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Spring 2007 WE MISTAKE THE SMOKE AND SMELL FOR REAL FIRE EMERGENCIES, CREATING QUITE A BIT OF DISTRESS. On a late Spring evening in 2007 the day had been unseasonably hot and humid. We don't have central air conditioning, and we hadn't yet installed our window unit for the season. We opened all the windows and put in box fans, like many people do. At about midnight the temperature cooled enough to try to get some sleep. About 1 in the morning my wife woke me up. "I smell smoke," she said frantically. "Something's on fire!" Still half asleep, we jumped out of bed, quickly going from room to room, checking the house. We both smelled a heavy thick odor, what we interpreted at the time as a burning electrical smell. We couldn't find the source, but the noxious odor was getting worse by the minute. My wife has asthma and the smoke caused her to begin wheezing as she gathered our keys and other essentials to make a quick escape. The entire house now smelled like smoke and we decided we better get out before it was too late. We quickly ran outside to see if we could see the fire on the outside of the house. Once we were outside, the smoke and odor was thick and heavy. We were perplexed. We couldn't see a fire, but the smell was overwhelming in every direction around our home. We considered calling the Oak Grove MN fire department. However, we had no idea what was burning or where it was coming from. We closed all our windows, and spent the night sitting in our smokey house. AND ANOTHER FALSE ALARM... A few days after that, it finally cooled off, and we were outside catching up on yard work. Suddenly we saw an enormous plume of smoke rolling across the neighbor's back yard. The cloud was huge- about an acre in area, and solid gray. There was a good breeze, and the smoke was rolling across the ground right at us. We immediately thought the neighbor's house was on fire. As we turned to run inside and call 911, the smoke shifted direction, and we stopped. It was then we realized the gigantic volume of smoke was coming from the chimney of a small, rusty building next to the home. We still had no idea what we were looking at. But as the thick smoke and putrid smell blew at us, we both instantly knew we had finally found the source. Summer 2007 We figured
it must be regulated if it's some kind of business, and if
not, it certainly SHOULD be, considering the large volume of smoke
and odor. We looked on the internet and phone books,
but we could not find a listing for any business in Oak Grove at
that address. I went to the OSHA web site, and they have a reporting
system for people who have a complaint about a business. OSHA replied
they had no listing
for
a business
at
that
address. We were perplexed, and during this time, the smoke was blowing
at us for over a week in a row every day and night. Several nights
the wind died down, and
the smoke would continue to be emitted into the still air. The smoke
spread outward and hung around our house all night long. We would
not be able to go outside
or open
any windows
without
breathing
smoke. And once again, breathing it for more than a minute or two
would irritate the lungs in anybody. Then the wind would shift and
blow in another direction. We would be so
sick
and
tired
of the
smell,
we'd
just
be grateful
to
have
clean air, and try to forget it for a few days. November 2007 FED UP, ROUND 1 After a very smokey Summer, and then Fall, our Thanksgiving weekend was particularly bad. SW winds filled our property with smoke and odor or much of the week and weekend. I decided to use our new camera and take our first photos and videos of the smoke. Surely when people from the City see this, they'll also see what a huge nuisance this is for us, and be able to help. I walked over toward the source, as large clouds of smoke rolled along the ground past me. I took a couple photographs The owner of the home next to the OWB saw me standing on his property and rushed outside. "Are you Steve, the building inspector?" he asked me. I told him I lived in a house behind his. "What do you think of all this smoke?" I asked him. He was pissed and it showed. He said he'd had it up to here with the smoke, and he couldn't take it any longer. He thought I was coming over from the City to do something about it. While we talked, a huge cloud of smoke was so thick it obscured my view of him, standing right in front of me! I couldn't believe it. "Everything in my garage always smells like smoke," he told me. "My car, everything." We were standing about 25 feet from the wood boiler, and about 10 feet from his double car garage. "I've seen him burn all sorts of stuff in there," he said. "He burns construction materials in it, or he did, anyway." "Like what kind of construction materials?" "2 x 4's, plywood cut up, like that," he said. "Plus some other stuff." "How do you know he actually burned it?" I asked, at which point he got rather belligerent that I would question him. "Because he stacks it up next to the wood boiler and I see him sticking it in, that's why," he told me as a matter-of-fact. "It's illegal to burn stuff like that, you know," I said, "I know," he replied but offered no other explanation. "Make sure you tell the inspector when he shows up," I told him. "No one should be burning that kind of stuff in our neighborhood." "Oh, I'll tell him alright," he said. I told him I'd also call the City. I called Sam Lucast the next day at City Hall. Sam said he would have a housing inspector take a look. This is good. The people who live closest to the source of the smoke are the best people to complain. He is the one who takes the smoke most directly, when it's fully opaque and hits the front of his home. By the way, he has a berm home. 3 sides are covered, with the front the only side with windows. It's probably very energy efficient. He has a front row view of the outdoor wood boiler, the wood pile and all the other activities that go on there. We figured once the inspector talks to him, that should take care of the issue. Video example
(VID 2) November - December, 2007 Now that we know what the device creating all the smoke and smell is called, we decided the smart thing to do was educate ourselves to understand what is going on. Surely you can't just install an OWB in just any residential neighborhood. Unfortunately, you can. We'd never even heard of an outdoor wood boiler until the end of November 2007, and if we had heard about the OWB, we probably wouldn't have cared one way or the other about them. However, once we started looking up information about OWB's, we found we are not the only ones with a complaint. - Virtually every State Health Department in states with winter climates have information about the dangers of wood smoke and outdoor wood boilers. The Minnesota EPA specifically mentions the problems associated with the use of OWB's, including pollution, respiratory problems, and nuisance complaints. - Some States, particularly in the NE and NW USA are looking at regulating or banning OWB's because of all the complaints. - OWB's in high emission will expel 20-30 times the amount of soot and particulate matter as an EPA certified wood stove. - Because OWB's became popular AFTER current pollution laws, a loophole allows them to burn unrestricted. All other wood burning devices are regulated to prevent the high volume emissions like those created by OWB's. - Use Google and Google News to search for "outdoor wood boiler problems" or "outdoor hydronic heater problems". There are stories of complaints by people around the country who feel the quality of their lives and properties are being greatly reduced by the huge volumes of smoke and smell put out by OWB's. December 21, 2007 Video example (VID 10) ANOTHER HOLIDAY WEEK FULL OF SMOKE AND SMELL With time off over the Holidays, we were doing more outside, like are many other people on vacation that time of year. The days leading up to Christmas the smoke and smell were a regular nuisance day after day. We could only be outside a few minutes at a time before the smell would start making us choke. On the 1st I heard a dog yelping, it sounded like it was in pain or in trouble or something. So I followed the barking, and it lead me to a small kennel against the barn, which is adjacent to the OWB. A dog in the kennel was getting a steady stream of smoke, blowing horizontally out of the OWB, up against the outside wall of the garage where the kennel is located. Many times we see the dog sitting in the stream of smoke, trapped with no where to escape. As dog owners, we find this somewhat disturbing. January 4,
2008 March 2008 SPRING 2008 The smoke continues in enormous quantities day and night. We'd hoped by the Holidays someone would have spoken to the guy about the nuisance. I called City Hall and spoke to Sam Lucast again. He said a Community Service Officer was due in City Hall about when I called. He would have the CSO go over and check things out. A week later, the smoke was blowing at us again, and we heard nothing more from the City. So I called Sam back. He told me the outdoor wood boiler is legal, and as far as the CSO could tell, was "operating properly." Some days the concentration of smoke is so heavy, just stepping outdoors for more than 5 minutes and our clothes will absorb the smoke enough to be irritating. We also finally figured out what the ash was that covered our grill and patio furniture. One day we had company over. The wind was was out of the Southwest. As everyone left, we noticed a fine powder on their vehicles. We had noticed this before on our patio table and chairs, our grill, and other items that sit outside. When the wind blows out of the SW for an extended period, the emissions from the OWB can leave an ashy deposit. April 2008 OTHER PEOPLE START TO NOTICE Earlier in the Spring, a FedEx delivery person came to our door. "Rural living, eh?" he said with a chuckle as he picked up some packages. "What do you mean?" I asked him. "The smoke," he replied. "Kinda heavy today, eh?" "Not just today," I told him. "That's what you get with rural living," he repeated, before he drove off toward cleaner air. May, 2008 APRIL SMOKE BRINGS MAY CHOKE- ANOTHER SPRING ON OUR PROPERTY We installed our window air conditioner earlier than usual this