Web 57DHYAFZZFLYU July 21 2026 Massachusetts. New way to kill a zombie wood burning power plant
In this Webisode 1 World 2 United States 2B Can wildfire smoke be like smoking cigarettes? The science explained 2E Homeowners turn to heat pumps as cost gap narrows 3 Colorado 4 Massachusetts New way to kill a zombie wood burning plant Both the House and Senate have passed sprawling energy bills including provisions that would prevent electricity generated by wood burning power plants from counting toward the clean energy standard the Forty One municipal utilities in Massachusetts must meet 5 Michigan 6 Minnesota 7 New York 8 Oregon 9 Pennsylvania 10 Canada 11 United Kingdom RAWSEP View The First Ruling in November Two thousand Twenty Five ASA rules against Stove Industry Alliance over misleading claims RAWSEP View The Second Ruling on July 8 Two Thousand Twenty Six Independent Review leads to publication of revised ASA Ruling ASA revises ruling on wood burner ad after industry challenges 12 Europe and the United Kingdom Why your heat pump is not saving you money and what could change that Main Content
0 RAWSEP View One step forward is the Massachusetts state legislatures standing up against wood burning power plant air pollution by refusing to designate wood burning as clean energy This may result in closing of at least one wood burning power plant in Massachusetts One step backward is a ruling in July Two Thousand Twenty Six that the United Kingdom UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory NAEI data represents aggregate national emissions by source category and fuel type and does not provide direct per-appliance comparisons between modern stoves older stoves and open fires So that data of aggregate emissions cannot be viewed as strong as data that would be direct per appliance comparisons between the EcoDesign stove and older stoves The solution would probably be to collect direct per appliance comparisons
1 World PM TWO POINT FIVE A deep learning model for predicting daily PM TWO POINT FIVE concentration in response to emission reduction Science Air pollution remains a leading global health threat with fine particulate matters PM TWO POINT FIVE causing millions of premature deaths annually World PM TWO POINT FIVE Deaths From Wildfire Smoke Have Risen Globally The New York Times That can send up huge plumes of the fine particulate matter particles known as PM Two point Five On Thursday and Friday PM TWO POINT FIVE concentrations in parts of World wood burning Scientists discover what kept ancient campfires burning for generations Idiot Corner RAWSEP View And ancient people did not discover a cleaner way to heat their homes because they awed themselves with wood burning that harmed their health and today contributes to hastening climate change From the article headline ScienceDaily That steady supply of firewood likely helped them maintain fires for cooking and other daily activities Researchers believe it may also explain why World heat pump Worldwide Status of Closed Loop Ground Source Geothermal Heat Pump Systems International Geothermal Association Full Coverage
2A United States heat pump Air Conditioning Saves Lives Scientists Think It Also Might Doom Us All Popular Mechanics Gear obsessed editors choose every product we review We may earn commission if you buy
2B United States PM TWO POINT FIVE Can wildfire smoke be like smoking cigarettes? The science explained Excerpts edited for brevity and clarity by Residents Against Wood Smoke Emission Particulates WXII PM TWO POINT FIVE refers to tiny particles that are Two point Five micrometers in diameter or smaller Can wildfire smoke be equivalent to smoking cigarettes? The science explained Wildfire smoke contains tiny particles that can be dangerous to your health and scientists are comparing inhaling wildfire smoke to smoking cigarettes WXII July 18 Two Thousand Twenty Six During the summer months hot and dry weather fuels rapidly spreading wildfires sending smoke thousands of miles away from the flames This means that even if you live far from the fire the smoke can reduce air quality in your area and pose serious health risks But just how dangerous is this wildfire smoke? What is PM Two point Five ? PM TWO POINT FIVE refers to tiny particles that are Two point Five micrometers in diameter or smaller These particles are small enough to bypass many of the natural filters of your body meaning they can travel deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream Because PM TWO POINT FIVE is a pollutant breathing it can irritate the lungs and increase the risk of health problems especially in sensitive groups PM TWO POINT FIVE is mostly produced from combustion processes like wildfires vehicle exhaust and wood burning At times PM TWO POINT FIVE can be produced from a chemical reaction in the atmosphere How Scientists Compare Wildfire Smoke and Cigarette Smoke Wildfire smoke and cigarette smoke do not contain the same chemicals Therefore scientists compare the amount of PM TWO POINT FIVE exposure Berkeley earth a commonly cited source suggests that breathing an average PM TWO POINT FIVE concentration of about Twenty Two micrograms per cubic meter over Twenty Four hours is roughly equivalent to the particulate matter exposure from smoking one cigarette However this is only an estimate and should be used to measure possible health impacts rather than as an exact conversion Recent Wildfire Smoke Reached Hazardous Level Recently wildfire smoke events have shown just how quickly air quality can become hazardous During July Two Thousand Twenty Six dense wildfire smoke from Canada pushed PM TWO POINT FIVE concentrations into the hazardous level across parts of the Upper Midwest In Duluth Minnesota PM TWO POINT FIVE concentrations climbed above 450 micrograms per cubic meter while the Air Quality Index AQI reached hazardous levels Using the Berkeley Earth commonly cited estimate that amount of particulate pollution would be roughly equivalent to smoking Twenty cigarettes in Twenty Four hours if those conditions stayed consistent throughout the day Smoke concentration can fluctuate heavily throughout the day meaning many people will not be