Point Reyes Light - October 3, 2002
Flap over stove smoke in Valley
By Ivan Gale
West Marin residents were divided on the need for a restricted-use ordinance on woodburning appliances, at a Monday meeting in Point Reyes.
Supervisor Steve Kinsey’s plan for more regulatory government was called into question. Some deemed it unnecessary, others, who feel their health is at risk, said the proposed ordinance didn’t go far enough. The proposal allows existing wood-burning stoves, but requires new appliances to be certified by the Environmental Protection Agency. It also calls for upgrading to an EPA appliance at the time of repair or remodel.
Both sides did agree that one ordinance may be too broad for an entire county.
More than 30 residents gathered to hear officials from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) describe wood-burning stoves as a serious health hazard.
Particles in the air
Principal air quality specialist Tommie Mayfield said particulates in the air such as those from woodburning stoves can cause premature death and cardio-respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, and cardiac arrhythmia.
In winter, one-third of all harmful particulates in the air are caused from residential woodburning in the Bay Area, Mayfield said.
Some residents in attendance said they had the health problems to back-up Mayfield’s statistics. San Anselmo resident Barbara Phillips said an ordinance was not only needed, but the one proposed did not go far enough.
"Where I live it’s a real serious problem," she said adding that smoke fills her Valley home in the winter. "(My neighbors) just respond, ‘it’s my right and I don’t care if you can’t breathe.’ This (proposed) ordinance doesn’t seriously address the problem."
"I’d love to have the San Geronimo Valley the first community to have something done to it," said Woodacre resident Ann Jones, who said she just got asthma two years ago, and is in favor of replacing the existing stoves in the valley with EPA-certified appliances. She invited county staff to visit the Valley in winter, calling the air "almost unbreatheable."
Wood stoves needed
Other residents cited the necessity of woodstoves, and their dislike of more government control.
Inverness Park resident Lee Ormasa cited the high prices of propane and said, "This [restricting of wood stoves] is just going to be more expensive, and have more government intervention.... people don’t respond well (to that type of government control), especially out here."
Lee also questioned whether homes on Tomales Bay make any measurable impact on places that have received air quality complaints, suggesting different rules for different regions.
"Does anything we do [in Inverness] have any measurable impact on San Geronimo Valley or not?"
Dr. David Fairley, statistician with the BAAQMD, however, said during one test taken at the Point Reyes National Seashore, "air quality looked a heck of a lot like San Jose from wood-burned particulates and car emissions."
Supervisor Kinsey said air issues are similar to water issues in that "there’s always someone downstream."
Kinsey also said a county-wide ordinance may be too general. "I think there’s room for recognizing that in rural areas with lower density, like the Chileno Valley, the problem is not so great."
In related news, the BAAQMD has announced new rules on agricultural burning that became effective this month. As before, allowed fires can only take place on a burn day. Significant changes include:
• Prior notification of an agricultural burn must be made by way of a notification form. Forms may be faxed in at 928-0338 or sent by mail.
• Morning burns cannot begin until after 10 a.m.
• Burn piles must not generate smoke after sunset.
• Prescribed burning has been expanded to include range management and crop replacement fires. Additional requirements also exist for large acreage or large pile burns.