Spring, because we knew we would have to keep our windows closed. Even though the temperature is perfect outside, the inside of our house warms up quite quickly when all the windows are closed, so the air conditioner is mandatory by late April or early May. Now someone else's "money saving device" is starting to cost us real dollars. By now we are planning our living around the smoke. Each morning starts by opening the curtains to see if it's smokey in our yard. Then before going outside, we check the local weather report to see if the wind is out of the South/ Southwest. If the wind is blowing our way this day, we try to plan our outdoor time between the high volume smoke releases. Even in low burn, the volume resembles a fully stoked wood stove in full burn, and the distinct burnt metal smoke smell continues to stream our house and property. We used to keep our dogs outside much of the Summer, but a few minutes outside at the wrong time and their coats will hold the smell for hours. Now on bad days we drive they over to the City Hall and let them run in the park. So now we are spending money on gas to drive somewhere so we can walk our dogs. The fact we have to alter our behavior like this, right on our own property, is absolutely ridiculous. We have lost our right to enjoy our own property, day after day, and it never stops. We started looking up information about outdoor wood boilers on the internet. We were shocked by the number of stories of people who were having problems in neighborhoods across the country. The large volumes of smoke and odor caused by these devices has lead to thousands of complaints. Google "outdoor wood boiler complaints" and see all the stories. There are hundreds of news reports about the problems they are responsible for. This is far from an isolated problem. June 15, 2008 FED UP, ROUND 2 We are now into our second summer of smoke. On Father's Day, 2008, on a comfortable Summer day just after supper, our house filled with a distinct burning plastic smell, along with the thick stench of wood smoke and burned metal smell. It was awful, and triggered another asthma attack in my wife, and I got an instant headache, which lasted for 3 full days and a half bottle of Advil. For the next two weeks the winds were out of the SW, streaming smoke into our property virtually every day. Night after night the wind would die down, but the emissions would continue, cycling from low to high burn all night long. Our house and others were blanketed in a blue tinged smog during the overnight hours. We could not open our windows, or spend more than a few minutes outside without feeling the smoke in our lungs. It sat around our house, often motionless, from dusk until dawn, occasionally mixing with fog on humid nights, and settling in low areas of our property. Day after day the air was tinted with a gray pallor. It's like something out of a bad horror movie. June 30, 2008 After two weeks and a string of smokey, hot 90 degree days, we cannot open our windows, even after dark, because the smell is so bad. On June 30th, the air was still - not a breeze all day. By dusk a thick smell of burning plastic filled the air once again. We walked in the opposite direction of the smoke. The odor of burning plastic was still strong over 1000 feet from the source. By the time we got home our eyes were stinging, our nasal passages coated with the smell of plastic chemical residue. Even our dogs were sneezing repetitively from the smell. Once again, we were irate at the extreme abuse of our property rights, the garbage burning violations, and the toll it is having on our health. It was time to write each of the members of the Oak Grove City Council, as well as Oak Grove's City Administrator, about our complaint. Video example (VID 4) A bright green Summer day becomes hazier as the afternoon goes on. July 2, 2008 We mailed a letter to Oak Grove City Council members and the City Administrator, detailing our nuisance complaint. We also gave them the address to this web site so they can see the problem for themselves. Read the entire letter here. -Click here to open the letter in a new window- July 15, 2008 CITY HALL'S RESPONSE TO OUR COMPLAINT Read the entire letter here. -Click here to open the letter in a new window- The City responded by quoting Oak Grove Ordinance 609.74, which describes a nuisance as being "a condition which unreasonably annoys, injures or endangers the safety, health, morals, comfort, or repose of any considerable number of members of the public"... or "is guilty of any other act or omission declared by law to be a public nuisance and for which no sentence is specifically provided." "Because your report is the first we have received concerning the outdoor wood boiler at this property, we are unable to take any action on this matter as a public nuisance. Should you find other members of the public that are negatively impacted by the outdoor wood boiler at xxxxx Street NW, please have them contact City Hall at (763) 404-7000. A "considerable number of the members of the public" interpreted to be persons at a total of three or more properties." ANNOYING?
The OWB is indeed unreasonably annoying; ENDANGER THE HEALTH? We
have read study after study by the EPA, American Lung Assn., and
other reputable
organizations. Each comes to similar conclusions; In short: wood
smoke contains known cancer causing chemicals, the large volume of
smoke created by OWB's are particularly dangerous for those living
in proximity, because of the continuous high exposure to the smoke. THE
FIRST COMPLAINT? According to our neighbor, he complained at least
once to the City. We'd already
called twice, and this was our first written complaint. July 16, 2008 A LETTER TO OUR NEIGHBORS Read the entire letter here. -Click here to open the letter in a new window- We wrote a letter to our neighbors, along with information about the serious pollution created by OWB's and how this affects everyone in our neighborhood We spent the last half of July and most of August going door to door, and meeting many of our neighbors. We left the information in doors of people who we could not reach personally. Almost EVERYONE we spoke with is affected by the smoke and smell at one time or another, some more in Summer, some more in Winter. (depending on wind direction.) We heard stories about smoke blowing in windows; smelly odors seeping into houses, unusable porches and decks; and even someone whose CO alarms are repeatedly set off INSIDE their house from the smoke coming out of the wood boiler(!). We heard from several people dealing with health issues including asthma, COPD, and sinus problems, which can be aggravated by the smoke and odor. Most alarmingly, a MAJORITY of the people we spoke with had their suspicions or sincerely believed materials other than wood were being burned, including garbage, plastics, and construction debris. This is dangerous, and the City should know what is going on! The two most often questions we were asked by our neighbors about the outdoor wood boiler: 1. What the heck is an outdoor wood boiler? 2. Why hasn't someone else complained yet? Question 1 answers question 2. Most of the people we spoke with did not know what an OWB is or does. Most did not know the fact it burns or smolders continuously in their neighborhood, all year long, year after year. Most did not know about the research regarding the dangers of OWB's and the huge volumes of cancer-causing particulate matter it emits into the air in our neighborhood each hour. No one really had a "big picture" view of what is going on in our own back yards, right under our own noses. July
20, 2008 July 29,
2008 July 29,
2008 August
5, 2008 August
6, 2008 AUGUST 13, 2008 LETTER FROM A RESEARCH SCIENTIST AT THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Oak Grove City officials have told us since they are not experts, they are unable to address statements regarding medical and chemical chemical effects of OWB emissions. Cities look to the State and Feds for guidance on various issues. For matters concerning health and the environment, the Minnesota Dept. of Health are the experts. We wrote the MDH. We received a reply from a Mr. Chuck Stroebel, a research scientist from the MDH Environmental Division, who knows a lot abut the medical and chemical effects of OWB emissions. In fact, he writes papers and speaks out about the dangers of wood smoke. His information is clear and unmbiguous. He was very helpful, advising we file a complaint with the MPCA. He also gave us a copy of the presentation he developed with a focus on health risks from exposure to fine particles. -Click here to open the letter in a new window- Here is Mr. Stroebel's
presentation for the Minnesota Department of Health
from
May 2008.-Click
here
