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Resident still hot about outdoor wood burners
By Laurie Wink, The News-Dispatch
LaPORTE - LaPorte resident Jim Donnelly is continuing to turn up the heat on LaPorte County Commissioners regarding the operation of outdoor wood burners.
After thanking them for giving him a forum at the Feb. 6 meeting, Donnelly told commissioners Tuesday he has heard nothing more about a county-wide ban on new outdoor burners, also known as outdoor hydronic heaters. Commissioners agreed Feb. 6 to put a six-month moratorium on new outdoor furnaces while they considered possible regulations.
Donnelly presented copies of a Feb. 4 newspaper article of a fire that destroyed a home in Pine Township in neighboring Porter County.
The fire chief said early indications pointed to a homemade outdoor wood-burning furnace as the source of the blaze.
In a letter to commissioners, Donnelly said of the fire, “It is a terrible tragedy that we wish won't happen again.”
He provided information about manufactured wood burning units that operate efficiently and create little pollution. “There are clean operating units available for purchase,” Donnelly said. “To burn cleanly and efficiently is my intent in asking the commission to work on this issue.”
Dale Mofield of LaPorte presented information to commissioners about what he called the “next generation” of outdoor boilers that will introduced in March. As the owner of Property Services Inc., Mofield represents Burns Best, one of the manufacturers that has agreed to meet or exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for cleaner outdoor burners.
“There are manufacturers out there trying to get environmentally friendly products that are good for our community,” Mofield told commissioners.
Following the meeting, Mofield said the issues now coming up with outdoor wood burners have been created by “irresponsible selling” as well as improper installations and use of inappropriate materials, including newspapers, magazines and even tires.
Contact reporter Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
By Laurie Wink, The News-Dispatch
LaPORTE - LaPorte resident Jim Donnelly is continuing to turn up the heat on LaPorte County Commissioners regarding the operation of outdoor wood burners.
After thanking them for giving him a forum at the Feb. 6 meeting, Donnelly told commissioners Tuesday he has heard nothing more about a county-wide ban on new outdoor burners, also known as outdoor hydronic heaters. Commissioners agreed Feb. 6 to put a six-month moratorium on new outdoor furnaces while they considered possible regulations.
Donnelly presented copies of a Feb. 4 newspaper article of a fire that destroyed a home in Pine Township in neighboring Porter County.
The fire chief said early indications pointed to a homemade outdoor wood-burning furnace as the source of the blaze.
In a letter to commissioners, Donnelly said of the fire, “It is a terrible tragedy that we wish won't happen again.”
He provided information about manufactured wood burning units that operate efficiently and create little pollution. “There are clean operating units available for purchase,” Donnelly said. “To burn cleanly and efficiently is my intent in asking the commission to work on this issue.”
Dale Mofield of LaPorte presented information to commissioners about what he called the “next generation” of outdoor boilers that will introduced in March. As the owner of Property Services Inc., Mofield represents Burns Best, one of the manufacturers that has agreed to meet or exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for cleaner outdoor burners.
“There are manufacturers out there trying to get environmentally friendly products that are good for our community,” Mofield told commissioners.
Following the meeting, Mofield said the issues now coming up with outdoor wood burners have been created by “irresponsible selling” as well as improper installations and use of inappropriate materials, including newspapers, magazines and even tires.
Contact reporter Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.