Houlton councilors to join debate over effects of outdoor wood boilers

HOULTON – Town councilors will join other public officials across the state on Monday evening when they discuss the subject of outdoor wood boilers in the community.

Council Chairman Paul Cleary told his counterparts at a meeting last month that he wanted to discuss the matter after individuals in the community contacted him about the issue.

“I was approached by some residents and I told them that I would bring it up,” he said.

The subject of outdoor wood boilers has garnered significant attention as of late. The boilers are largely unregulated, and some health and environmental groups have called for that to change. Such groups have launched campaigns for regulating wood boilers in Maine and nationwide.

Both state and federal officials are struggling to figure out how to deal with wood boilers, especially in populated areas.

Increasingly forced to shell out more money for fuel oil, some Mainers have turned to outdoor wood boilers as a cheaper alternative for satisfying heat and hot water needs.

Outdoor boilers are wood-fired furnaces usually housed in small, shedlike buildings. They feature large fireboxes surrounded by a water jacket. Hot water then flows through underground pipes to a nearby home or structure where it can be used both in the plumbing and heating system.

A smoldering fire produces creosote that accumulates on the walls of the firebox. The resulting smoke that billows out can drift into nearby yards and houses.

The boilers have garnered a both supporters and detractors. Some say that they contribute to pollution and that they could pose serious health risks, especially to those who suffer from respiratory problems.

Health officials also are concerned that the large fireboxes could encourage some owners to burn trash, tires and other non-wood waste that can spew toxins into the air.

The Maine Air Toxics Advisory Committee and the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, or NESCAUM, have called for regulation of wood boilers.

Supporters argue that the smoke levels produced by the furnaces are comparable to wood stoves when the boilers are properly fueled and maintained. They also have pointed out that they do not cost a lot to operate and reduce personal dependence on foreign oil.

During last month’s meeting, Cleary pointed out that the town of Millinocket had recently imposed setback requirements and other restrictions to regulate the boilers and protect citizens’ health.

Under the Millinocket ordinance, boilers must be at least 50 feet from a neighboring home, be rated to emit no more than 27.4 grams of particulate matter per 100,000 Btu per hour, and have chimneys that are at least 24 inches above the roof line of the closest neighboring home.

Local officials in Lincoln, East Millinocket, Brewer and Hampden are also considering regulating boilers.

Monday’s meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.