to open a PDF file in a new window- AUGUST 22, 2008 SMOKE OUT PROMPTS A VISIT TO CITY HALL I made a trip over to City Hall today. I wasn't planning on going there, but a few minutes outside in our yard changed my mind. While standing outside at about 1:30pm, the wood boiler blew it's stack. Strong winds out of the South carried smoke right into our yard. I had my back turned, and became engulfed in the stink before I could even stand up to run into the house. I finished what I was doing and went inside. I absolutely stunk like smoke. It saturated my clothes. This is not the first time this has happened, and I thought to myself, if this doesn't qualify as a nuisance caused by excessive smoke, the next level is for me to be on fire. I was motivated to go see Chantell Knauss, the City Administrator. And I took along a new, just-washed towel that was hanging out on the line-- a line located over 100 yards from the boiler!!-- for a little olfactory effect. Although we've spoken on the phone, it's the first time I've met Chantell, and she is a very nice person. Considering I went over there smelling like a teacher's smoking lounge, and considering I became just a little short tempered after she told me no action has been taken yet, she was still very gracious. I was shocked, to say the least, when she said she had received only one call, but had not received any written complaints about the wood boiler, as required to get action taken. Also, we had previously been told the City has no previous experience with OWB's and from conversations with them, they were unaware of the studies showing serious health effects these devices create due to the large volume of smoke emissions compared to all other forms of wood burning. So I brought along a copies of several recent studies and reports underwritten by the EPA, the MPCA, and various State Pollution Control Agencies. I also brought some example ordinances, including ones provided by the MPCA. If the City is unaware of the problem, I assumed the information would be both welcome and helpful in educating City Officials. You know what happens when you ASSUME. I walked out like a smokey smelling ass with a 3 ring binder tucked under my arm. Because we are the only people who have complained, Chantell had little interest in any information about the subject. So I left somewhat disappointed. Summer winds have been blowing boiler smoke and smells into our yard and windows for what seems like almost every day in August. My wife has been caught off guard several times when the wind shifted our way, which triggered several asthma attacks this month. We continue to smell some pretty awful stuff being burned in that thing late into the night. So we had hoped our neighbors, who also complained of garbage burning, would write City Hall. August 27, 2008 WE WRITE MINNESOTA SENATOR NORM COLEMAN ABOUT THE AIR QUALITY ISSUE IN OUR MINNESOTA NEIGHBORHOOD. -Click here to open the letter in a new window- August 28, 2008 WE RECEIVE A SYMPATHETIC LETTER FROM A WISCONSIN COUPLE WHO ARE GETTING SMOKED OUT BY TWO OWB'S A Wisconsin couple has been forced to sue two neighbors because of the excess smoke and odor from OWB's. Their story made the news. -Click here to open the news story in a new window- September 2, 2008 FOLLOW-UP TO CITY HALL. Not wanting to assume anything, we decided to let City Hall know we went back to speak with our neighbors and handed out survey forms to get opinions. We told the City Administrator if the survey forms did not generate a response from at least 2 or of our neighbors, we will not pursue this issue any more with the City. September 8, 2008 SHARON LAWRENCE, running for STATE REPRESENTATIVE About the same time we were working on speaking with our neighbors, Sharon Lawrence knocked on our door and gave us one of her brochures. She lives in East Bethel and was going to buy an OWB, but thought they were too expensive. As soon as we told her about them, she said she had been smelling the smoke up and down our street while she was canvassing the neighborhood, and it was blowing toward our street that day. She did not make the association between the smoke she was smelling and the OWB she wants to put on her own property. We gave her some information to enlighten her on the dangers of OWB's in residential neighborhoods. September
12, 2008 September 16 , 2008 ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK As the July 15 letter from the Oak Grove City Administrator stated, to be considered as a complaint, we need to find at least two other people who will contact City Hall, at the phone number provided in the letter. In early September we spoke with two neighbors who said they called City Hall and made a complaint by phone. One said the City Administrator told them a phone complaint was not a valid method of complaint. They were told a complaint would only be taken in written form. (!) This is the first time we have heard a written complaint is a requirement. Nothing to get discouraged about. On to round two of talking to neighbors. We put together a survey for each property owner to fill out. When we explained why we were back, several people gave us the "see I told you so" look, after predicting something like this might happen. However, everyone was willing to make a written complaint. Each person we spoke with the first time around was willing to fill out the survey write their issue down for the City. This information was mailed to the City Administrator at City Hall. These are the same results from the survey forms returned to the City by property owners living next to or near the outdoor wood boiler. SURVEY SAYS... The opportunity to go back a second time to hand out the form and once again discuss the problem with our neighbors has reinforced our beliefs the outdoor wood boiler is a REAL AND PRESENT CAUSE FOR CONCERN by many people besides ourselves. While we had expected the nuisance issue of smoke and smell to be the major complaint, we were surprised to discover respiratory problems are a major issue with many of our neighbors. Here is a breakdown of the numbers: First, the properties: There are 12 private residential properties, averaging 2.5 acres, within a 10 foot to 500 foot radius of the outdoor wood boiler's location. (not including the OWB owner). The homes on each of those properties are located from 150 feet to appx. 600 feet away from the exhaust pipe of the boiler. Of those 12 closest properties, we had the opportunity to speak with and gather information from 9 of the property owners as of mid September 2008. (including ourselves as one of the property owners.) Many neighbors were willing to discuss their experiences of the boiler with us, and others understandably wish to keep some information private. We respect the privacy of all our conversations with neighbors. This overview of the information is meant to show each of the property owners and their families they are not alone in their experiences with the outdoor wood boiler. Of the 9 property owners we spoke to, here are the survey results: 1. The smoke and/or smell is a nuisance at least some of the time for myself and/or member(s) of my family. YES: 7 property owners. NO: 1 property owner. NOT SURE: 1 property owner. 2. I believe continued exposure to the smoke and/or smell may have negative health consequences for myself and/or member(s) of my family. YES: 6 property owners. NO: 1 property owner. NOT SURE: 2 property owners. 3. Myself or a member of my family has one or more chronic health issues which may aggravated by large volumes of wood smoke. YES: 5 property owners. NO: 2 property owners. NOT SURE: 2 property owners. 4. Given the close proximity to neighboring properties and people, I believe outdoor wood boilers which create large volumes of smoke and/or smell do not belong in residential neighborhoods in Oak Grove, or at the very least, should be regulated to minimize the nuisance smoke and smell. YES: 9 property owners. NO: 0 property owners. NOT SURE: 0 property owners. 5. I believe I may have smelled something other than wood being burned at the time the wood boiler is burning. YES: 6 property owners. NO: 0 property owners. NOT SURE: 3 property owners. Comments of what may/are being burned range from garbage to plastic to construction materials (ie: 2 x 4's, plywood), and one even believes they smelled some type of animal flesh being burned. ALL of these items are illegal to burn in an outdoor wood boiler, and all of us are aware of this. NUISANCE ISSUES: 7 of the 9 property owners find the smoke and smell to be a nuisance at least some of the time, depending primarily on wind direction (or lack of it). Some are bothered by the smoke and smell more in winter months, some are bothered by it more in warmer summer weather. 7 of the properties have experienced the smoke at some time or another while engaging in outdoor activities. For most, it was enough of a nuisance to send people indoors, causing loss of right to enjoy their own properties. 5 people have been bothered by the smoke and smell inside their houses on one or many more occasions. At least 2 houses run air conditioners more often than they believe necessary because of the unpredictability of the smoke. Most said it just plain stinks and they're tired of it. Several people also have domesticated pets and other farm animals which some people believe may be affected. HEALTH ISSUES: 6 of the 9 property owners felt the nuisance issue is directly related to health issues they or member(s) of their families are experiencing. Of those who chose to discuss health problems which they believe could be aggravated or worsened by the outdoor wood boiler, here are the health issues they or member(s) of their families are experiencing: 4 people have asthma 2 people have vertigo or a more serious version of the disease 2 people have COPD 2 people have chronic sinusitis 1 person has emphysema Since some property
owners preferred to keep their health information private, the actual
totals above could be higher. There may also be other health problems
not listed here, which may be aggravated or worsened by the outdoor
wood boiler. September 29 , 2008 CITY COUNCIL MEETING The City Council addressed our issue during their September 29, 2008 meeting. First and foremost, majority of the City Council agrees the smoke and odor are a nuisance source that does need to be addressed. After discussion, they agreed the first step is to talk with the owners of the outdoor wood boiler, tell them to stop burning garbage, and the smoke and odor they are creating is causing a nuisance. The Mayor suggested the owners could add a length of stack, to see if that would make a difference. Mike Wylie said from his experience with a nearby OWB, a taller stack didn't necessarily help. But several members agreed it would be a good first step to deal with the situation. If the owner did not comply or the smoke was not less of a nuisance, then further actions could be looked at. Mike Wylie suggested an ordinance for Summer might be something to consider if the owner is burning year round. -Click here to open a new window and read the transcript from the portion of the September 29 City Council meeting relating to our complaint- A
personal note: At least one of the City Council members got a good chuckle
out of the fact we "still actually hang clothes out to dry." Well
guess, what, elected officials, some of your constituents DO still hang
clothes
out to dry. A simple drive up and down a few streets and you might notice
other people in Oak Grove still do this also. It's free. On the other hand,
drive by inspections of the OWB have not resulted in anyone from the City
seeing
the OWB smoke, so maybe people only see what they want to see. We also
grow a garden. Have you ever tried working out in a garden while inundated
with
smoke?
