Today, the House of Representatives passed Congressman Jason Smith’s amendment to eliminate new Obama EPA regulations on wood stoves by a bipartisan vote of 247-177. The amendment was added to H.R. 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act, which increased innovation, security and reliability of American-made energy.
“People I talk with are sick of this administration’s War on Rural America. Rules like these disproportionately hurt rural areas, which use much more wood heat than urban or suburban areas. Times are already tough enough. Folks should not be punished for their self-reliance and their forethought to take advantage of an abundant, eco-friendly fuel like wood.”
The EPA has decided that 12 million wood-burning stoves in 2.4 million households across America need to be regulated because of Washington-driven bureaucrat emissions standards. In the 8th District of Missouri, about 30,000 households use wood heat to warm their homes. Census data shows households heating with wood grew 34 percent between 2000 and 2010 and that low and middle-income households are much more likely to use wood as a primary heating fuel. A given home in the district is five times more likely to be heated with wood than the national average. Fifty-seven percent of households who primarily use wood for heat are in rural areas, 40 percent are in the suburbs, and only 3 percent in urban areas.
Congressman Smith has been leading the charge to keep expensive and unnecessary rules from bankrupting families and businesses. Earlier this year he introduced the SCRUB Act to end intrusive and ineffective regulations and keep bureaucrats from leveling damaging new regulations in rural America.
Below are Representative Smith's remarks on the amendment as prepared for delivery on House floor:
“Mr. Chairman, The EPA has decided that 12 million wood-burning stoves in 2.4 million households across America need to be regulated.
“In the 8th District of Missouri, about 30,000 households use wood heat to warm their homes. Census data shows households heating with wood grew 34% between 2000 and 2010 and that low and middle-income households are much more likely to use wood as a primary heating fuel. A given home in my district is five times more likely to be heated with wood than the national average.
“Constituents I talk with are sick of this administration’s War on Rural America. Rules like these disproportionately hurt rural areas, which use much more wood heat than urban or suburban environments. 57% of households who primarily use wood for heat are in rural areas, 40% are in the suburbs and only 3% in urban areas.
“Times are already tough enough. Folks should not be punished for their self-reliance and their forethought to take advantage of an abundant, eco-friendly fuel like wood.
“I urge my colleagues to join me in eliminating this rule and keeping affordable energy available to folks that need it.”
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