County OKs sole-source stove ordinance

Lincoln County commissioners on Wednesday unanimously approved an ordinance that will allow homeowners whose sole source of heat is a stick wood-burning stove to use that even during alerts, the most-restrictive air-quality period.

The ordinance, which is annually presented in November, lasts for 90 days, during peak heating months. The ordinance still must be approved by the Libby City Council. Lincoln County Environmental Health Department Sanitarian Kendra Lind said she will present the same proposal to Libby City Council members Monday, Nov. 18. If the council approves the measure, it will take effect Nov. 22.

“Libby is part of the air-pollution control district, and we want it to be included,” Lind said Friday.

Lind said residents must have a certified stove, provide proper ventilation along with dry and properly seasoned wood are keys to a stove’s efficiency.

“It doesn’t make a lot of sense if the seasoned wood you have is sitting out in the rain and snow,” Lind said. “Education about wood-burning stoves is important.”

Presiding Commissioner Tony Berget said the ordinance is a good idea, so persons whose sole source is a wood stove may continue heating their homes during air-quality alerts.

The ordinance calls for those dwellings with multiple heating sources to draw upon those other sources during advisories. However, the emergency ordinance assures those sole-source dwellings may continue to use wood stoves for heat.

 Lind said about 5 percent of Lincoln County residents depend on stick-burning wood stoves as their sole source of heat.

Air-quality alerts are mentioned on the electronic bulletin board in front of the Lincoln County Courthouse and on the county website at www.lincolncountymt.us/environmentalhealth/AirQuality/AirQualityUpdate.pdf