exposed to peak PM TWO POINT FIVE levels for a full Twenty Four hours Tips to Stay Protected The Environmental Protection Agency EPA notes that local officials may advise you to stay indoors which is good practice but you should be aware that some of the smoke can enter your home If you are near an ongoing wildfire the fire itself along with smoke and ash can pose immediate threats to your safety and health If local officials issue an evacuation order leave the area immediately and follow their instructions If you must go outside a properly fitted air pollution mask with filtration equivalent to N Ninety Five or KN Ninety Five or FFP Two is suggested These masks are the gold standard for keeping out PM TWO POINT FIVE to reduce inhalation Bandanas cloths and surgical masks do not provide the same level of protection against PM TWO POINT FIVE During the summer months hot and dry weather fuels rapidly spreading wildfires sending smoke thousands of miles away from the flames This means that even if you live far from the fire the smoke can reduce air quality in your area and pose serious health risks But just how dangerous is this wildfire smoke? At times PM TWO POINT FIVE can be produced from a chemical reaction in the atmosphere wildfire s c in nc
2C United States Covid 19 waking up Cyclospora marches on and measles is close to hitting a milestone Excerpts edited for brevity and clarity by Residents Against Wood Smoke Emission Particulates The Dose newsletter Katelyn Jetelina July 21 Two Thousand Twenty Six Public health continues to feel like a game of whack a mole We are sure not getting a break Here is your disease weather report covering where Covid 19 is waking up and how measles is about to make headlines again There is also a spotlight on the ongoing Cyclospora outbreak which deserves an award for the most opaque and confusing outbreak ever leaving consumers in the dark Here is what is going on and most importantly what it means for you Disease weather report Covid 19 is quietly waking up Right on cue Covid 19 is starting to stir just as it does every summer around the middle of July Several data signals are pointing the same way nationally levels of spread and infection are still very low but they are beginning to climb Regionally the clearest signal is in the West where emergency department visits test positivity rates and wastewater data are all rising along with anecdotal reports The South and Midwest are showing early signs of an increase too though the signal there is less consistent across data sources A map of where Covid 19 is growing Source CDC How big will this wave get? That is the biggest question Each successive wave has been smaller than the last which is good news But that trend is not guaranteed to hold especially since it is been a while since our last wave and a lot of immunity of people has had time to fade What this means for you If you are over 65 and never got your spring Covid 19 vaccine the time is now Measles milestone coming up As of July Nineteenth Two Thousand Twenty Six the US has reported Two Thousand Two Hundred Seventy Eight measles cases this year already nearing the total for all of Two Thousand Twenty Five with five months still to go At this pace Two Thousand Twenty Six is on track to set a new Thirty Three year record Expect headlines soon The outbreaks peppered across the US include Pennsylvania has the fastest growing outbreak One Hundred Eleven cases which began in April Utah is in its Twelfth month of ongoing spread At this point measles is endemic in the state Arizona a small but new cluster of cases after they just declared the last outbreak over Wyoming Very small but expanding outbreak What this means for you Ninety Six Percent of measles cases continue to be among the unvaccinated If you are up to date on vaccines you are very protected If you have an infant under Twelve months and are near an outbreak ask about getting them vaccinated early Cyclospora cases continue to increase The United States now has over Eleven Thousand cyclosporiasis cases across Forty Six states which is close to triple the number of cases in a typical year You can easily see how insane this outbreak is compared to previous years with a massive spike in diarrhea complaints at doctor visits Several outbreaks are running at once Some states are seeing a low simmer from travelers picking it up abroad and bringing it home like in California New York seems to have traced its above normal case counts to cilantro which seems to be over but it is honestly very unclear The Midwest is its own beast Michigan hit Six thousand One Hundred forty eight cases as of yesterday over One Thousand added just this weekend One hundred and two hospitalized compared with a typical year of approximately Fifty cases total I was hoping the daily Michigan update would show this outbreak slowing down but it is not yet The Two Thousand and climbing cases in Ohio is similarly unusual The recall for iceberg lettuce is far wider with Twenty Seven states named This is due to a combination of the complexity of food distribution networks and continued uncertainty around where people are most impacted See more below When will this end? No one knows Either the contaminated food works its way out of circulation or it takes a few weeks the temperatures get cool and the parasites no longer mature on produce basically killing themselves off it is hard to tell from the data alone if this outbreak is coming to a close given that it is significantly delayed What this means for you If you are in the Twenty Seven states avoid all shredded iceberg lettuce If you are high risk pregnant over Sixty Five or immunocompromised I would remain careful around produce with crevices like raspberries Cyclospora outbreak is a real mess If you feel lost trying to follow this story and are confused about what is actually been impacted where and how you are not alone This is one of the most opaque confusing and unclearly communicated outbreak responses I have ever seen Most of what we know has come out through press releases or leaks leaving us to piece things together and read between the lines Taylor Farms is still the likely source