South Coast Air Quality Management District

AQMD website
Rule 445 Approved March 7, 2008 (pdf)
Staff Report (pdf)
Proposed Rules (pdf)
Proposed placeholder for fireplaces

LA Times article about proposed fireplace regulation

Michael,

Thank you very much for the time you took answering my questions and listening to my concerns about the proposed new Rule 445 that would regulate wood-fired masonry fireplaces.

I'm glad to know that you are aware of the efforts to develop ASTM emissions standards for masonry fireplaces, manufactured "low mass" fireplaces, masonry heaters and hydronic heaters. As chair of the masonry fireplace task group, I will add you to our task group mailing list so you can see what we are doing and also so you can see who else is involved. Other task group members, even if they don't all attend, include leaders in the masonry industry, the hearth products industry, other task group members and several EPA regulators.

In exchange I would appreciate it if you would add me to your discussion group list so that I might have the opportunity to be involved or attend future meetings.

Finally, to bring you up to speed on our masonry fireplace testing, our funding proposal to the Council of Masonry Research is on line at http://www.rumford.com/emissions/CMRproposal.html and you might be interested in the section on our website at http://www.rumford.com/emissions/ASTMstd.html where we are documenting the construction of two masonry fireplaces that we will begin testing at OMNI in Portland OR on March 5. Your comments are welcome and, in fact, you are welcome to come to observe the testing.

We are all for an open process leading to clear standards and fair rules. I think the ASTM standards will be much better standards than the much argued over standards that have to date been offered as "equivalent" to the EPA stove standard. I hope the new Rule 445 will have a "place holder", as you called it, for the new ASTM standards and, in the meanwhile permit masonry fireplaces that meet the Colorado or Washington standards for fireplaces and masonry heaters that are "equivalent" to the EPA stove standards as shown by testing in an EPA certified test lab.

Again, thanks and let's keep in touch.

Best,
Jim Buckley