Or
is it
hard
to believe
people
still actually garden, either? September 29- November 11, 2008 THE SIX WEEKS FOLLOWING THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ARE A SMOKEOUT. WEW ARE FED UP, ROUND 3. We keep
hoping the smoke will slow down if just a little so we can go outside once
and awhile
without worrying about this. However, it seems to have gotten worse
since the City Council meeting. Fall has
meant
day
after
day
of the
smoke smell blowing onto our property, and night after night
with little or no wind, meaning the smell settles around our home, sometimes
all night
long. On November 10 and 11, 2008, a 28 hour non-stop, high volume burn
(maybe the damper was stuck open?) sent plumes into the air.
28 hours
of
smoke
blowing into our yard, and our neighborhood. Asthma attacks, headaches,
and a continued reduction in the quality of life are
the norm
for our second
Fall in a
row. Anything we leave outside, such as outdoor furniture cushions, will
acquire a "camping trip smell". Even our dogs smell like
smoke when we let them out. Not just a little, but a heavy odor that stays
with them, sometimes for hours. November
3, 2008 November 8,
2008 November 14, 2008 THE CITY RESPONDS We received a response in the form of a mailed letter. According to the City, the owner made an attempt to deal with the nuisance complaint. Read the entire letter here. -Click here to open the letter in a new window- In short, according to the letter from the City of Oak Grove, they asked the owners to abate the situation. On October 10, the owners responded by adding appx. 4 feet of height to the stack of the OWB. We are not engineers or OWB experts. However, we ARE experts at living with the smoke and smell emissions from an OWB, and we can state with 100 percent certainty the addition to the height of the chimney stack did not mitigate the problem. See videos taken after the stack was installed. VIDEO 1 l VIDEO 5 l VIDEO 6 l VIDEO 10 l VIDEO 11 l VIDEO 12 l VIDEO 13 I VIDEO 14 As the videos plainly show, the height of the stack does not alter the direction the emissions are expelled. The simple truth is, OWB smoke is concentrated wood smoke, laden with soot, ash, and chemicals. Unlike steam vapors or smoke from a fireplace, the smoke often does not dissipate upward. Whether in low or high burn cycle, the concentrated emissions eject from the exhaust pipe and usually blow sideways, cascading downward to the ground, where it continues onto our property and into our windows. This can happen regardless of conditions- it can be windy, calm, humid or dry, Winter or Summer. The operator of the OWB can clearly see for himself that adding a few feet of pipe to the OWB has had no effect on reducing the smoke and/or odor. In fact, reading online from other OWB users and testing by the EPA, a taller stack may actually INCREASE the output of smoke and particulate matter because the taller stack creates a greater draw, which creates more combustion. The taller stack allows the smoke to cool more, and combined with the weight of the concentrated soot, the smoke falls downward after release from the OWB. Additionally, 6 property owners complained about garbage burning and construction debris burning, (as shown in the survey above) This is illegal in Oak Grove, according to City Hall. We do not know if the owners were talked to about this. As we were told previously, there is no enforcement procedure for stopping people from burning garbage in Anoka County, and no procedure for dealing with people who do. So, if someone is predisposed to burning his garbage, it's likely he will continue out of habit, and with no incentive to stop. Why would anyone bother to stop when there is no enforcement or penalty? And in fact, by burning their garbage, they have $30 a month savings in garbage pick-up services to gain. We'll see. As the Mayor and members of City Council said, these were first steps in attempting to deal with the situation. Nothing said by City Council during the Sept. 29 meeting suggests these were the only action that would be taken. This is at odds with the letter we received from the City, which ended by saying: "This concludes the City Staff review of this matter." Jim Marinan, City Council member, explained there is a set order for decision making, in this order of authority. 1. Mayor. 2. City Council. 3. City Administration. It would be up to the Mayor to decide when the City is done with the matter. Based on what Mayor Iund said, as well as what Mike Wylie and Brad LeTourneau said, there are three people who basically directed the City to make a first attempt, and then take it from there. As our situation has not changed, it would be up to the Mayor and Council to determine if and when this matter has concluded, not the City. In fact, if the owners of the OWB received the same letter, telling them the matter is concluded is giving them a license to burn. November
18, 2008 November 19, 2008 We came across the web site of another couple from Illinois who had to move out of their home because of the smoke from an outdoor wood boiler. They put together a web site called FREEDOM OF AIR to illustrate the problem. It was quite a surprise to see someone else with the same problem we are having, who also put together a web site. As we told them, it's like deja vu. Visit their web site and give them your support in any way you can. -Click here to open the Freedom Of Air web site in a new window- November 24, 2008 SIGN OF THE TIMES Total frustration led us to make a sign to put out front of our house. We have lost the right to the air on our own property, so we decided to see if sign ordinances are enforced in Oak Grove. -Click here to see the sign in a new window- November 25, 2008 Video example (VID 6) Another day the smoke is so bad we are motivated to write more people. We go onto the EPA web site and fill out a complaint/ contact form. That week we also write Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson. November 26, 2008 A PLASTIC THANKSGIVING The day before Thanksgiving, I stepped out of the house to put mail in the mail box by the road. The air was clear, but thick with a smell of burning plastic again. There was no doubt about it. The OWB smells bad on it's own, but the plastic smell was unmistakable. The chemicals from burning plastic immediately go into the lungs and constrict breathing passages, even on healthy people. As a fireman what happens when you breathe in large volumes of burning plastic. I came back in the house, and asked my wife to go outside and tell me what she smells. That's a bad thing to do to someone with asthma, but it only took one breath in for her to tell me what I suspected. "Plastic." When the mail arrived, my neighbor across the street went out to get the mail at the same time I did. It had been several hours since I was outside, but the burning plastic smell was still in the air. She was very angry. Before I could even say hello, she said, "Do you smell the plastic burning? That's plastic." She said she was going to call City Hall. Later I spoke with the owner of the home, and he said he smelled it burning that day, too, without my asking him. That's 4 people who swear we smelled plastic burning, from a source over 200 yards away. November 27, 2008 ANOTHER PERSON WHO HAS A WEB SITE ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF WOOD SMOKE WROTE US Wood Gasification is a Wisconsin-based web site with a comprehensive and updated listing of existing and proposed laws, regulations, and ordinances to regulate smoke in various municipalities across the USA. There's a myriad of information concerning OWB's and other wood smoke issues. -Click here to open the web site in a new window- December 3, 2008 ANOTHER COMPLAINT TO CITY HALL I called Oak Grove City Hall about the plastic burning. Chantell was out, and so I told our story to the person who answered the phone. I figure the more people we tell our story to, the better. Then remembering we discovered only WRITTEN complaints would be accepted by the City as a valid complaint, we decided to write the new Oak Grove City Planner Karin Slater at City Hall to complain about the garbage burning, which we smelled again. We also sent a brochure on OWB's. We also e-mailed a video clip, but she later told us she could not read them on their work computers. We sent photos of each of us standing in the smoke, to Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and his staff. We received a cursory response from someone, telling us to fill out a complaint form with the MPCA. We already did that. Governor Pawlenty became a spokesperson for the OWB industry when he participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony for a Northern Minnesota OWB manufacturer. -Click here to open the story in a new window- December 4, 2008 We e-mailed Matt Entenza of MN 20/20. He wrote back expressing concern about our issue. -Click here to open the e-mail in a new window- December 7, 2008 WE CONTACT MORE PEOPLE WHO WE HOPE CAN HELP US WITH OUR ISSUE E-mailed Aaron Peterson, Minnesota State Rep. E-mailed someone else from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency December 8, 2008 RESPONSE FROM CITY HALL We received a letter from the City. -Click here to open the letter in a new window- Several items in this letter are worth noting. 1) We learned the OWB is at least 17 years old. This would mean it is an older, less efficient model. However, it has only recently been re-lit in the last 2-3 years. This indicates it is not a primary source of heat, but a supplemental source. 2) Once again, staff did a drive by inspection and saw a "conventional amount of smoke and the smell of wood burning". We have said the same thing over and over to this City official and others: Unless you actually LIVE next to one of these devices, and experience it on a day-to-day basis throughout the year, it is difficult to appreciate the large volume of smoke and odor they produce. A drive by inspection may be appropriate in other situations, such as if there are too many junk cars on a property- the cars aren't going anywhere. But an OWB is cyclical, and goes through high and low emissions stages, and what has been seen by driving by is the LOW VOLUME emissions. That's what comes out of the OWB 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, from the dead of Winter to the nicest days of Summer. However, every hour or two, the OWB kicks into high emission- smoke smoke smoke - for 10 minutes, a half hour, an hour or longer, depending on how it is being operated. As we have said previously, some days it will be in high emission non-stop, one time over 28 hours. According to published studies, the volume of smoke from an OWB this age is appx. 25 times higher than an indoor wood stove (!). The particles are small enough to embed in your lungs instead of passing through and back out as air normally does. This can cause, among other things, cancer. We're not scientists; however we can read and understand what scientists say, what the EPA says, what the MPCA says, and what countless other studies say about this subject. It's not a secret, and it's not fuzzy science. It's a reality-- a reality we live next to every day. Click on WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS ISSUE and click on WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS. 3) It is true the City Council was not supportive of creating a city wide ordinance to regulate the use of OWB's. It would show insight and proactive thinking, but this is a separate issue completely. We are complaining about the excessive amount of smoke and odor on our property on a regular ongoing basis. Regardless of the source, THE SMOKE AND ODOR ARE A NUISANCE AND A REAL HEALTH ISSUE FOR US. In fact, the source is irrelevant. There already are several ordinances in place that address nuisance smoke and odor, one of them specifically. - Click here to open a page showing the Oak Grove Ordinances which apply to our situation.- This is the same information found by clicking the WHY WE BELIEVE THIS IS ALREADY REGULATED button above. 4) The owners of the OWB indicate they do not burn anything but wood. This is contrary to the 6 signed written complaints mailed to the City by 6 properties, representing 20 different people who SWEAR they smell garbage, plastics, or other illegal materials being burned over a two year period. It also contradicts an eyewitness who was adamant he has witnessed piles of construction debris burned in the OWB on many occasions. See the November 2007 entry near the top of this page. December