of the outbreak You probably heard that the FDA initial finding linked to a Taylor Farms product was a false positive Over the weekend the FDA announced that a lettuce sample from Taylor Farms tested positive for Cyclospora Within Twenty Four hours the FDA reversed itself calling the result a false positive This is rare but it can happen Taylor Farms quickly deleted its own social media posts about its bagged lettuce and boasted the FDA had apologized to them But the FDA still says Taylor Farms is overwhelmingly linked to the outbreak There are two reasons for this One The false positive was on lettuce coming from Mexico that was NOT part of the recall If that was a true positive then we would need a larger recall Two Not finding the parasite in one lab sample does not mean it is not there To find the culprit investigators do not rely on a single lab test They look at all sorts of data sources Interviews with hundreds of sick patients pointed clearly to Taco Bell more than Ninety Percent of interviews mentioned Taco Bell And the FDA traceback using invoices shipping records and receipts narrowed the source down to one farm in central Mexico that supplies Taylor Farms de Mexico Taylor Farms said it provides less than One Percent of the iceberg lettuce sold in the US yet it is linked to far more than One Percent of the cases This is very strong data suggesting it is Taylor Farms and specifically shredded lettuce A positive lab test would have been the nail in the coffin But finding this parasite is like finding a needle in a haystack It is microscopic contamination Levels are often very low and scientists usually cannot grow more of it in the lab to confirm what they find A false positive is a small setback but not a reversal We know that this farm does not just supply Taco Bell Taylor Farms provides up to One Hundred Sixty million servings of produce to stores and restaurants every week Buried in the recall notice by Taylor Farms was a list of the retailers and outlets it distributed to written in coded language leaving everyone else to decode it themselves It is still unclear whether this list is complete or whether Taylor Farms lettuce ends up in other bagged salads that do not carry the Taylor Farms name Given that uncertainty the safest move right now is to avoid iceberg lettuce altogether We also do not know how this outbreak started yet This information is helpful for accountability and fixing systems in the future but more immediately it will help us know if it is just lettuce or cross contaminated with other produce Why is this so hard? Watching this unfold has been like watching a train wreck One Cyclosporiasis is a hard to investigate parasite Symptoms can take up to Two weeks or more This work is laborious and confirming it requires specialized lab testing Often a source is never identified Two Federal food safety agencies are stretched thin Neither the FDA nor the CDC has a permanent director right now and both agencies have lost staff and lab capacity and undergone major reorganizations some actively happening when the largest outbreak in history occurred Their centralized role is critical to help stitch together what is happening in the states Three The private company linked to the outbreak is muddying the waters with its PR approach For example in the Taylor Farms voluntary recall they listed customers where this lettuce was sent but in coded language Typically this information would have been shared with lot numbers source names and much more clarity on where else this lettuce went beyond Taco Bell There have been questions about Taylor Farms linked to this administration and Trump White House officials as well What this means for you If you are in the Twenty Seven states avoid all shredded iceberg lettuce If you are high risk pregnant over Sixty Five or immunocompromised I would remain careful around produce with crevices like raspberries until we are sure there is no cross contamination happening too
2D United States PM TWO POINT FIVE Does Long Term PM TWO POINT FIVE Exposure Increase Coronary Heart Disease Risk? American College of Cardiology Long term exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to Two point Five Micrometer size PM TWO POINT FIVE was associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease
2E United States heat pump Homeowners turn to heat pumps as cost gap narrows MSN Rising heat pump adoption Improved efficiency incentives and reduced price gaps are driving more US households to replace gas furnaces with US homeowners are replacing gas furnaces with heat pumps as the cost gap shrinks Excerpts edited for brevity and clarity by Residents Against Wood Smoke Emission Particulates The Cool Down Renewable Energy Magazine July 19 Two Thousand Twenty Six Americans looking to lower their utility bills are increasingly turning to the same home upgrade replacing gas furnaces with electric heat pumps What may once have seemed like a niche clean energy choice is becoming a practical option for more households thanks to improved technology healthier indoor air and federal tax credits that can help offset the upfront cost What is happening? This broader shift is often called building electrification replacing gas appliances such as furnaces and water heaters with electric versions especially heat pumps The shift has been building for decades but is now accelerating as newer systems become more efficient and incentives improve Morrison said the cost difference is narrower than many homeowners might expect installing a cold climate air source heat pump in the US generally runs about Six thousand six hundred dollars to six thousand nine hundred dollars and some states and utilities offer incentives or rebates A traditional central air conditioner usually costs around five thousand five hundred dollars to five thousand seven hundred dollars to install Heat pumps also provide both heating and cooling which can reduce the need for separate systems That smaller than expected price gap can make heat pumps more financially appealing especially when lower monthly energy use is factored in Why does it matter? For many households the biggest draw is cost savings Because