EPA Wood-burning Fireplace Program Progress

So far, three months after the EPA included masonry fireplaces in the renamed "Wood-burning Fireplace Program", only one fireplace (a metal one) has been tested for emissions to ASTM E2558 and approved by the EPA. Even that fireplace has not been accepted by any state or local air quality management district.

A spokesman for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) in California told me that the BAAQMD was waiting until the EPA finished some modeling study which might change the Phase II passing grade of 5.1 g/kg. He had no answer to my question, "Why don't you approve them as a Phase I fireplace?"

We wonder what the EPA is doing to work with these state and local air quality management districts to help them revise their "rules" to recognize the EPA Voluntary Wood-burning Fireplace Program.

We wonder why the fireplace industry is not flocking to the test labs, getting their fireplaces approved by the EPA and applying to the BAAQMD and other air quality management districts.