Biden-Harris Administration Awards $8.8 Million in Funding to Measure Pollution from Wood Heaters as Part of Investing in America Agenda
Inflation Reduction Act award will fund independent testing of harmful pollution from woodstoves and wood heater devices to inform cleaner, healthier options
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a direct award of $8.8 million through President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) and a nationwide network of partner air agencies, including in Alaska, Washington, and Idaho. The grant is provided by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history—and will support independent testing and data analysis of emissions from new models of woodstoves and wood heating devices. Data collected will help create a ranked listing of appliance performance for certified wood heater models available at retail stores in the United States. This ranking will help consumers and air agencies make decisions about changing out old dirty woodstoves for cleaner models or switching to other heating options.
“Studies estimate that residential wood smoke emissions account for 10,000 – 40,000 premature deaths annually in the United States,” said Joseph Goffman, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation. “Through this investment under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we will help improve our understanding of residential wood smoke so we can better address emissions that primarily impact disadvantaged communities in rural areas.”
Residential wood heating (RWH) emissions contribute to increased ambient particulate matter (PM) concentrations. In some areas, they cause substantial fine particle (PM2.5) concentrations, including rural, underserved communities where air quality may not meet air quality standards for PM2.5.
Information gained from this grant will inform state, local, Tribal, and regional decision-making on wood heater change out programs. The data will also help EPA determine Clean Air Act emissions limits in a new wood heater standard, which could lower wood heater emissions and improve air quality for areas across the country.
For more information, please visit EPA’s website for air grants and funding.
Background
Section 60105(d) of the Inflation Reduction Act provides funding “for testing and other agency activities to address emissions from wood heaters.”
NESCAUM, a longtime leader in addressing wood heater emissions, provided public comment during EPA’s public outreach on the Inflation Reduction Act. The organization submitted a plan to collaborate with state, local and Tribal air agencies in testing emissions from residential wood heating devices. NESCAUM has a history of forming coalitions and partnerships with states, local agencies, and Tribal nations around the country.