heat pumps move heat with electricity rather than generate it by burning fuel they use energy much more efficiently than gas based systems That can lead to lower utility bills over time and reduce the exposure of a home to gas price swings Indoor air quality can improve too Gas heating systems can release pollutants such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide while heat pumps avoid combustion and therefore do not produce those gases inside the home Their climate advantage can grow over time as well As more wind and solar power are added to the grid the same heat pump can operate more cleanly without homeowners having to replace the system Other electrification friendly upgrades including solar water heaters which she can trim heating costs by Fifty Percent to Eighty Percent and help households avoid higher fuel prices What is being done? Rebates and tax credits from policymakers and local governments are helping speed the transition Morrison highlighted Los Angeles communities where households that went all electric reported lower monthly bills better air inside the home and greater protection against gas shortages or sharp spikes in fuel prices The technology has improved too Newer heat pumps perform better in colder climates and homeowners now have stronger options across air source units geothermal systems and ductless mini splits Many of these systems also include smart controls that respond to weather changes and whether people are home Comparing options before an HVAC replacement becomes urgent may show that a heat pump upgrade is more affordable than expected especially after incentives Pairing a heat pump with solar panels LED lighting or Energy Star appliances can push those savings even further
2F United States heat pump rebate How the Department of Energy DOE Eight point Eight billion dollar Rebate Programs Help HVAC ACHR News As the US moves toward electrification heat pumps are HVAC Commercial Market United States PM TWO POINT FIVE How PM TWO POINT FIVE impacts your blood pressure directly HCP Live Leone also explained that GP SOD protective effect likely stems from the systemic photoprotective action of antioxidants which helps skin resist UV United States wood smoke and wood burning How to protect yourself from poor air quality as wildfires burn in Canada ABC News Activities like smoking and vaping using gas propane or wood burning stoves and furnaces burning candles or incense and even vacuuming should be
2G United States Idiot Corner RAWSEP View What point is this article trying to make? That you can continue to burn wood indoors residentially and not connect the PM Two point Five that you needlessly generate to the obvious comparison with wildfire wood burning! But indoor residential wood burning smoke and wildfire wood burning smoke are one and the same in terms of PM two point five Treated wood burned indoors may emit even more noxious air pollutants but the basic problem of wood burning is the particulates indoor residential burning unchecked could include furniture clothing or anything that can burn in a fireplace or wood stove From the article headline from now Fox News resembling CBS news wood smoke How wildfire smoke is different from backyard bonfire and the health risks it poses Excerpts edited for brevity and clarity by Residents Against Wood Smoke Emission Particulates CBS News Wood fires emit a lot of volatile organic compounds VOCs Most of these VOCs are noticeable to our noses as the familiar campfire smell but
2H United States heat pump rebate Is the Industry Ready for Heat Pump Water Heaters? Supply House Times For many contractors heat pump water heaters still feel like a niche product something tied more closely to rebates energy programs or Excerpts edited for brevity and clarity by Residents Against Wood Smoke Emission Particulates Al Summary To assess if the industry is ready for heat pump water heaters consider the following points Growing demand for energy efficient solutions is driving interest in heat pump technology Advances in technology have improved the efficiency and performance of heat pump water heaters Incentives and rebates from governments are encouraging adoption among consumers and businesses Training programs for installers are expanding to ensure proper installation and maintenance Availability of models suitable for various climates is increasing making them more versatile Consumer awareness and education about the benefits of heat pump water heaters are on the rise Colorado heat pump rebate New rebate program slashes heat pump costs for Denver area residents Colorado Public Radio A group of Denver area governments rolled out a rebate program Wednesday for homeowners and businesses that slashes the price of climate friendly
2i United States wood burning MAP Here is Where Wildfire Smoke Is Spreading in the US National News US News dot com burning in Canada and Minnesota Reduce air pollution by limiting activities such as outdoor burning or use of residential wood burning devices Keep windows closed overnight United States wood smoke Reduce Your Smoke Exposure US EPA Do not add to indoor air pollution Do not burn candles or incense or use gas propane wood burning stoves fireplaces or aerosol sprays Do not United States heat pump The US may be hitting a tipping point for heat pumps Grist In the first quarter of this year heat pump sales beat fossil fuel furnaces by 32 percent Here is what makes the appliance so powerful United States heat pump US renters locked out of heat pumps may get a cheaper plug in option with window units Yahoo Shopping Because a heat pump transfers heat rather than generates it can use much less energy than traditional HVAC equipment It also combines heating United States PM TWO POINT FIVE Why air quality can still be bad even if the sky does not look smoky CNN Brown carbon falls under a class of pollutants known as particulate matter Two point Five PM Two point Five named because they span about Two point Five micrometers in diameter United States wood smoke Wildfire Smoke Is Affecting Millions Right Now Here is What Experts Say to Do CNET Wood smoke exposure from trees or homes burning is particularly associated with inducing asthma attacks and aggravating heart disease That makes