16, 2008 December 21, 2008 Video example (VID 1) December 31, 2008 FED UP ROUND 4 The year ends on a smelly smokey day on our property, and we are no longer going to keep it to ourselves. I spoke with City Planner Karin Slater on the phone. She offered to immediately come over to our home and take a look. It was a very cold day, but the OWB was giving off huge clouds of smoke and they were blowing straight Northward. Not directly at us, but the effect was the same. Since no one had offered to come by and take a look previously, I said yes. However, by the time she got here, the OWB slowed to a low output emissions. Once again I told her the often repeated phrase: "Unless you actually live next to one of these devices..." We tried to describe the frustration we've experienced living with the smoke and smell. Karin was very nice and listened to our complaint. We asked again if anyone has seen the videos on our web site. She explained the software on the City's computers do not allow them to open most types of video or photo files. January 1, 2009 DAILY NUISANCE LOG We started a daily log to keep track of times where the smoke and odor are a nuisance on OUR property. Of course, we are only one of at least 6 properties that complained, so someone around the OWB is always downwind of the smoke and smell. Click here to see the daily log. January 2, 2009 E-MAIL TO CITY HALL -Click here to open the letter in a new window- After reading Oak Grove's Code of Ordinances, we continue to stress that we feel there are several ordinances which are applicable to our complaint. We cited TITLE 1300 - ZONING REGULATIONS, CHAPTER 1318 - PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. We also cited several direct quotes from the Environmental Protection Agency and The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to support our assertion. As we understand it, local Minnesota Governments look up to the State and Federal level for information and direction regarding issues related to air pollution. January 7, 2009 E-MAIL RESPONSE FROM CITY HALL -Click here to open the letter in a new window- The City Planner responded to our letter. We asked 2 questions. Under what circumstances would CHAPTER 1318 apply in a real life situation? Does our complaint covered by CHAPTER 1318? We did not receive direct answers to those questions. However, several statements which were made are worth pointing out. 1) We do not disagree a 4' stack was added to the OWB. However, simple observation makes it evident this addition did not provide a remedy, it did nothing to abate the nuisance complaints brought before Council. It is our opinion that at this point there is no way to know whether or not the stack did "resolve the issue for the majority or "considerable number" of people" as was stated in the letter. We believe this for a number of reasons, he primary one being the weather has been unseasonably cold, and recently temperatures have been around zero. It is not likely our neighbors, especially those with respiratory issues, have been spending any length of time inside with their windows open, or spent an adequate time outdoors to re-assess and re-evaluate the air quality on their properties. Other property owners tell us the problem is worse in Summer for them. Considering the smoke has been an ongoing problem for over two years, it's not possible to make an evaluation at this point. 2) We find one part of the response to our concerns particularly troubling: "I am not a mechanical or chemical engineer or scientist, nor do I have any medical knowledge or expertise to address your statements regarding the medical and chemical affects of OWB emissions. While I understand there may be some research out there that supports your claims, I have not viewed any specific, empirical evidence, tests, or proof that the specific OWB in question is emitting the volume of smoke and odor cited in your email. Further, the city has no way of measuring it." We don't expect most City Planners or other employees are scientists or doctors. One would hope they, like other City Administration, would not limit their administrative decisions based solely on personal knowledge of a particular topic, but would form an opinion and make a decision based on what County and State officials say on the subject, as well as all available research and information on the subject, like any other issue. Also, published research and studies by chemical engineers and scientists, paid for by our tax dollars, are widely available on State and Federal web sites. 3) The City Planner said she has not "viewed any specific empirical evidence, tests or proof that the specific OWB in question is emitting the volume of smoke and odor cited in your email." Then she added "there may be some research out there that supports your claims", but the City has no at-hand tools to quantify the problem. In other words, the health issues created by the smoke and odor may indeed be a real problem, but there's no way to tell because this specific OWB has not been tested. But the City has no procedure for testing this specific OWB, so they have no way of knowing if this is creating a health issue. A classic catch-22. We would hope that considering the number of complaints and the health issues described by multiple properties, the City would err on the side of caution until an assessment can be made. There are instruments to measure output from these devices, but then this turns into a budget and manpower issue. 4) As for providing evidence OWB's in general create serious health concerns, we have done all we can to present the problem to City officials. Besides referring to studies by the EPA and MPCA and other government organizations, who describe the problem in much more detail than we ever could, we have spent a considerable amount of time and effort to bring images and photos of the smoke to the City Council members, the City Planner, Assistant City Planner, City Administrator, as well as anyone else who has computer access. We've provided photos and videos in multiple formats. I even took smoke filled clothing over to City Hall so they could SMELL what we are smelling on our property. We have an entire web site devoted to the problems the smoke and smell are causing us and many of our neighbors. How much more empirical evidence does one need to be satisfied we are serious?? As for the issue of whether the specific OWB in question is really emitting the volume of smoke an odor as we claim, this web site has a dozen videos, photo examples, a daily log, and almost every method we can think of to show the problem we experience daily, living next to "the specific OWB in question". (along with hundreds more videos and photos) On top of that, according to the City, "the specific OWB in question" is ancient, appx. 19 years old. (it has only been re-started up in the last 3 years.) All available research emphatically states older model OWB's are especially high in pollution emissions compared to newer models. The videos bear that out. As for the science and medical effects of OWB emissions, those are warned about by the MPCA, a State organization which the City of Oak Grove looks toward in regard to most other environmental issues. January 8, 2009 THE CITY MEETS WITH THE PROBLEM PROPERTY -Click here to open the letter in a new window- The City Planner and Associate City Planner of Oak Grove met with the owners of the OWB. They claim the owner creating the smoke and odor will limit burning to "the heating season". Here in Minnesota, "the heating season" can be 6 to 7 months of the year. Of course, there are no actual legal papers stating they will stop the combustion at any point, or when they will re-start, or if the price of fuel will null and void any agreement. No, we are supposed to take "on good faith" the property owners will stop burning, at some point in the future, temporarily. As a gesture of "good faith" we were asked to remove signs from our yard. On January 9, 2009. we complied. The letter states they spoke with the owner about the large volumes of smoke, the health concerns expressed by us and other neighbors, how the topography and home types contribute to the smoke blowing onto other properties. The ------said he was very amenable to helping resolve the situation, and was willing to meet his neighbors "more than half way" to resolve this problem. Burning wood six months of the year does solve HALF the problem. However, if the owner (and anyone else involved) truly understand this problem, they would also understand having an asthma attack, or other breathing difficulty, or getting a headache from the smoke is not alleviated by the temperature of the air or season of the year. The smoke causes respiratory problems no matter the climate conditions. The smell still stinks no matter the calendar date. Our home has the same topography and is still a berm home in during all four seasons of the year. We cannot change conditions which are unchangeable. Half the year is a beginning. Time will tell if the OWB owner will be true to his word. He is now aware the heavy levels of smoke he is creating are a nuisance to his surrounding neighbors, and affecting the health of many of them. Lack of awareness about this situation is no longer a defense. In an ironic coincidence, on the very same day Oak Grove City officials asked us to live with what they described as "varying amounts of smoke" (including LARGER volumes) and "odorous smells"; and essentially asking us to compromise on our "various health issues" for six months of the year, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency was making a presentation before the Minnesota Legislature about the most pressing pollution concerns facing Minnesota citizens in 2009. January 8, 2009 MPCA REPORTS OUTDOOR WOOD BOILERS GENERATE DISPROPORTIONATE VOLUME OF EMISSIONS, COMPLAINTS In January 2009, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency reported to the Minnesota State Legislature in a report called AIR QUALITY IN MINNESOTA EMERGING TRENDS, 2009 REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE. The 20 page report sums up the report with a concern: the health and environmental effect of exposure to multiple pollutants from two major areas 1) Transportation sources, and 2) Residential wood burning. From the
forward to the conclusion, the report discusses issues caused
by wood burning, and devotes an entire page to OUTDOOR WOOD
BOILERS and their effects.
