Money offered for wood stove replacement

Homeowners and renters in the San Lorenzo Valley can now receive discounts when they transition their wood-burning devices for a cleaner alternative.
Changing out one dirty, inefficient wood stove is equivalent to taking five old diesel buses off the road, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“Residents of San Lorenzo Valley need to follow “spare the air” days when they are announced this winter,” said Fifth District Supervisor Bruce McPherson. “(I) thank the Monterey Air Resources Board for continuing to give grants for its Wood Stove Change-Out Program.”
The program is aimed specifically at San Lorenzo Valley residents, who can save $1,000 to $2,500 by replacing their wood stove or fireplace with a natural gas, propane or pellet fueled stove or fireplace insert.
“The unique combination of frequent winter inversions coupled with an abundance of residents who burn wood to heat their homes can cause fine particulate levels to rise above (safe) air quality,” according to the Monterey Air Resources Board.
Email is the preferred method of receiving an application at wo*******@mb***.org
After you qualify and receive your voucher, you can take it to either Santa Cruz Fireplace and Hot Tub or Woodstove and Sun to receive a discount.
Applications can also be mailed to 24580 Silver Cloud Ct., Monterey, CA 93940.
Gov. Jerry Brown last week signed into law the Wood Smoke Reduction Program which provides voluntary incentives to Californians to replace old, uncertified wood-burning stoves with more energy-efficient alternatives.
Sponsored by Sen. Ricardo Lara, the bill helps the state transition from wood-burning devices to cleaner, healthier alternatives.
“The wildfires burning across California are teaching a terrible lesson about the dangers of wood smoke for people’s health, especially for children and those with asthma, allergies or other respiratory conditions,” said Lara. “With residential wood smoke on track to be the biggest source of human-caused black carbon, (the bill) helps Californians afford cleaner alternatives.”
Wood smoke from home heaters will be the biggest source of human-caused black carbon by 2030, according to the California Air Resources Board.
People with existing heart and lung conditions, older adults, children and teenagers, and pregnant women are at the greatest risk of black carbon exposure.
Research shows that wood smoke emissions are similar to tobacco and auto pollution in their negative impact on children and adults.
“Wood smoke change-out programs are extremely popular, and the state is ready to team up with air districts to bring these incentives to more Californians who want them,” said Senator Lara.
The law goes into effect in January.