Oregon towns face restrictions on wood stoves
By Associated PressEUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- Oakridge and Klamath Falls in Southern Oregon may face new restrictions on the use of wood stoves. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has designated them as out of compliance with tightened standards for airborne particles, which form smoky winter skies. Eugene's particulate levels were just low enough for the city to be in compliance. Oakridge officials say it will be hard for them to reduce the smoke level in a foothills town where many residents rely on wood stoves — short of a large grant program to help people use other fuels for heat. "We've done everything we can think of," said City Administrator Gordon Zimmerman. "We'd love to be in compliance, but we do the best we can with what we've got." Klamath Falls on the east side of the Cascade Range and Oakridge in the western foothills, share a winter problem: atmospheric conditions that can trap smoke close to the ground. Fine particulates are microscopic bits of soot and liquid that smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter, about onethirtieth the width of a human hair. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, fine particulates can reach into the lungs and trigger problems ranging from aggravated asthma to premature death in people with heart and lung disease. Both towns had reduced pollution and met federal standards through such measures as helping people buy newer, less polluting stoves or weatherizing houses to reduce heating needs. But in 2006, the federal government cut the allowable volume of fine particulates in half, which led to Tuesday's decisions by the agency. The EPA's said it is recommending that its ruling apply outside the Oakridge urban growth boundary, extending to an area or about 21 square miles that includes Westfir and rural areas outside Oakridge.
(Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.) |
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