Utah Gov. Gary Herbert is scanning hundreds of recently passed bills in search of any that might deserve a veto. One that’s caught his eye would prohibit a wintertime wood-burning ban.
House Bill 396 concerns the governor because it potentially restricts the policy-setting Air Quality Board from implementing the best pollution solutions it finds.
Herbert said Thursday that lawmakers might have overstepped their authority by limiting the Air Quality Board’s options.
“To say that they [at the air quality board] cannot, in fact, put in place parameters and rules and regulations about wood burn is probably a little shortsighted,” he told reporters at his monthly KUED news conference. “So, I’m going to take a really hard look at that.”
The Air Quality Board held seven public hearings to explore an idea set out by the governor: eliminating wood smoke in populated areas during the high-pollution season to the air significantly cleaner. It’s a proposal based on a University of Utah study that found wood smoke accounts for about 5 percent of winter pollution episodes. After hundreds of people at the hearings objected, air-quality officials scrapped the seasonal ban.
“We would like to see the governor sign this bill,” said John Mortensen, a stove dealer who also leads a group called Utahns for Responsible Burning. “We believe it fits with what he is looking for. It calls out to study and look for the best possible plan.”
Mortensen’s group led the effort to kill the ban proposal and pushed for the legislation. Meanwhile, health and clean-air groups have asked Herbert to veto the bill.