3 Colorado heat pump rebate DRCOG launches forty million dollar heat pump rebate program in Denver region Colorado Biz The Denver Regional Council of Governments launched Power Ahead Colorado offering One thousand five hundred dollar rebates and free energy advising for heat pump Colorado heat pump rebate Great Colorado Payback Shatters Records With Historic One Hundred Fifty Eight Million Dollars Returned in Fiscal Year Two Thousand Twenty Six Yellow Scene Magazine Related Posts Power Ahead Colorado Launches Heat Pump Rebate For The Denver Metro Region Colorado heat pump rebate New heat pump rebate aims to curb emissions in the Colorado Front Range The Colorado Sun The One Thousand Five Hundred Dollar rebate is available to homeowners and businesses in the 9 county Denver metro region who install a new heat pump Colorado heat pump and heat pump rebate New Power Ahead Colorado Program Offers Heat Pump Savings Denver Gazette Discover how the New Power Ahead Colorado program can benefit you with a One Thousand Five Hundred Dollar heat pump incentive for energy efficiency We are excited to see Power Ahead Colorado launch a heat pump rebate that when combined with Xcel Energy rebates and others helps make upgrading to a heat pump Colorado heat pump New rebate program slashes heat pump costs for Denver area residents Colorado Public Radio Heat pumps run on electricity and can replace furnaces and air conditioners in an all in one package They are much more efficient at heating and Colorado heat pump rebate Power Ahead Colorado Launches Heat Pump Rebate For The Denver Metro Region Yellow Scene Magazine Power Ahead Colorado a program of the Denver Regional Council of Governments is now offering a heat pump rebate and free energy advising Colorado heat pump rebate What is Working Where to find Colorado homeowners insurance discounts and grants The Colorado Sun New heat pump rebate aims to curb emissions in the Colorado Front Range The One Thousand Five hundred dollar rebate is available to homeowners and businesses in the 10
4A Massachusetts wood burning Massachusetts lawmakers try new way to kill zombie wood power plant Yahoo Residents of Springfield Massachusetts have spent more than a decade fighting a proposal to build a dirty wood burning plant in the Massachusetts wood burning Massachusetts lawmakers try new way to kill zombie wood power plant Top Excerpt Both the House and Senate have passed sprawling energy bills including provisions that would prevent electricity generated by wood burning power plants from counting toward the clean energy standard the Forty One municipal utilities in Massachusetts must meet Excerpts edited for brevity and clarity by Residents Against Wood Smoke Emission Particulates Canary Media Residents of Springfield Massachusetts have spent more than a decade fighting a proposal to build a dirty wood burning plant in the already polluted Massachusetts lawmakers try new way to kill zombie wood power plant Both chambers passed bills to stymie a key revenue source for the proposed polluting plant but so far its developer has not flinched July 16 Two Thousand Twenty Six Sen Adam Gómez speaks at the Massachusetts Statehouse in Two Thousand Twenty Three His state senate district includes the proposed wood burning power plant Residents of Springfield Massachusetts have spent more than a decade fighting a proposal to build a dirty wood burning plant in the already polluted city Several times they thought they had killed it only to have it rise from the dead Now the zombie project could soon perish for real That is because language in energy bills working their way through the state Legislature is set to strike what supporters hope is a fatal blow to the project This is a really big victory said the New England legislative director for the Partnership for Policy Integrity a nonprofit that advocates against burning wood for power generation We just hope it is enough to stop this plant from being built The goal is to make the project financially unviable Both the House and Senate have passed sprawling energy bills including provisions that would prevent electricity generated by wood burning power plants from counting toward the clean energy standard the Forty One municipal utilities in Massachusetts must meet This change would make it unlikely for these utilities to buy power from the Springfield plant eliminating a pool of possible customers the developer has previously pursued It cuts off a significant financial incentive for them to want to purchase this dirty energy said the vice president for environmental justice at the Conservation Law Foundation which has been involved in one of the legal challenges against the plant This would have been a big funding source for them Biomass which includes wood was removed from the renewable energy standards for the major utilities that serve most of the state in Two Thousand Twenty Two The latest bills aim to bring the regulations for municipal plants in line However even in the face of what seem like formidable financial and legal obstacles the developer behind the proposal Palmer Renewable Energy has not wavered in its efforts to bring the project to fruition This persistence leaves some wondering whether the developer has another unrevealed customer base or financial model in mind We still do not know why they are pushing forward with the plant and if they have another customer she said A dirty plan resurrected Palmer first proposed the project in Two Thousand Eight The company plugged it as a sustainable way to generate electricity by burning the woody waste left behind from the trimming of vegetation along power lines The initial estimates by Palmer had the plant burning more than One point Two million pounds of wood fuel per day Springfield a city with a long industrial history is no stranger to air pollution and its effects For years the city was home to a coal burning power plant and neighbor to an oil and gas fired plant In Two Thousand Eighteen and Two Thousand Nineteen the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America named Springfield