Small Entities and Rulemaking
SBAR Panel #36 - Revision of New Source Performance Standards for New Residential Wood Heaters
Top Three Questions
Key Dates and Documents for this SBAR Panel
- Convening Date: 08/04/2010
- Completion Date: 10/26/2011
- Panel Report: The Panel Report will be made available when the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking publishes.
About the Rule
- Title: Revision of New Source Performance Standards for New Residential Wood Heaters
- RIN: 2060-AP93
- Docket No.: EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0734
- Publication Date for Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM): Access the projected publication date on the Regulatory Development and Retrospective Review Tracker (Reg DaRRT).
- Publication Date for Final Rule: Access the projected publication date on Reg DaRRT.
About this SBAR Panel
What is the Implication of the Proposed Revisions on Small Entities?
Section 111 of the Clean Air Act, "Standards of Performance of New Stationary Sources," requires EPA to establish federal emission standards for source categories which cause or contribute to air pollution. These standards are intended to promote use of the best air pollution control technologies, taking into account the cost of such technology and any other non-air quality, health, and environmental impact and energy requirements. A facility is considered a “major source” if it emits 10 or more tons a year of a single air toxic, or 25 or more tons of a combination of toxics.
EPA issued New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for new residential wood heaters, including wood stoves, in 1998. The law requires that EPA periodically review these standards. EPA completed a draft review in 2009, noting that improvements in technology allow emissions to be better controlled than what the existing NSPS requires. In light of this review, EPA anticipates proposing revisions to the standards in 2011. Those revisions could include improved regulation of wood heaters, along with new regulation of other residential devices that use solid biomass fuels.
Devices that potentially would be covered by these actions include the following:
- wood stoves
- pellet stoves
- other solid biomass stoves (e.g., stoves that burn shelled corn, switchgrass, cherry pits)
- masonry heaters
- masonry fireplaces constructed on site
- factory-built fireplaces
- outdoor stoves and fireplaces
- indoor hydronic heaters
- outdoor hydronic heaters
- forced-air furnaces
- coal-only heaters
How Can I Learn More?
If you are a small manufacturer of wood heaters and other residential solids that use biomass fuels, such as wood stoves and hydronic heaters, you may be affected by this rulemaking. While the opportunity to participate on this Panel has passed, you will have the chance to submit comments concerning this rulemaking during the standard public comment period commencing after publication of the notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register.
Monthly updates about the rulemaking are available on the rule's profile page on Reg DaRRT. From this page, you can determine when the propsed rule will publish and, thus, when you will have an opportunity to comment on the rulemaking.
Semiannual updates about the development status of the rulemaking are available on both: