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Posted by Kevin in Ohio on Saturday, March 01, 2008 at 23:13:44 :
In Reply to: Re: OT Trying to Ban Wood burning in Ohio posted by D. Sherman on Saturday, March 01, 2008 at 22:45:49 :
VERY well said. That is Exactly what is SO frustrating to me on this. The more you try to become self reliant the more they want you to become reliant on them. Kinda like sheep falling in line and questioning nothing. That's a very slippery slope in my opinion.
Our farm has been in our family for well over 100 years and has always heated with wood and coal. To have someone step in with questionable reasons irks me when an across the board ban is recommended.
I've dealt many times with the EPA and found them to be an unorganized group with TOO much authority. I'm not saying they are not needed but someone needs to steer them in a direction that they were organized to serve. I'll give a personal example.
When I was still farming we did custom fertilizer/herbicide spraying. Held 4 different EPA required liscenses and took all the required classes. At that time(in the 80's) they went on a kick of Nitrogen getting into the groundwater supply around here. We sprayed for a state owned farm on a state park. They used it as an educational thing for local schools and such. They held a big conference and gathered the media to announce their plans to prove how we were polluting the ground water supply.
They had a private contractor come in and dig 15 test wells on the property. 9 months later they were supposed to have another conference. When the time passed and nothing happened we started asking questions on what the results were.
Come to find out the 3 wells the dug off the farm(2 across the road and one in an established woodland) had Nitrogen levels higher than in the farm fields(which happened to be in the safe levels). I questioned the EPA official when he came to our place for an inspection and he said the test results were "inconclusive".
No follow report was ever given in the media and it died off. I hope this newest "kick" will do the same. Kevin