Public hearing set on air quality regs

A public hearing on proposed changes to air quality regulations for the Libby area is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14, in the commissioners' office at the county courthouse.

The changes are a response to the area's designation in 2004 as a non-attainment area under new federal air quality standards governing particulate matter under 2.5 microns in size. Ongoing monitoring since 1999 has confirmed that the area consistently exceeds the federal annual average standard for PM-2.5. Wood smoke has been determined to be responsible for more than 80 percent of the pollution.

Under the new standards proposed by the county health board, wood stoves not certified by the federal Environmental Protection Agency would be banned from use in the Libby area starting Jan. 1, 2007. Starting in 2006, residential open burning would be permitted only during the month of April, with a provision for an extension to May if warranted by poor weather in April. Open burning is currently allowed from March through October.

The revision aims to reduce fine particulate emissions to a level that will not only meet current standards but that will also provide a "compliance margin" that will be compliant with expected tightening of federal regulations in the future while allowing for economic growth and development.

The amended local regulations are scheduled for final adoption by the county and city in January and would go into effect in February.

In addition to the proposed ordinance changes, response to the non-compliance issue has included a woodstove changeout program that received support from the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association, which represents the woodstove industry, and the EPA. The HPBA provided 300 woodstoves and associated equipment for distribution to area low-income households currently using non-certified stoves while funding from the EPA is paying for installation.

The second phase of the woodstove changeout program, scheduled for next year, will not be income-based. The cost of replacing old woodstoves with new certified models or alternate heating systems will be offset by a combination of vouchers and tax credits to owners, but some form of co-payment is expected to be required. The exact amount of assistance will depend on available funding.