Major Projects

HPBA's Government Affairs Department is constantly promoting the industry through a rich variety of projects. Whether through the legislative process or our grassroots advocacy work, we work hard to get our members' voices heard. Below you will find some of our major projects that we have worked on, or currently developing. Make sure you visit this page often, as we are always developing new initiatives!

Glass Fronts: Possible Regulations by the Consumer Product Safety Commission

On June 8^th, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a request for comments on two petitions that it received that requested the regulation of glass fronts on gas fireplaces. One petition, citing two thousand serious burns over a ten-year period, requested regulations making barriers mandatory. The other requested the use of an LED-based warning system that the petitioner invented.

The HPBA comments were submitted on August 8^th. Several member companies also submitted comments. The entire list of comments can be found at Regulations.gov.

Vented Gas Hearth Products

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has filed its final ruling on the Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Water Heaters, Direct Heating Equipment and Pool Heaters. It contains a limitation on Decorative Gas Fireplaces that is much lower than we had expected or that is reasonable. We proposed the use of CSA Z21.88 for the heating products and CSA Z21.50 and CSA Z21.60 for the decorative products. DOE has determined, as you will see in the document, to use an input limit of 9,000 BTU's per hour. This has the possibility of eliminating Decorative Gas Appliances from the marketplace.

Wood Stove Changeout

The Libby, Montana changeout replaced or repaired 1,130 old, polluting stoves with new wood, pellet, gas or electric heating appliances. HPBA, its member companies, EPA and other Montana partners provided direct grants, equipment donations and in-kind support worth more than $2.5 million to finance the program.

Based on preliminary data, Libby residents are now breathing significantly cleaner air both outdoors and inside their homes. Average wintertime fine particulate levels in the outdoor air decreased by 28% in 2007 -- the first year following completion of the changeouts. The results are even more dramatic for indoor air quality with initial research by the University of Montana finding the air 72% cleaner inside homes with new, EPA certified stoves.

To help expand the changeout programs nationwide, Representative John Salazar (D-CO) and Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) have introduced the Clean Stove Act. This is a bipartisan bill that would authorize a $500 tax credit to consumers who replace old stoves with the new technology of EPA certified wood stoves.

EPA Voluntary Program

A new EPA Partnership Program, the "Voluntary Wood-Burning Fireplace Program," began on February 19, 2009. Due to the recent launch of this program, EPA has yet to populate it completely. HPBA is currently collaborating with the EPA on all three tiers of their program, listed below.

New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)

The USEPA's (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) is the program which governs emissions for wood burning appliances and is about to undergo its first revision in 20 years. Since this revision may impact all wood burning appliances, the HPBA Board of Directors has asked its members to partner with the association in the fight against results that would be potentially harmful for our industry. Our legal, research & development and legislative staff are working hard to influence USEPA's decision and outcome that would be salutary for our industry and our members. Our NSPS partners can enter our members only section to see the latest developments in this process HERE.

Government Affairs Academy

This annual academy is brought together by the Government Affairs staff and taught by both staff and Government Affairs Committee members. Our members and Affiliate staff from all over the United States come for a crash course in grassroots advocacy, lobbying and to learn the nuances of our industry. Our instructors teach how to interact with your elected leaders to press our industry agenda forward. We give you the tools to start your very own grassroots advocacy campaign!

Tax Credit

A federal tax credit on 75 percent efficient biomass heating appliances, which expired on December 31, 2011, was reinstated by the “fiscal cliff” legislation, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (H.R. 8), signed by President Obama on January 2, 2013. The bill includes a “tax extender” for Internal Revenue Service Section 25C which provides a tax credit for, among many other things, qualifying biomass burning stoves. The extender provides a dollar-for-dollar tax credit of up to $300 on a qualifying biomass heating appliance purchased between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2013. The credit claimable on the purchase or installation of qualifying biomass units is limited to a “lifetime limit” of $500 (and may be impacted by the purchase or installation of other products that qualify of a 25C credit). The credit for tax year 2012 is claimed on IRS Form 5695. HPBA recommends all individuals consult with their tax advisor for details on the applicability of the tax credit.