According to the MPCA report, "Residential wood burning
contributed 12 percent of statewide benzene emissions, 19 percent
of direct emissions from particles and 39 percent of polycyclic
hydrocarbon emissions. In fact, wood smoke contains many of
the same chemicals as tobacco smoke." January 11, 2009 January 11, 2009 was a windless day. The smoke levels were MASSIVE in our Oak Grove neighborhood. Houses around us for a thousand feet were draped in a blue wood smoke from the afternoon late into the night. A panorama photo is on the index page here. February
6, 2009 February 9, 2009 It has been a month since we were asked to "show good faith". During that 30 days, over 50 percent of the days (17) our entire property has smelled like smoke and burning wood. During that time, there were 13 MPCA Air Quality Alerts in the sensitive to moderate range. We counted 11 Dead Zone days, where it was impossible to spend any length of time outside on our own property. Click here to open the 2009 Daily Log in a new window. The volume of smoke and odor in January was as bad (or worse) than any time in the last two plus years. We keep hearing about the "rural atmosphere" which the City is trying so hard to preserve, and we are just about fed up with that line of crap. The odor is so dense on many days it makes ANYONE cough, regardless of whether they enjoy the smell of smoke or not. In our family it's triggered more asthma attacks and headaches. Since when does a constant air quality problem describe someone's idea of a "rural atmosphere"? Why won't the City enforce nuisance laws on a consistent basis? March 9, 2009 March
27, 2009 March 30, 2009 April
1, 2009 April
10, 2009 April 7, 2009 OWB OPERATION METHODS DETERMINE OUR QUALITY OF HEALTH, AND NOW THE SEASONS The City of Oak Grove said the operator of the wood burning device "voluntarily offered to not use the OWB" during what was termed the "non-heating months". We live in an energy-efficient home, and for the most part have stopped using the central heating system, and have used our supplemental heat only a couple nights so far in April 2009. The OWB owner, however, continues the massive wood burns. Today west winds are blowing streams of smoke across several properties. The OWB owner was informed the smoke was causing health problems for his neighbors, yet he continues to use it. In doing so he has a direct role in the quality of health and life for our families. Additionally, although Spring is already here on the calendar, we are forced to wait for his interpretation of "the non-heating months" start date. The OWB owner is now apparently going to be the official word regarding when Spring begins in our neighborhood, by the date he chooses to (temporarily) cease from the extreme wood burning practices. Although this is no real solution, it will hopefully give us our first smokeless days on our property and in our neighborhood in almost 3 YEARS. April 9, 2009 RESPONsE FROM A MEMBER OF THE MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE The Minnesota Legislature already has their agenda for the current Session, but according to the Minnesota Dept. of Health, the issue of wood smoke pollution is supposed to come up in the Fall session. We know if people are not familiar with outdoor wood boilers may not understand the problems they can cause. So we sent all 201 Senate and House members our story. Hopefully the REAL STORY of OWB's will be more familiar to them when legislation comes up. -Click here to open the e-mail in a new window- April 16, 2009 Video example (VID 14) IT'S SPRING (SOMEWHERE) The temperature has been in the 60's so far this week, and hit 70 today. We've used our heat only a few nights since April 1st, as it has been a warm Spring. However, the OWB continues to burn through mid-April, contrary to what was promised. We haven't opened the windows because the smoke and smell are as usual in Spring, blowing our way. Once again today, our yard smells like smoke along with the stench of burning metal from the device. We will be installing our air conditioner soon, as it gets warm inside our house. We had provided a list of suggestions from the MPCA, recommendations the City should give to the OWB owner. The suggestions aren't rocket science, just common sense. Burn dry wood, not wet. Keep covered. Look into aftermarket improvements designed to reduce smoke and resulting complaints. Don't burn on Air Pollution Alert days, because of air inversions that trap pollutants. As of April 16, 2009. --- The wood is still uncovered. Snow sat on it on all winter, rain has soaked it at least once this Spring. --- Nothing additional has been done to the OWB device to reduce the smoke as far as we can tell. --- Based on personal observation, and tracked daily in the nuisance log, the volume of smoke did not decrease after that January 8, 2009 meeting, and if anything, has increased. --- And about the Air Pollution Alert Days? The first MPCA AQI alert of 2009 was January 7. The OWB owner completely ignored it. We wrote the Oak Grove City Administrator to get her response. Her reply: "I heard the message (about the Air Pollution Alert) this morning on the radio; however it may be possible since your neighbor works nights he may not even know of the advisory. Just a thought." --- Since that first 2009 AQI alert by the MPCA, there have been 28 additional sensitive and moderate alerts through April 16, 2009, mostly regarding PM2.5 pollutants trapped near the ground (A reminder, MPCA Alerts ar issued for people who do NOT live near high volume smoke output). The OWB has continued to burn non-stop through every alert. Today there is a new MPCA alert. At this moment the OWB owner is trimming spruce and pine and piling it on top of his wood pile next to the wood boiler, and the boiler is pouring out volumes of smoke. (see vid 14 on the video page) We are now on our 3rd Spring of not being able to open our windows, in our own home, on our own property. The OWB owner says he is willing to meet us "more than half way"?? So far, NOTHING has changed on the OWB owner's part. And half of NOTHING is still NOTHING. April 16, 2009 ANOTHER AIR QUALITY ALERT DAY GOES BY WITHOUT COMPLIANCE Today is a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Air Quality Alert (MPCA AQI). The primary pollutant with elevated levels is PM 2.5, or particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller. The alert is for people who are sensitive to air pollution, as a family member of ours is. Additionally, OWB's put out a disproportionately large volume of PM 2.5. The MPCA advises against ANY wood burning during Alert days. This is the 29th MPCA AQI alert this year. The OWB was in full operation on every one of those 29 alerts. And today the OWB owner is cutting branches off pine trees in his yard. The OWB is in full burn, high emission output, burning freshly cut branches and needles. The less seasoned the wood, the more elevated the PM 2.5 levels. A reminder, the official MPCA air alerts are meant to caution people who do NOT live next to an outdoor wood boiler. Imagine what it's like LIVING NEXT TO ONE EVERY DAY. April 16, 2009 A POSSIBLE BREAK IN THE POLLUTION FOR THE SUMMER? Today is the last day we smelled or saw the smoke on our property. It may still be burning as late as the 22rd of April, as the winds were out of the NNW between the 16th and 23rd. But we'll say the 16th to "meet the owner half way". TOTALS FROM JANUARY 1, 2009 TO APRIL 16, 2009 -Click here to open the Daily nuisance log in a new window- TOTAL NUMBER OF CALENDAR DAYS = 106 TOTAL MPCA AQI ALERTS = 29 (26 MODERATE, 3 UNHEALTHY) TOTAL NUISANCE DAYS = 47 TOTAL DEAD ZONE NIGHTS = 27 January was by far the worst of the three and a half months where statistics were kept. This is somewhat of a surprise, as last year we felt the summer and fall were the worst pollution seasons for us. MAY 1,
