GREENFIELD — Massachusetts residents will once again have the opportunity to get a rebate if they swap old, inefficient wood stoves for cleaner, EPA-certified models after the state announced a $700,000 extension of its 4-year-old Commonwealth Woodstove Change-Out Program in Greenfield Wednesday.
The news should come as good news to several former and present town officials who in recent times have advocated encouraging people to burn wood more cleanly to improve air quality locally.
The announcement was made during a news conference at Sandri Co. on Chapman Street, attended by officials from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, which have administered the program since 2012.
Sandri was chosen as the location because the company has been involved in a number of renewable energy programs and provides their customers with a wide array of energy options, according to Matt Kakley, spokesman for the Clean Energy Center.
“This joint collaboration between the Mass Clean Energy Center, DEP and the Department of Energy Resources makes funds available so consumers can make the changes that make the best economic and environmental sense,” MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg said.
EPA-certified stoves require one-third less wood, on average, than older models to produce the same amount of heat and release 70 to 90 percent less particulate matter, which has been shown to worsen conditions like asthma, heart disease and lung cancer, according to a news release about the program.
“If you change 100 stoves, it’s like taking 150 cars off the road in terms of the amount emissions, so there really is a real practical environmental benefit that you’re seeing here,” Suuberg said.
He added residents who swap out their stoves for more efficient models can expect to save an average of $6,000 in fuel costs over the lifetime of the stove.
The issue of regulating residential wood stoves was raised by the Greenfield Town Council’s Community Relations and Education Committee six months ago during an educational forum on how to burn wood more efficiently.
Several people who attended the meeting said they liked the idea of a program that would help residents swap out old stoves for more efficient models, The Recorder reported.
Former At-Large Councilor Patrick Devlin, who was involved in that discussion, said Wednesday he thinks the rebate program is a wonderful idea.
“You just kind of wonder, how old are these wood stoves that are being used? They’re cast iron, so they last forever,” he said.
Devlin said his involvement in the issue dates back to 2009 when an industrial wood-burning biomass plant was proposed in town. The Town Council ended up passing an ordinance that strictly regulates, and in some cases bans, large-scale wood-burning power plants and other waste-to-energy plants from being built in Greenfield, and Devlin chaired the biomass committee.
During that process, Devlin said the mayor asked whether the committee would address residential wood-burning stoves, as well.
“The issue of wood stoves always comes up because they are the worst offenders,” Devlin said. “We decided we didn’t want to touch wood stoves because it’s too personal.”
However, he said a point of discussion was rebate programs similar to what the state is currently offering.
The number of wood-burning and pellet stoves in Greenfield was not available by press time Wednesday, but the newspaper previously reported that in 2013, 31 permits were issued and 52 permits were issued in 2014.
In this year’s statewide program, rebates will range from $500 to $1,500, depending on the emission levels and type of stove purchased, and from $1,500 to $2,500 for residents who earn less than 80 percent of the state median income, according to Suuberg.
Although he said figures are not available for how many wood stoves there are in Massachusetts, nationwide there are about 10 million in use and the EPA estimates 70 to 80 percent of them are older models.
The state rebate program has helped more than 1,100 residents swap out their inefficient stoves for newer models since the program began four years ago, with more than 400 of those rebates going to low and moderate income residents.
To qualify for rebates, residents must have an operational, non-EPA certified wood stove. To apply for a rebate, residents must visit a participating wood stove retailer, such as Sandri, who will handle the application process on their behalf.
A complete list of participating retailers can be found at:
www.masscec.com/woodstove.
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aluttrell@recorder.com
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