DEC eases firewood policy

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July 10, 2012

DEC eases firewood policy

Anonymous Staff Report The Daily Star Tue Jul 10, 2012, 08:01 AM EDT

The state Department of Environmental Conservation recently eased its firewood regulation policy with regard to commercial entities, according to a media release from the agency.

DEC Commissioner Joe Martens recently announced that the 2009 regulations have been revised to help ease regulatory compliance and enforcement.

The basics and purpose of the revised regulation remain the same and still prohibit untreated firewood from entering the state and restrict intrastate movement of untreated firewood to no more than 50 miles from its source.

"Without the existence of this regulation, firewood infested with invasive insects such as the emerald ash borer and Asian longhorned beetle could be transported throughout the state, spreading infestations from one place to another," Martens said in the release. "To help reduce damages to New York's forests and community trees, New Yorkers and visitors are urged to comply with the state's regulations, which restrict the major vector for the introduction of these pests."

The revised regulation focuses enforcement on untreated firewood that is in transit, and any firewood possessed on state lands.

The revisions also articulate the DEC's authority to confiscate and destroy non-compliant firewood.

The updated definition of "Firewood" now specifically excludes from regulation logs being moved to manufacturing facilities for processing.

Other regulations exist for log transport, which are enforced by the state Department of Agriculture and Markets, including transport restrictions from the 20 counties in New York that are under state and federal emerald ash borer quarantines.

In general, firewood must remain within 50 miles of its source, and transported firewood must have a receipt or label indicating its source.

For more information on the restrictions on transporting firewood, visit the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov/animals/28722.html.