Sept. 9, 2011
To the editor:
My husband and I have been Fairbanks residents for a very long time and never have we breathed fouler, more toxic air in the winter than we have over the past four years since the installation of so many wood-fired hydronic heaters and coal stoves. This problem has only grown worse since the approval of the initiative last October that gutted enforcement of the borough’s clean air ordinance passed by the assembly in spring 2010.
Hurrah for those responsible people in our community who drafted Proposition 2, which will again permit the borough to enforce the law and allow our residents to breathe clean air.
My husband and I will vote “yes” on Proposition 2 because it will:
• Prohibit the stoves mentioned above in the non-attainment area of the borough.
• Set wood stove emission limits.
• Protect proper wood stove use.
• Promote good wood-burning practices.
• Help expand the stove change-out program.
• Protect our health!
We encourage you, too, to vote “yes” on Proposition 2 and also for those Borough Assembly candidates who support this proposition.
Clean air is what you get when all of the fuel oil and coal burning sources are converted over to modulating natural gas and propane burners.
They run at 97% efficiency AND they can fire in 20% increments. Ten percent increments for commercial burners. If you are not willing to comprehend this concept.......then you are not here to actually solve a major problem as a community. You can continue to assume the ostrich position and falsly bemoan your children's lungs, or you make up your mind to actually do something.
The Germans have been using them for years since they were faced with $7-$8 fuel oil.
ANGDA propane distribution - https://gas4alaska.info/Propane.html
A person may live in an area with relatively good air quality but that person's actions may create hazardous smoke that drifts down onto other people's properties and businesses and makes the air in those areas extremely toxic to breathe.
Particulate air pollution makes people sick and it kills people. It has already made people sick in the Fairbanks North Star Borough and it has probably also already killed some people.
With rights come responsibilies, and there should be a limit on the absolute "right" to do things that result in harm to other people.
A person should not be able to emit smoke pollution with no restriction in order to save money when this activity makes other people's properties and public areas unsafe and comes at the expense of other people's health and lives.
Help to reduce smoke pollution in residential and business areas of the Fairbanks North Star Borough. Vote Yes on 2.
Is this a way to rid this dirty little town of the undesirables?
Deep thoughts by Jack Handy!
Support freedom and limited government.
Vote no on Prop 2.
- This Proposition DOES NOT protect wood stoves.
- There is no reliable way a user can measure their smoke opacity to ensure they are in compliance with the law
- The $3,000 or so I save every year by burning dry wood in my Blaze King
- To irritate a bunch of vocal Subaru drivers.