Missouri congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer is urging the federal Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider newly proposed regulations for wood-burning stoves.
Luetkemeyer sent a letter to the EPA Tuesday saying the proposed regulations could increase the costs of manufacturing wood-burning heaters. He said that could make them unaffordable to many people and drive some small manufacturers out of business.
The EPA wants to significantly reduce the particle pollution flowing from the smokestacks of wood stoves as a way to improve air quality. The tougher regulations would be phased in over five years.
Luetkemeyer, who represents parts of central and eastern Missouri, called the proposal "regulatory nonsense."