2009 MAY 21, 2009 It's been about a month since the wood burning in our neighborhood went from a 24 hour a day nuisance, to the complete opposite-- fresh, clean, breathable air. For the first several weeks after it stopped, we remained guarded and apprehensive about opening a window or going outside -- After all, it had been OVER TWO AND A HALF YEARS SINCE THE BURNING STARTED- almost a quarter of the time Oak Grove has been our home. Even now, we still sniff the air every time we open a window or step outside, out of habit. This had become a regular practice for us, a sad fact of life. Thankfully, we are now literally sleeping more soundly, with the knowledge we won't being blanketed in a blue haze of carbon monoxide and other chemicals on any night. My wife has not had an asthma attack since the smoke and odor stopped. There's been no smell to trigger headaches. The simple act of opening a window for fresh air, something you probably take for granted, is something we can do again without fear our home may fill with wood smoke at any moment. We are very thankful for the temporary reprieve and chance to breathe plain old regular, non-polluted air, and our neighbors are grateful also. We want to thank Karin Slater, City Planner, and Rick Juba, Assistant City Planner, for their negotiating skills in explaining to the individual causing the problem that his actions are having a direct effect on the quality of life and the health of many people living around him. We knew very little about outdoor wood boilers when we first wrote City officials and Council members in July 2008. We were told ours was an individual complaint. Since then, we have found we are not the only ones with a problem. There are 20 plus residents living on a half dozen or more Oak Grove properties who filed written complaints about this particular OWB, many with real and present health issues which they believe are aggravated by the operation of the device. There is no doubt each of those neighbors feels the smoke and odor are a real nuisance issue for them. And the problem is not just local, it's an issue happening right now in neighborhoods across the country. But our problem is here, in OUR neighborhood. After filing written complaints, we were told by City officials they lacked empirical evidence this particular OWB was creating any more smoke in our neighborhood than a typical indoor wood stove. So we took videos and assembled them on this web site with an explanation of our problem. Any City official with a computer can see the extreme volume of smoke we are dealing with. Both Karin and Rick explained to us that wood burning is common practice in Oak Grove. We agree, with one important clarification. Occasional, intermittent wood burning is common practice in Oak Grove, (and most everywhere). Wood smoke is not uncommon and sometimes unavoidable, and in Oak Grove, outdoor wood burning is allowed by permit. Outdoor fire rings are also common. WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO WOOD BURNING. We have no problem with the typical kinds of wood burning practices found in rural areas. In fact, we have burned tree branches on many occasions. We also have used our outdoor fire ring many times. However, what we are experiencing is different from all other forms of wood burning which you and I are used to for the following reasons: 1. The SMOKE AND ODOR NEVER STOPS. Depending on wind direction, it will blow onto our property at any given time, and continue blowing onto our property until the wind shifts direction. We just put up with our third winter of smoke on our property, the worst one so far. 2. The smoke and odors from the OWB are HEAVILY CONCENTRATED in a thick burnt wood and metallic smell, an odor so thick it can often be tasted in the mouth. The odor is much thicker and heavier and not the "typical" wood burning smells most people think of. Some days merely stepping outside is is difficult for more than a few minutes because the heavy smell causes the nasal passages and throat to plug up. 3. Most importantly, when the wind is blowing from the direction of the OWB, THERE IS NO REASONABLE WAY FOR US TO AVOID THE SMOKE AND ODOR. When outside, we should not have to make a mad dash for the indoors when clouds of smoke sweep across our property. We should not be forced to close our windows in an attempt to lessen the smoke we breathe. We should not be forced to limit our outdoor time to those minutes between high emission smoke releases. This OWB owner is engaging in activities which are continue to create an ongoing nuisance for us and our neighbors. MAY 22, 2009 A MONTH OF CLEAN AIR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO AND A HALF YEARS! You've heard stories of people who have a different outlook on things after a life changing moment. You always figure it's going to be a MAJOR event-- a medical problem, a death in the family, a sudden situation that make people realize what is really important in life. In the case of the outdoor wood boiler, the continuous burning of wood day in and day out is certainly a nuisance, and a real reduction in the quality of life on our property. It's made us angry, it's made us sick, it's made us prisoners in our own homes at times. However, living with it every day has provided us with few life changing moments. The life changing moment happened when THE WOOD BOILER WAS SHUT OFF! We are not kidding. It's been a fact of life for us since late 2006, and when it stopped, we were very skeptical, and expected it to start up again at any time. We finally left a window open for an ENTIRE DAY last weekend, without having to close it once to block out the smoke and smell. Wow. Alert the media. Something so mundane in everyone else's lives became an impossibility in ours for the last several years. Want another story? Before we first discovered the source of the smoke, one night we were sleeping with the window open, and about midsnight we both woke to a heavy metallic wood burning stench and thought our house was on fire, causing great panic in our household. The other night, we opened a window before bed time, and later we both noticed a strong lilac scent. At first we couldn't figure out where it could be coming from. Then we realized-- it's our lilac bushes outside. The lilacs started blooming several years ago, but we'd never had our windows open any length of time to smell them. What an opposite moment from what we had been enduring. We also smell apple blossoms-- our apple trees, which are among the closest trees on our property in relation to the smoke source, failed to blossom or produce fruit for the last two years. This year, the tree is already full of clusters of small green apples. Whether being subjected to a constant stream of smoke affects apple production, I don't know. Additionally, we have noticed a large increase of the number of birds on our property and adjoining properties compared to the last several years. My guess is most birds are smart enough to fly away from smoky areas. The lucky little bastards don't have 30 year mortgages like we do. Tree, flowers, chirping birds, air, some pretty basic stuff is now back. And we realize now more than ever, we cannot live with this for six months out of the year. Winter or summer, spring or fall, we have the right to live on our own property and stand outside on our own property without getting sick or smelling like smoke. We wrote the Mayor to thank him and members of the Oak Grove City Administration for helping us with our problem. -Click here to open the letter in a new window- MAY 27, 2009 On May 23, 2009, we wrote the Mayor and City Administration to thank them for finally recognizing the dangers of OWB's, by the inclusion to a link on the official Oak Grove City web site which RECOMMENDS AGAINST OWB'S IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. And just like that, the link is REMOVED. It's still May, and will be for almost another week, but the "MAY 2009 IS SAFETY MONTH" information and links are gone. Coincidence? Perhaps. Or maybe the webmaster is so eager to update the web site, she decides to remove the information a week early? Doubtful, considering the index page of the City web site has basically remained UNCHANGED FOR YEARS (with the exception of an occasional reminder, such as the burning ban, or a new sex offender in town). Even the Mayor's Welcome on the index page is ancient, written back when he was first elected. The Oak Grove City web site is rarely altered, except for the addition of Council meeting notes and the occasional ordinance update (one ordinance was just added to the web site, more than a YEAR after passing). But only a few days after we point out a newly added link to the Official Oak Grove web site, which has information contrary to the City position on wood burning, the link is gone baby gone. Maybe we are reading too much into it. However, considering the fact our issue has been minimized by City officials on multiple occasions, removal of the information would not be surprising. You can read what the link said before it was removed, here: http://www.lungusa.org/atf/cf/%7B7A8D42C2-FCCA-4604-8ADE-7F5D5E762256%7D/PP_ENVIRONMENTAL_HEALTH_0907.PDF JUNE 2009 New link on Oak Grove City web site discourages wood burning, citing health concerns It's June 2009, and for the second month in a row, the official web site of the City of Oak Grove ( http://oakgrove.govoffice.com/ ) once again recommends AGAINST wood burning, with special concern to continuous burning of wood in residential neighborhoods. June is National Safety Month, and the City cites a link to the National Safety Council web site. The NSC's goal, according to their mission statement, is to "educate and influence people to prevent accidental injury and death." Along with safe driving and fall prevention, wood burning is listed as a very real health concern. The primary