South Whitehall commissioners decided in February to recommend a total ban on outdoor wood-fired boilers because of possible adverse effects from pollution and emissions.

At the time, commissioners agreed outdoor furnaces are more suitable for less dense, rural environments, and are inappropriate for a suburban municipality such as South Whitehall.

Solicitor Joseph Zator and his staff then prepared the boiler ban ordinance, which was presented to commissioners for review at the Aug. 1 meeting.

David McDonald, who works for Central Boiler Inc, a manufacturer of the heaters, wrote to township officials noting outdoor wood-fired boilers are specifically regulated by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

McDonald expressed his thoughts on the proposed ban in a Feb. 17 communication.

"Central Boiler considers the state DEP regulations reasonable, practical and easily understandable for residents of the commonwealth," McDonald wrote. "All the township needs is a local permitting process, similar to those in place for other types of solid fuel burning devices such as fireplaces, indoor woodstoves and boilers, and masonry heaters.

"The potential township rulemaking is unnecessary since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently updating New Source Performance Standards to include outdoor hydronic heaters."

Christopher McLean, of the Zator firm, amended the draft ordinance in March with details concerning potential adverse effects, which could impact the health and safety of township residents.

McLean said the ordinance would be adopted pursuant to the Air Pollution Control Act.

"I believe this is critical because the act does expressly allow municipalities to enact more strict controls than those adopted by the state," McLean wrote.

Designed for installation away from a residence, wood-fired furnaces resemble a small shed with a short smokestack on top.

Heat is transferred to the house via water distribution through underground pipes leading to an internal heat circulating unit in the basement.

McDonald said wood is a plentiful, renewable resource that offers an alternative to home heating oil, which often faces large price increases.

The boilers are designed to heat an entire home with wood, safely because the burner is outside the house, McDonald wrote.

South Whitehall Manager of Community Development Gerald Harbison reviewed McDonald's comments.

"If the state is regulating these, can we be more stringent than the state?" Harbison asked.

Zator said he would determine whether the pre-emption clause is a factor in the outside wood-fired burner issue.

The pre-emption clause applies if the state deems something as so important it doesn't want municipalities involved in the matter.

Although the burner ban ordinance is ready for a vote, it is on hold until Zator returns with a report.