[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 200 (Wednesday, December 19, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7927-S7928]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CARPER (for himself and Ms. Murkowski):
  S. 3779. A bill to establish a voluntary program that strengthens the 
economy, public health, and environment of the United States by 
reducing emissions from wood heaters, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I rise to talk about the Wood Heater 
Emissions Reduction Act, or WHERA, which I am introducing today with my 
good friend (Ms. Murkowski), the senior Senator from Alaska.
  In 2005, my dear friend, former Senator Voinovich, came to me with a 
great idea--the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, or DERA. DERA didn't 
roll back emissions standards for diesel engines, but instead created 
an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant program to incentivize 
the use of newer diesel technology. Together, and joined by many of my 
colleagues that are still serving in the Senate today, we established 
one of the most successful clean air programs on the books. This 
program is one that is loved by retailers, manufactures, States and 
health groups alike.
  As many of my colleagues know, I'm someone that is always trying to 
find out what works and do more of it. When my staff explained to me 
the public health challenges that residential wood heaters present to 
communities, especially rural communities across this country; I knew 
the challenges were very similar to the ones we faced with diesel 
engines in 2005. I knew if DERA could be a successful program to 
retrofit or replace old diesel engines, we could use the program as a 
framework to replace residential wood heaters.
  Like the eleven million old diesel engines that were on the road a 
decade ago, there are over eleven million homes that use wood as a 
primary or secondary heat source, and a majority of those homes are 
located in rural

[[Page S7928]]

areas. These residential wood heaters, such as woodstoves, pellet 
stoves and wood furnaces, often have a long life-span, some lasting 
more than fifty years. Due to this long lifespan, industry estimates 
that six million residential wood heaters in operation today do not 
meet 1988 EPA Clean Air Act emission standards, much less the current 
emissions standards implemented in 2015.
  Collectively, older residential wood heaters are a major source of 
air pollution in the United States, especially in rural areas. 
According to EPA, older, inefficient residential wood heaters can 
produce a deadly mix of particulate matter (or PM), carbon monoxide, 
volatile organic compounds (which contribute to ozone), black carbon 
(which contributes to climate change) and air toxics (such as benzene 
and formaldehyde). This pollution builds up inside and outside the home 
and contaminates the air we breathe. This pollution can trigger asthma 
attacks and cause lung damage, cancer, and other significant health 
problems, including death.
  As other industries clean up their air emissions, older, inefficient 
residential wood heaters stand out among the largest sources of PM 
pollution. EPA data indicate that nation-wide, inefficient residential 
wood heaters emit five times more PM pollution than the U.S. petroleum 
refineries, cement manufacturers, and pulp and paper plants combined. 
In Delaware alone, older wood heaters are the second largest source of 
PM pollution in the state, contributing more than highway vehicles, 
electric utilities and the petroleum industries combined. In Alaska, 
inefficient woodstoves and wood heaters play a significant role in the 
classification of Fairbanks as a nonattainment area for fine 
particulate air pollution.
  Fortunately, technology made and sold in the U.S. can dramatically 
reduce the pollution that is emitted from residential wood heaters and 
the amount of wood needed to heat a home. Wood heaters being made today 
that meet EPA's strictest emission standards emit at least 70% less PM 
and save consumers twenty to forty percent in heating costs from gained 
efficiencies. If we could encourage all homeowners to use the latest 
residential wood heater technology, it could have a massive beneficial 
effect on public health. EPA has determined that replacing just one 
old, inefficient wood heater is equivalent to taking five dirty diesel 
engines off the road and the monetized public health benefits from 
replacing the Nation's old, inefficient residential wood heaters would 
be up to $126 billion per year. Baser on all that we know, it is clear 
that replacing older stoves for newer, cleaner burning stoves will 
result in cleaner air, lower healthcare bills and lower costs for 
consumers.
  Unfortunately, as with old diesel engine owners, most homeowners are 
not aware of the health problems associated with their old wood heaters 
or cannot afford to buy a new wood heater on their own. This means that 
newer, cleaner heaters are not getting into homes fast enough. The 
Carper-Murkowski Wood Heater Emissions Reduction Act attempts to solve 
this problem.
  WHERA authorizes a five-year grant program at EPA to incentivize the 
removal and replacement of old, inefficient residential wood heaters 
for more efficient, clean-burning heaters. Specifically, WHERA funding 
targets incentives to: (1) scrap or recycle old wood heaters; and (2) 
replace them with new, efficient, clean burning and properly installed 
heaters that at least meet EPA's most stringent wood heater emission 
standards. Using the successful Diesel Emissions Reduction Act as a 
model, WHERA allows States, Indian tribes, territories, and local air 
quality agencies to compete for Federal dollars to fund wood heater 
change-out programs that work for their communities.
  WHERA also supports retailers and manufacturers with the transition 
to cleaner, more efficient residential wood heaters. WHERA incentivizes 
homeowners to buy the best available residential wood heater products--
when they might not otherwise do so--giving financial incentives for 
retailers and manufacturers to sell and make the best products. 
Overall, the residential wood heater industry has been supportive of 
such wood heater change-out programs at the State and local level.
  Because rural areas and tribal areas have a disproportionate need, 
WHERA also requires that Indian tribal and rural communities are fairly 
represented in funding allocations and that Indian tribal governments 
receive at least 4% of total funding under the program.
  My friend from Alaska and I feel that we've put together a program 
that will be as, or more, successful than the DERA program. Replacing 
outdated wood heaters with new clean-burning heaters that meet EPA 
emission standards will reduce toxic air pollution and particulate 
matter, protect public health, and support American jobs. This 
legislation is a true win-win-win, and one that I commend to my 
colleagues for their serious consideration.
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