WA legislative committee advances new standards on wood stoves
The Brief
Senate Bill 5174 aims to align Washington's air quality standards for wood stoves with those published by the EPA.
The bill will only apply to new stoves being built, not ones that are already in people's homes.
OLYMPIA, Wash. - A Senate committee advanced a proposal Friday morning to update the rules around wood stoves. Democratic supporters of the bill argue it will promote better air quality, while Republican opponents are concerned it could make lives harder.
Voted on by the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology, Senate Bill 5174 would update the state's air quality standards around wood burning devices like wood stoves and fireplaces.
Requested by the Department of Ecology, the agency would issue standards that match those published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency "as it existed on January 1, 2025," according to the bill. The legislation states Washington's current regulations "are weaker than those put in place by the Environmental Protection Agency."
If the EPA were to adopt standards that are less stringent than those from January 1, 2025, the bill says the Department of Ecology "must retain the more stringent statewide emission standards."
Big picture view
Prime sponsor State Senator Sharon Shewmake (D-Bellingham) said the standards would only apply to new wood burning devices, and existing devices would not have to be changed or removed.
"My intention was never to take away anyone's wood stoves," she said ahead of the committee vote. "Wood stoves are a great source of heat, especially in rural areas. If you're willing to put some arm energy into it, they can even be free heat.
Shewmake said the bill would implement a voluntary program for manufacturers to certify their devices meet federal standards.
"We need to make sure that they're clean," she said. "A voluntary program would allow people to see that they are actually passing the standards that they claim to be passing."
An earlier version of the legislation initially required the state to create a mandatory certification process, as a federal report raised questions about whether devices were burning as cleanly as claimed.
Local perspective
"The OIG found that EPA is approving deficient test reports, lacks robust oversight, fails to address known violations and allows non-compliant devices to be sold," said Kathy Taylor with the Department of Ecology. "These flaws in EPA's oversight program puts families in Washington at risk of buying what appears to be a cleaner wood stove, but in reality is a stove that might harm their health or contribute to unhealthy air quality in their community."
Republican senators argued the bill would overregulate wood stoves and make a crucial heat source more expensive, ultimately leading to a ban on them.
State Senator Shelly Short (R-Addy) questioned whether the Department of Ecology could meet the responsibilities outlined in the bill.
"Ecology doesn't have the bandwidth for this," she said. "They don't have the knowledge base. I don't think they are prepared for this."
Short also expressed concern the bill reduces consumer confidence in trusted manufacturers.
"It's actually made me very frustrated that, okay, if there's an issue with EPA, let's deal with it. Let's better understand that before you go after an entire industry," she said.
She offered an amendment to change the legislation, but it failed.
The updated standards ultimately passed out of committee on a party-line vote. They now move to the Senate Committee on Rules for their consideration of whether to bring the bill to a floor vote.
Albert James is a television reporter covering state government as part of the Murrow News Fellowship program – a collaborative effort between news outlets statewide and Washington State University.
The Source
Information comes from original reporting by Murrow News fellow Albert James.
Politics: WA Senate passes changes to parental rights in education
Local: Japan Airlines plane clips tail of Delta plane at Sea-Tac
Travel: Here's when you'll need REAL ID to get through US airport security
Food: New restaurants coming to Seattle in 2025
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sunnova files for bankruptcy on residential solar woes
By Tanay Dhumal (Reuters) -Sunnova Energy said on Sunday it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States, as the residential solar panel installer buckled under the pressure of mounting debt and weakening demand. Sunnova is the second residential solar company to file for bankruptcy this month, reflecting the challenges faced by the industry as it struggles to cope with higher interest rates, an incentive cut in top market California and fears of subsidy rollbacks. Last week, privately held Solar Mosaic filed for bankruptcy protection, while industry pioneer SunPower collapsed a year back. On Monday, Sunnova said it had entered into agreements with Atlas SP Partners and Lennar Homes under which it would sell certain assets to each company for a value of $15 million and $16 million respectively, pending court approval. The company will continue its regular operations throughout the sale process. Sunnova filed for protection in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas after warning in March that it might not be able to continue as a going concern. The company listed its estimated assets and liabilities in the range of $10 billion to $50 billion and had a total debt of $10.67 billion as of December 31, according to a court filing. Sunnova said last week it would lay off about 55% of its workforce, or 718 employees, in a bid to cut spending. Earlier this month, its unit, Sunnova TEP Developer, had also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. President Donald Trump's administration, which is pushing to maximize oil and gas production, canceled a partial loan guarantee of $2.92 billion last month that was awarded to Sunnova by the Biden administration. Companies that put solar panels on U.S. homes said last month that a Republican budget bill that has advanced in Congress could deal a massive blow to the industry by eliminating a generous subsidy for homeowners that had buttressed the industry's growth. "Depending on what happens with the tax bill in Congress, the conditions in this market may become even worse in 2026, because Congress is considering ending the tax credit for residential solar," Raymond James analyst Pavel Molchanov said. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Hamilton Spectator
