New York State Bans Heating With Firewood This Fall?

The fall is officially here and the cooler nights and mornings are upon us! As the leaves change and the snow starts to fly, there are a few wondering if THIS is the year that the laws change regarding the use of fireplaces and wood stoves to heat their homes.

It was around this time last year that the discussions were front and center about whether or not, New York State was going to stop allowing people to use fossil fuels and wood to heat with.

Note from the editor: This story has been updated with a statement from the New York State Department of Environment Conservation. Please see below under "Statement from the NYS DEC."

Are the days of having your home heated with a wood furnace going away in New York State? There's a pending law in New York that will begin to change how buildings and homes in New York are heated in an effort to reduce carbon emissions. 

This bill known as the New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act was signed in 2019 and will start to have a big impact in 2022.

Sections 2 and 3 of the bill would modify the Environmental Conservation Law to establish the New York state climate action council, and green-house gas emissions limits and reporting requirements, and provisions to address potential impacts on disadvantaged communities.

According to the bill, this portion of the law will go into effect as of October.

The bill would take effect on the same date as a chapter of the law of 2019 relating to a permanent environmental justice advisory group as proposed except that the community air monitoring program required by section 2 of the act shall take effect on October 1, 2022.

Similar to the reasons there won't be any gas ATV's available in New York State, this new law aims to end the damage to the environment that is caused by outdoor boilers/wood-burning furnaces.

Statement from the NYS DEC

The Climate Action Council’s Draft Scoping Plan does not contain any recommended actions directed specifically at wood burning.

The statement continues:

The State is not considering legislation that would ban wood burning. The Draft Scoping Plan puts forth strategies and actions to achieve the goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

Please read their entire press release, CLICK HERE.