BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

St. Lawrence County legislators unanimously oppose any “potential ban on wood burning in New York.”

The action was taken Jan. 25 at the Services Committee meeting.

Although some legislators including Margaret Haggard and Nicole Terminelli noted that there was some “hysteria” generated over The Climate Act, which they said does not contain language regarding a ban on wood burning, they still supported the resolution.

Proposing the resolution was legislator David Forsythe, R-Lisbon, who said the issue was brought to his attention by a neighbor.

Forsythe at first said he shrugged it off not believing such a proposal was real, but said he later came to find out that it was.

“I think it’s a colossal mistake,” he said.

In question is a proposed act to amend the environmental conservation law to limit greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. A reduction in wood burning is discussed in the act, but no specific ban is mentioned.

“In a draft plan members of the advisory panel to the Climate Action Council describe scenarios where wood consumption decreases,” the resolution says. “This could mean a potential future ban on wood-burning stoves, and in an additional reduction effort the possible elimination of natural gas hookups.”

The resolution notes that upstate winters are long and cold and that many people in St. Lawrence County and other rural areas rely on wood-burning stoves for heat.

It says that taking away an affordable heating source could be detrimental to many families who heat their homes with wood.

It specifically points out the major impact it would have on the Amish population who use wood for heat and cooking.

Legislator Jim Reagen, R-Ogdensburg, said the county needed to send a clear message that “we don't buy into the kind of extremist notions that bring about banning heating with wood.”

Haggard noted that she supports climate change efforts and is hopeful that the state does succeed in reducing greenhouse emissions significantly by 2050, but she supported the resolution.

Legislator Rick Perkins noted that while a ban may not be currently contained in the proposed resolutions he feared it would be added down the road when the bills are expanded. He compared the legislation to the SAFE Act, which imposed restrictions on gun owners in an effort to reduce gun violence in New York.

He said banning burning would make honest citizens into criminals.

Legislator Denesha called the state’s proposal “insane” adding that the people proposing it had no idea what they were doing.

Sheridan said supporting the resolution was the easiest vote he’s ever made as a legislator.

The county resolution will be forwarded to state officials.