14 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Trump heads to Fort Bragg while facing criticism for deploying military at Los Angeles protests
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump plans to speak at Fort Bragg on Tuesday to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army as he deploys the military in an attempt to quiet immigration protests in Los Angeles. Fort Bragg, located near Fayetteville, North Carolina, serves as headquarters for U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Highly trained units like the Green Berets and the Rangers are based there. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll will also be at Tuesday's event, along with service members, veterans and their families. Trump has promoted the Army's anniversary as a reason to hold a military parade in Washington, D.C. , on Saturday, which is also his 79th birthday. Tanks and other vehicles will roll down city streets in a reminder of how the Republican president is reshaping the armed forces after returning to the White House this year. Trump, who sees the military as a critical tool for domestic goals, has used the recent protests in Los Angeles as an opportunity to deploy the National Guard and U.S. Marines to quell disturbances that began as protests over immigration raids. Trump has authorized the deployment of 4,000 National Guard soldiers to the city over the objections of Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom. About 700 Marines were also due to formally deploy to Los Angeles. California sued Trump over the deployment, with the state attorney general arguing that the president had 'trampled' the state's sovereignty. California leaders accused Trump of fanning protesters' anger, leading crowds to block off a major freeway and set self-driving cars on fire. 'We're gonna have troops everywhere,' Trump said over the weekend. 'We're not going to let this happen to our country.' Fort Bragg has been in the middle of a cultural tug-of-war over the military. It was named after a Confederate general, then renamed to Fort Liberty two years ago. Hegseth brought back the Bragg name , but said it was being used to honor an Army paratrooper who served in World War II. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
15 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Primary day in New Jersey governor's race could offer hints on how voters feel about Trump
TRENTON, N..J. (AP) — New Jersey voters on Tuesday will settle the Democratic and Republican primaries for governor in a contest that could send signals about how the public is responding to President Donald Trump's agenda and how Democratic voters think their leaders should push back. New Jersey is one of just two states with a race for governor this year — the other is Virginia — and the fact two-term Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy is term-limited has created fresh drama for the open seat. There's a six-way race on the Democratic side that features several seasoned political figures. Trump's endorsement of former state lawmaker Jack Ciattarelli may have given him a boost on the Republican side, where he faces four primary challengers. Polls are open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday, but it's not the only day of voting. Early in-person voting was held from June 3-8. Mail-in ballots were sent to voters beginning in April. The contest hinges in part on New Jersey issues, including high property taxes and the soaring cost of living, but national politics are sure to figure in. Trump, who has long had a strong presence in New Jersey, waded into the race with his endorsement, attacking Democratic control of state government. Democrats are looking for a winning message and leadership after the sting of bitter losses in 2024. 'Because these are the first major elections since Donald Trump's return to the White House, there's a tremendous amount at stake simply through public perception,' said Ben Dworkin, director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship. For Democrats? 'They'll just get further in a hole if they don't hold this seat,' he said. For Republicans? They could win because New Jersey tends to be purple during gubernatorial years, Dworkin said, but that would be viewed as a tremendous victory for Trump. The Democrats running are Mayors Ras Baraka of Newark and Steven Fulop of Jersey City; U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill; teachers union President Sean Spiller and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney. The Democratic campaign has been hard fought and pricey, with tens of millions spent in one of the country's most expensive media markets. On the Republican side, most of the candidates declared their support for the president's agenda, pressing for a state-level version of the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency. They've also said they would end so-called sanctuary policies and, in a New Jersey-specific pitch, called for the end of the state's 2020 law banning single-use plastic bags. Ciattarelli has said he would sign an order on his first day in office ending New Jersey's Immigrant Trust Directive, which bars local police from cooperating with federal officials on civil immigration matters. He has also said he would direct whomever he names attorney general to end lawsuits against the Trump administration, including a case aimed at stopping the president's order ending birthright citizenship for people whose parents were in the country illegally. Murphy, who became the first Democrat to be reelected in more than four decades in 2021, is barred from running again by term limits and hasn't endorsed a successor in the primary. Both parties will look to build their general election campaigns on widespread voter frustration. For Democrats, that means focusing on the parts of Trump's aggressive second-term agenda that are unpopular. Republicans, meanwhile, are casting blame for economic hardships on Democrats who've run state government for the last eight years. New Jersey has been reliably Democratic in Senate and presidential contests for decades. But the odd-year races for governor have tended to swing back and forth, and each of the last three GOP governors has won a second term. Democrats have the largest share of registered voters in the state, followed closely by independent voters and then Republicans, who have roughly 800,000 fewer registrations than the Democratic Party. But the GOP has made gains in recent years, shaving the Democrats' lead of more than 1 million more registrations to the current level. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
