don't need? Donate it to the Alliance for Green Heat and get a tax credit. Contact: info@forgreenheat.org
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EPA Proposed New Heater Regulations Industry & Air Agencies Spar at EPA's Public Hearing on  New Wood Stove Regulations
Alliance for Green Heat - Most of the controversy at the EPA's public hearing on their new residential wood heater regulations was not about outdoor wood boilers or other unregulated heaters but about the traditional wood stove.
EPA Publishes Trove of Documents that Influenced NSPS AGH - Along with proposed regulations, the EPA published 367 documents that are now available for public review and scrutiny. Many are available to the public for the first time. HPBA Joins Lawsuit Against EPA AGH - In November, 2013 the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) joined a lawsuit brought against the EPA arguing that its members have and are suffered economic injury as a result of the EPA's failure to enact the NSPS in a timely way.
A Sampling of Recent NSPS Media Coverage:
Valley News - Hearthstone and Vermont Castings say proposed regulations too strict, but Woodstock Soapstone says its a good regulation.
New Rules Could Clear the Air, Push Up Prices NH Public Radio - It has been 25 years since the EPA wrote the first woodstove regulations. Since the rules were last refreshed, the health hazards from the unburned particles in wood smoke have been researched and quantified. Climate Progress - As the state of Missouri fights against the EPA's long-awaited pollution regulations for new wood-burning stoves, a flame has been sparked in the conservative blogosphere.
New Standards Will Backfire, Says Maine Manufacturer Bangor Daily News - Some in the industry say proposed regulations will increase the cost of stoves for consumers and discourage people from investing in new, cleaner burning stoves - an effect contrary to the government's intended goal. EPA Summary of NSPS: |
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Wood Stove Design Challenge
The Next Chapter of the Wood Stove Design Challenge
AGH - Initial plans are underway to organize a week-long workshop in the northeast for engineers and experts to study, test and tweak automated stoves and stove prototypes. For more info, contact caitlin@forgreenheat.org, or watch our blog or Facebook page.  Popular Mechanics - James Meigs, Editor in Chief of Popular Mechanics and a judge in the Wood Stove Decathlon argues that the law favors solar panels, rewarding them with hefty tax credits. But when it comes to helping the planet, wood stoves may be a better bet.
Al Steele, US Forest Service - There are a lot of folks who appreciate the virtues of elegant simplicity in the wood stove. I met some very talented people at the Wood Stove Decathlon who may figure out how to drastically improve performance, without sacrificing the simplicity.
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Alliance for Green Heat Activities
Testimony in Support of Thermal Energy in MD's RPS
AGH - The Alliance for Green Heat urged the Economic Matters Committee to include thermal biomass in the state renewable energy standard, including certain residential technology.
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Most Liked Stories on Facebook
"Like" the Alliance for Green Heat page on Facebook to get breaking news and analysis from a consumer perspective. Most liked posts in December:
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Pellet News
Some local residents are finding that it's harder now to find wood pellets to fuel the stoves they are using to heat their homes, and those who produce and sell the pellets say there are reasons they're in shorter supply this year.
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International
Waste Coffee Grounds Set to Fuel London
UK: Sometimes an idea seems so good you can't believe it hasn't been done before. Using waste coffee grounds to make biomass pellets and biodiesel occurred to Arthur Kay in 2012.
UK: Rising energy costs and growing eco-consciousness amongst consumers are forcing hoteliers across the country to explore new ways of making their businesses leaner and ultimately, greener.
States
Wood Boiler Users Dispute Heavy Pollution Claims
 CT: There are 500 to 1,000 unregulated wood furnaces in the state, the Department of Environmental Protection estimates.
CT: Among car exhaust, factory fumes and coal-fired power plants, there is one source of air pollution that Connecticut residents know little about: emissions from residential wood smoke.
Des Moines Woman Asks to Ban on Wood Stoves
IA: A Des Moines woman wants wood stoves banned in the city. For some people, a toasty wood fire is hard to beat. Brenda Walker is not one of those people.
MA: The program offers rebates to assist Massachuseresidents in replacing non-EPA-certified woodstoves with cleaner, more efficient wood or pellet stoves. Applications will be accepted through March 4, 2014.
Big Stores Struggle to Meet Demand for Wood Pellets
ME: A retail shortage of wood fuel pellets locally has less to do with a dwindling supply and more to do with a cold winter.
New Program Off-sets Cost of Pellet Stoves
ME: Grant money is available to help homeowners ditch their oil furnace and get one that burns wood pellets instead. One of the programs is now working with homeowners in Farmington and Wilton.
More Air Quality Improvements Seen for Wood Stoves
NH: Despite the benefits, a number of state and national agencies are now saying that wood burning is not always as ideal as people expect. In fact, burning wood to heat a home can lead to environmental, safety and health problems if it is not done responsibly.
NH: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that $3 million has been awarded to 18 research institutions, technology developers and biomass-fuel businesses to encourage the growth of high-efficiency, low-emission wood-fired heating equipment.
Henrico Neighborhood at Odds with Wood Boiler
VA: Outdoor wood boilers are legal, but it's fueling hostility in one Henrico neighborhood, pitting one man at odds with his neighbors.
Group Explores Biomass
VT: According to Guy Payne of the Sustainable Energy Outreach Network, this area could develop into a foremost center of renewable and sustainable energy in rural America.
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Upcoming Conferences and Webinars
Biomass Heating Integration Workshop
Anchorage, AK, March 3-4, 2014
Opportunity to earn Continuing Education Credits on topics such as wood gasification application, pellet boiler application, heat metering and thermal storage. HBPA Expo Salt Lake City, Utah, March 5-8, 2014 The annual Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association Expo will be held in Salt Lake City Utah this year. March 10, 2014
The Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) is hosting an upcoming webinar on renewable thermal in RPS. Washington DC, March 26, 2014
LIHEAP Action Day is an opportunity to educate Congress about the increasing energy burden on low-income Americans. Northeast Biomass Heating Expo
Portland, Maine, April 9-11, 2014
The Expo unites a diverse audience from fuel, supply chain, developer, manufacturer, non-profit and government sectors to break barriers for biomass thermal and CHP.
Urban Wood Utilization Webcast
April 15, 2014 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Eastern
Join us to learn about urban wood utilization activities, including urban timber measurement protocols. For the audio portion, call toll-free at (888) 844-9904 and use participant passcode 7578516.
Profitable Firewood Processing Workshop
Princeton, WV, April 17, 2014
This educational and networking event will provide the firewood processing industry with the latest knowledge on processing, kiln drying, and marketing firewood. For additional information, contact Harry Watt from North Carolina State University at 704-880-5034.
Albany, NY, April 28-29, 2014 The Advanced Energy Conference has solidified its position as the premier energy conference in New York State, and one America's most comprehensive and influential events on the future of energy.
Green Bay, WI, April 29-May 1, 2014 This 3rd Annual Conference features a tour of biomass facilities, key-note presentations and an expo.
Antique Stove Association Convention
Cody, Wyoming, June 1-4, 2014
The schedule includes a visit to the Buffalo Bill museum and a stove auction.
Lake Placid, NY, June 4-6, 2014
The Conference Planning Team is currently requesting abstracts for presentations.
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