the asthma capital of the country The census tract where the plant would be built is one of the most environmentally burdened communities in Massachusetts according to a tool built by the state Rows of solar panels stand in grass at a community solar garden Community solar expands access to clean energy new study shows Burning biomass is one of the dirtiest ways to generate electricity The process releases Fifty Percent more carbon dioxide than coal and three to four times as much as natural gas Its supporters argue that wood is a renewable resource and the carbon released during combustion is recaptured by new trees Young trees however must grow for decades before they can sequester equivalent amounts of carbon while the original emissions persist in the atmosphere contributing to climate change Regardless of greenhouse gas emissions the particulate matter released by the process can cause and exacerbate respiratory and cardiac conditions Few in the community noticed when the Springfield City Council in September Two Thousand Eight approved the initial permits allowing Palmer to grade the lot for stormwater management and pour the foundation Soon though word of the plan got out kicking off years of debate litigation and lobbying In Two Thousand Twenty One the plan appeared to be dead The Springfield City Council and the state rescinded their approvals for the project saying Palmer had waited too long to begin construction Then last year courts decided the permits should still be valid because the state mandated extensions for such permits during the Great Recession and the Covid Nineteen pandemic rules that applied to the Palmer project The developer the court ruled should have been given more time to start work before the approvals were revoked What now? Opponents of the proposed plant are optimistic that the provisions closing the municipal clean energy loophole will remain in the energy legislation The language is identical in both the House and Senate versions which makes it much more likely to survive when the two chambers get together to hammer out the differences in their bills And Democratic Governor Maura Healey has been supportive of the fight all along said state Senator Adam Gómez a Democrat whose district includes the proposed power plant site I cannot see her not wanting this to happen because she has been there every step of the way he said This is a good way to make sure that Massachusetts is ensuring that their people can breathe clean air However the possibility remains that Palmer has figured out a financial model that does not depend on clean energy programs and will push ahead anyway if legal and regulatory decisions allow it to do so Springfield leaders asked the Supreme Judicial Court to review the decision reinstating the city permits but the court declined so the Springfield Zoning Board of Appeals was forced to reinstate the approvals A case challenging the extension of the state approval is scheduled for a hearing in December There is also the question of whether the developer will need further authorization from Springfield to begin construction of the plant itself In Two Thousand Thirteen the city passed a zoning ordinance that could require a special permit but it is not yet clear whether the rule would apply to the Palmer project given the many legal twists and turns the case has already taken If the project does need to apply for an additional permit the approval process could be challenging in the face of community opposition that has only solidified in the past Eighteen years It would not automatically be denied but it would not have a smooth path forward They would really have to show that it is not harming the community in which it is proposed which is a tough sell
4B Massachusetts heat pump Why heat pumps are still so hot in the US MIT Technology Review Once you pay for and install a heat pump it is generally significantly cheaper to run than a gas or oil furnace or other types of electric heating
5 Michigan wood smoke Is breathing the Michigan wildfire smoke really like smoking a pack a day? Excerpts edited for brevity and clarity by Residents Against Wood Smoke Emission Particulates MLive dot com So we know breathing in heavy wildfire smoke is bad for us it is not just a face full of woodsmoke like we get while sitting around a campfire or in Michigan wood smoke Wildfire smoke blankets West Michigan WOODTV dot com WOOD Smoke from out of control Canadian wildfires is pouring into West Michigan Hundreds of wildfires have sparked in Canada some of the Michigan wood smoke When will the smoke clear in Michigan? See the latest forecast Free p dot com wood burning For those who have to head outdoors monitor for symptoms including wheezing coughing chest tightness dizziness or burning in Michigan wood smoke Wildfire smoke creates hazardous air quality YouTube The smoke has arrived in West Michigan July 16 Two Thousand Twenty Six WOOD TV Eight Grand Rapids among Michigan PM TWO POINT FIVE Why wildfire smoke keeps reaching Michigan from Canada fires Detroit Free Press The smoke contains fine particulate matter PM TWO POINT FIVE which can cause significant health problems The primary pollutant in the wildfire smoke is PM Air Quality Index Due to Wildfire Smoke
6 Minnesota PM TWO POINT FIVE Air quality index due to wildfire smoke hits hazardous levels Excerpts edited for brevity and clarity by Residents Against Wood Smoke Emission Particulates MPR News Wildfire smoke contains microscopic fine particles known as PM Two Point Five These tiny droplets are small enough to wiggle into lungs and enter the Wildfire smoke can significantly impact air quality leading to an increase in the Air Quality Index AQI Air Now The AQI is a measure of the concentration of air pollutants including fine particulate matter PM TWO POINT FIVE which is the main pollutant of concern from wildfire smoke The AQI is color-coded to indicate air quality levels with higher numbers indicating worse air quality For example an AQI of 100 or lower is considered good while an AQI of 100 to 150 is considered fair and an AQI of 150 or higher is considered unhealthy The AQI can be a useful tool for assessing the health risks associated with wildfire smoke exposure Minnesota PM TWO POINT FIVE Unprecedented air pollution alert issued all across Minnesota as hazardous smoke moves Audacy We have such mass hesitancy right now that those KN95 masks they should filter out the PM TWO POINT FIVE particles which is one of the more hazardous
