I went to the hearing yesterday and opposed the bill. HB 613 would prevent Missoula County from enforcing our stove replacement program in the Air Quality Regulations because our regulations are approved by the State board of Environmental Review and as a result, due to the language in the bill our local regulations become un enforceable.
Because these regulations are in the SIP, the EPA would be enforcing them. Thus the bill as written invites the Feds in to enforce our stove removal regs.
Further, if we find that regulations are necessary to bring Seeley Lake into compliance, it would prevent us from adopting stove replacement regulations which are the best palatable tool in the tool box.
Attached below are the amendments prepared by DEQ to HB 613 that we prefer and can support.
The Local Govt. Committee will act on the bill on Thursday at 3:00 pm.
Also the "not" in new section 1. (1) (b) needs to be deleted to be constitutional. (see below in red)
NEW SECTION. Section 1. County government review of state or federal wood-burning device limits -- prohibiting certain removal. (1) (a) Except as provided in subsection (1)(b), a county government may review the implementation of state or federal wood-burning device regulatory programs that impose particulate limits more restrictive than 7.5 grams per hour.
(b) If the regulatory program applies to a wood-burning device manufactured on or after February 3, 2015, a county government may not review the implementation of the program.
Jim Carlson on Mar. 25, 2015:
ReplyDeleteI went to the hearing yesterday and opposed the bill. HB 613 would prevent Missoula County from enforcing our stove replacement program in the Air Quality Regulations because our regulations are approved by the State board of Environmental Review and as a result, due to the language in the bill our local regulations become un enforceable.
Because these regulations are in the SIP, the EPA would be enforcing them. Thus the bill as written invites the Feds in to enforce our stove removal regs.
Further, if we find that regulations are necessary to bring Seeley Lake into compliance, it would prevent us from adopting stove replacement regulations which are the best palatable tool in the tool box.
Attached below are the amendments prepared by DEQ to HB 613 that we prefer and can support.
The Local Govt. Committee will act on the bill on Thursday at 3:00 pm.
Also the "not" in new section 1. (1) (b) needs to be deleted to be constitutional. (see below in red)
NEW SECTION. Section 1. County government review of state or federal wood-burning device limits -- prohibiting certain removal. (1) (a) Except as provided in subsection (1)(b), a county government may review the implementation of state or federal wood-burning device regulatory programs that impose particulate limits more restrictive than 7.5 grams per hour.
(b) If the regulatory program applies to a wood-burning device manufactured on or after February 3, 2015, a county government may not review the implementation of the program.