reasons for the concern are the release of formaldehyde, particulate matter, and carbon monoxide. Emissions from an outdoor wood boiler contain a much larger volume of these chemicals, than other types of wood burning, according to studies. In our case, we are often engulfed in clouds of smoke from the OWB, and this is what we are breathing, according to the following taken directly from the National Safety Council web site: Formaldehyde What Is It? Formaldehyde is a colorless, strong-smelling gas. It is widely used to manufacture building materials and numerous household products. There are two types of formaldehyde resins: urea formaldehyde (UF) and phenol formaldehyde (PF). Products made of urea formaldehyde can release formaldehyde gas; products made of phenol formaldehyde generally emit lower levels of the gas. Where Is It Found? Formaldehyde is an important industrial chemical used to make other chemicals, building materials, and household products. It is used in glues, wood products, preservatives, permanent press fabrics, paper product coatings, and certain insulation materials. Building products made with formaldehyde resins can "off-gas" (emit) formaldehyde gas. These products include particle board used as sub-flooring or shelving, fiberboard in cabinets and furniture, plywood wall panels, and foamed-in-place urea-formaldehyde insulation. Some sources that previously contained formaldehyde are either no longer used or have been reformulated to contain less formaldehyde. Incomplete combustion, cigarette smoking, and burning wood, kerosene, and natural gas also release formaldehyde. What Are the Health Effects? Formaldehyde is normally present at low levels, usually less than 0.06 ppm (parts per million), in both outdoor and indoor air. When present in the air at levels at or above 0.1 ppm, acute health effects can occur including watery eyes; burning sensations in the eyes, nose and throat; nausea; coughing; chest tightness; wheezing; skin rashes; and other irritating effects. Formaldehyde affects people in various ways. Some people are very sensitive to formaldehyde while others may have no noticeable reaction at the same level of exposure. Sensitive people can experience symptoms at levels below 0.1 ppm. The World Health Organization recommends that exposure should not exceed 0.05 ppm. Colds, flu, and allergies can cause symptoms similar to some of those produced by exposure to formaldehyde. http://www.nsc.org/resources/factsheets/environment/formaldehyde.aspx How Does This Affect Us? A member of our family has what we believed were asthma attacks when she breathed in the smoke. According to the above information from the National Safety Council, it may be a reaction to elevated levels of formaldehyde in our air. Particulate Matter What Is It? Particulate Matter is any type of solid in the air in the form of smoke, dust, and vapors, which can remain suspended for extended periods. Aside from reducing visibility and soiling clothing, microscopic particles in the air can be breathed into lung tissue becoming lodged and causing increased respiratory disease and lung damage. Particulates are also the main source of haze, which reduces visibility. Where Is It Found? Particulates are produced by many sources, including burning of diesel fuels by trucks and buses, fossil fuels, mixing and application of fertilizers and pesticides, road construction, industrial processes such as steel making, mining, agricultural burning, and operation of fireplaces and wood stoves.http://www.nsc.org/ehc/mobile/airpollu.html How Does This Affect Us? No matter the cause of the asthma, the large volume of particulate matter released by OWB's aggravates her condition. An increase in lung damage should be of concern to anyone, healthy or not. Carbon Monoxide What Is It? Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas that interferes with the delivery of oxygen in the blood to the rest of the body. It is produced by the incomplete combustion of fuels. What Are the Major Sources of CO? Carbon monoxide is produced as a result of incomplete burning of carbon-containing fuels including coal, wood, charcoal, natural gas, and fuel oil. It can be emitted by combustion sources such as unvented kerosene and gas space heaters, furnaces, wood stoves, gas stoves, fireplaces and water heaters, automobile exhaust from attached garages, and tobacco smoke. Problems can arise as a result of improper installation, maintenance, or inadequate ventilation. What Are the Health Effects? Carbon monoxide interferes with the distribution of oxygen in the blood to the rest of the body. Depending on the amount inhaled, this gas can impede coordination, worsen cardiovascular conditions, and produce fatigue, headache, weakness, confusion, disorientation, nausea, and dizziness. Very high levels can cause death. The symptoms are sometimes confused with the flu or food poisoning. Fetuses, infants, elderly, and people with heart and respiratory illnesses are particularly at high risk for the adverse health effects of carbon monoxide. An estimated 300 people die each year as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning and thousands of others end up in hospital emergency rooms. http://www.nsc.org/resources/factsheets/environment/carbon_monoxide.aspx How Does This Affect Us? A member of our family gets headaches on many occasions when stepping outside into the smoke and odor. The smoke and odor has caused a loss of use of our property day after day. We are unable to exercise or otherwise enjoy our property because of the health effects listed above. NEW: SUMMER OF 2009
FROM THE MINNESOTA DNR BOATING GUIDE JULY 2009 Normally we attempt to stay focused to the topic of our particular wood smoke issue in our neighborhood. However, I came across a photo while checking the web site of another family also going through the OWB problem in their neighborhood. Check it out here: http://freedomofair.webs.com/apps/blog/ They had posted the photo above on their web site. And what you see here is REAL. In fact, it's a photo taken from from an actual EPA report compiled in 2008, which you can read here: http://epa.gov/bns/reports/stakejun2008/B(a)P/2008%20Expo_OWHH.pdf As was so perceptively pointed out on the Freedom of Air web site, without any limitations on outdoor wood burning, who is stopping your neighbor from putting this in their yard next to your home? Sound ridiculous? Remember; here in Oak Grove, MN, we were told there are no rules or regulations regarding the installation and operation of outdoor wood boilers in any neighborhood. There are no code requirements, no setback limits, no regulation regarding their operation. So there is very little the City could do to regulate them. letter11-14-08.html ----- letter01-07-09.html OCTOBER 2, 2009 BAD DAYS ARE BACK I absolutely cannot believe I am back typing on this page. I am completely livid. It's been 5 months and 2 weeks since the smoke stopped, and now it's back. We ALMOST forgot about the smoke. We were having a great time just sitting outside, enjoying the weather. Our apple tree produced bushels of apples for the first time in 3 years! The number of birds on our yard was probably triple what it had been for the last several years. We were able to take walks all times of day outside, sat out and watched the dogs play, grew a garden, planted flowers, looked up at the stars at night. We were able to leave the windows open every day without monitoring the smell of the air. We really enjoyed life for the first time in so long, and it made the rest of our lives so much less stressful. We were so thankful we could breathe freely. And now that's all gone. It is choking outside tonight. The air is thick with the stench of wood smoke. I feel so bad for my wife. She already had an asthma attack after taking the dogs outside for about 5 minutes. They all came back in smelling like smoke and now she's wheezing. This is incredibly unfair and is seriously affecting the health of my wife. Our quality of life has been reduced to rushing outside for a few moments with our faces covered so the dogs can pee. I cannot let this go on forever. I refuse to live this way. Enough is enough. OCTOBER
15, 2009 OCTOBER 19, 2009 THE MINNESOTA CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY FINALLY WRITES BACK! We wrote to the MN Center for Environmental Advocacy over a year ago. And now we received a letter from them. Could this be the help we need? Nope. It's a solicitation for contributions. I wrote them back to let them know we have a $2000 check written out to them. We even included a photocopy of it. The money is theirs, with a stipulation. Read the letter here. Anyone can say they are an advocate. WE are advocates for clean air, too. But we have yet to hear from someone who can has any power to effect CHANGE. |
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