7 New York wood smoke My eyes were stinging New Yorkers navigate smoky air and soaring temperatures The Guardian Pollution levels in the city were elevated as smoke from Canadian wildfires drifted south across a huge swathe of the US The smell of burning wood
8 Oregon wood burning How one bundle of firewood could bring this destructive beetle to Southern Oregon Jefferson Public Radio To reduce the risk of spreading the insect Stark recommends burning firewood within 10 miles of where it was purchased Emerald ash borers
9 Pennsylvania wood burning Philadelphia Under Code Red Air Quality Alert for Particulate Matter City of Philadelphia Using gas propane or wood burning stoves and furnaces Spraying aerosol products Frying or broiling food Burning candles or incense Vacuuming
10 Canada British Columbia Kootenays wood burning Campfires to be banned in the Kootenays Castlegar News Burn barrels or burn cages or any size or description Controlled air incinerators Sky lanterns Wood fired hot tubs wood fired pizza ovens
11A United Kingdom heat pump Heat pump households face winter warmth rationing AOL dot com The Government has no permission for this its energy policy has become an ideology Opponents warned that remote control of heat pumps could United Kingdom heat pump Heat pump households face winter rationing threat Yahoo Households with heat pumps face having their central heating turned down remotely over winter in a push to avoid the risk of blackouts
11B United Kingdom wood burning ASA revises ruling on wood burner ad after industry challenges RAWSEP View A ruling in favor of clean air on November 5 Two Thousand Twenty Five A partial reversal harming clean air on July 5 Two Thousand Twenty Six From the article headline Excerpts edited for brevity and clarity by Residents Against Wood Smoke Emission Particulates Forestry Journal The updated decision relates to two historical claims about modern wood burning stoves that appeared on the Stove Industry Association SIA United Kingdom RAWSEP View The First Ruling ASA rules against Stove Industry Alliance over misleading claims Air Quality News November 5 Two Thousand Twenty Five The Advertising Standards Authority ASA has banned two advertising claims by the Stove Industry Association SIA after ruling that the trade body misled consumers about the environmental impact of modern wood-burning stoves The ASA upheld two complaints against statements made on the website of the association in May Thousand Twenty Five The site claimed that choosing a modern stove and dry wood fuel can significantly lower emissions and improve efficiency compared to an open fire or older stove and that when used correctly a modern wood burning stove is a very low emission way to heat the main living space in your home Both claims were found to be misleading and unsubstantiated The SIA which represents stove manufacturers suppliers and retailers across the UK argued that the statements were based on data comparing modern Ecodesign-compliant stoves to older models and open fires These newer appliances the group said met strict efficiency and emission limits set out in EU and UK legislation and performed best when used with properly dried wood The association submitted evidence including government guidance scientific reports and research datasets suggesting modern stoves could reduce PM TWO POINT FIVE compared to open fireplaces However the ASA found that the data did not consistently demonstrate lower emissions across all key pollutants such as carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide and in some cases showed increases The ASA assessed the most recent data for GHG emissions and other pollutants from Two Thousand Twenty Three in relation to burning dry wood in the older stove types a modern stove and an open fireplace They found The data showed modern stoves emitted significantly less PM TWO POINT FIVE than open fireplaces However it showed modern stoves emitted more PM TWO POINT FIVE than the older stove types listed Yet the evidence provided including studies from Imperial College London and trade reports did not demonstrate that wood stoves were low-emission in real-world indoor environments The ASA ruled that the basis of these environmental comparisons had not been made clear and that both claims breached the CAP Code rules on misleading and environmental advertising The authority ordered that the adverts must not appear again in their current form and instructed the SIA to ensure future marketing avoids making broad environmental claims without robust evidence It also told the organization to clarify the basis for any future comparisons between stoves and other heating methods
11C United Kingdom RAWSEP View The Second Ruling on July 8 Two Thousand Twenty Six Independent Review leads to publication of revised ASA Ruling Independent Review leads to publication of revised ASA Ruling Excerpts edited for brevity and clarity by Residents Against Wood Smoke Emission Particulates Stove Industry Association SIA Website July 8 Two Thousand Twenty Six The Advertising Standards Authority ASA has today published a revised Ruling relating to two historical advertising claims that previously appeared on the Stove Industry Association SIA website This follows an Independent Review which identified a substantial flaw in part of the original published assessment resulting in the case being reopened and reinvestigated The revised Ruling relates to two historical claims about modern wood burning stoves that appeared on the SIA website in Two Thousand Twenty Five While the ASA overall decision that the original advertising claims required greater qualification remains unchanged the published assessment has been substantially revised following the Independent Review process The revised assessment includes clarification of the interpretation of technical emissions evidence and the limitations of the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory NAEI when comparing the performance of individual appliance types Reviewer noted that the ASA had accepted its original interpretation of the dataset was incorrect because it had treated aggregate national emissions data as though it represented emissions on a per-appliance basis The Reviewer also concluded that the original assessment risked misleading consumers and was potentially unfair to the SIA and recommended that the case be reinvestigate and reconsidered by the ASA Council What has changed? The revised Ruling includes a number of important changes to the published assessment In particular it now explains that the UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory NAEI data represents aggregate national emissions by source category and fuel type and does not provide direct per-appliance comparisons between modern stoves older stoves and open fires It also provides a revised assessment of the additional technical evidence submitted during the investigation SIA statement The revised assessment no longer contains statements from the original Ruling suggesting that National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory NAEI data demonstrated that a modern Ecodesign stove emitted more PM TWO POINT FIVE carbon monoxide methane and sulphur dioxide emissions than an older stove and more sulphur dioxide carbon monoxide and several other toxins than an open fireplace when burning dry wood
12 Europe and United Kingdom heat pump Why your heat pump is not saving you money and what could change that Excerpts edited for brevity and clarity by Residents Against Wood Smoke Emission Particulates Euronews dot com heat pump itself is only part of the equation The UK Energy Saving Trust EST analyzed more than One point One million combinations of heat pumps solar Europe Why your heat pump is not saving you money and what could change that The right combination of factors can make heat pumps even more cost effective Euronews July 17 Two Thousand Twenty Six The right mix of energy upgrades saved houses as much as One Thousand One Hundred Fifty Euros annually according to a new study Millions of European households are switching to heat pumps in the hope of cutting their energy bills particularly after the war on Iran sent oil and gas prices skyrocketing However new research suggests that the heat pump itself is only part of the equation The United Kingdom UK Energy Saving Trust EST analyzed more than One point One million combinations of heat pumps solar panels batteries and tariffs to understand which delivered the lowest energy costs The group found that households could cut annual energy bills by around Eight Hundred British Pounds or Nine Hundred Twenty Euros by combining a heat pump with solar panels battery storage and the right electricity tariffs In fact the best performing setups saved more than One Thousand British Pounds or One Thousand One Hundred Fifty Euros a year Why a heat pump alone is not always enough More than Twenty Eight million heat pumps have already been installed across the continent But simply making the switch does not guarantee lower bills One of the clearest findings of the report is that electricity tariffs can have a big impact on whether a heat pump saves you money Researchers found that switching from gas to a heat pump while staying on a standard tariff often delivered little or no savings But moving to a heat pump specific tariff or a dynamic tariff where electricity prices change throughout the day could cut heating costs by up to Three Hundred Thirty British Pounds or Three Hundred Eighty Euros a year They also found that when green grants and the avoided cost of replacing old gas boilers are taken into account a heat pump could pay for itself within two to four years Related More deadly heat is on the way Can waterways of Europe cool us down and replace air conditioning? Can heat pumps cool down your home and how do they compare to air conditioning units? Beyond household choices alone better policy is making costs more competitive too The European Heat Pump Association credits recent growth in heat pump uptake to government measures that have reduced upfront costs and electricity prices For example in the Netherlands where taxes and energy prices have made electricity competitive with gas you can now cut heating costs by up to Eighty per cent by switching from inefficient gas boilers to heat pumps according to the European Commission Batteries and solar panels can net bigger savings The research also examined how solar panels and battery storage can work alongside heat pumps to reduce household energy bills further Solar panels allow households to generate some of their own electricity – and in turn reduce the amount they need to buy from the grid That electricity goes even further when you install batteries Battery storage allows you to charge when electricity is cheaper and use that stored power when prices are higher the researchers say This prevents solar power which is produced during the day when energy consumption is typically low from being wasted The biggest savings come when you combine solar panels batteries and the appropriate tariff Homes with all three typically cut annual energy bills by around Eight Hundred British Pounds or Nine Hundred Twenty Euros and the best performing setups saved more than One Thousand British Pounds or One Thousand One Hundred fifty Euros a year In those scenarios heating costs fell by almost Eighty per cent Lower upfront costs could help more households switch While a heat pump solar panels and batteries may deliver savings the Energy Saving Trust says the cost of installing these systems remains a barrier for many The EST argues that grants low interest loans and other financial support could help more households access these energy upgrades by reducing the upfront cost People need clearer advice better tools to compare tariffs and more support to access these technologies so they can make confident informed decisions on what is right for their home says the EST group head of sector intelligence and external affairs