This bill repeals all regulations for water heaters. This includes the ultra low NOx water heater rule, which would be very troublesome for air quality.
The ultra low NOx water heater rule is perhaps the most important area source rule that has a long history beginning with the Air Quality Board passing this rule back in 2015, which the legislature then quickly overturned. In 2016, after a lengthy process, a bill was passed, HB 250, that adopted the rule in its entirety into the State Construction Code, which was a great win for air quality. Ironically, Representative Ward was a co-sponsor of this great air quality bill, after witnessing several presentations of the rule during Bi-partisan Clean Air Caucus meetings throughout 2015. The rule requires only Ultra Low NOx water heaters to be sold and installed statewide. This important rule realizes a very inexpensive ~300 tons per year reduction of Nitrogen Oxide emissions, a precursor pollutant that leads to the formation of both wintertime PM2.5 and summertime ozone pollution. When fully phased in the benefit will be ~2700 tons of NOx per year reduced. Repealing this rule would be nearly impossible and prohibitively costly to regulated industry to recover the reductions elsewhere.
How does the "Ultra Low NOx" water heater rule help Utah's air? You might not realize that our homes and buildings contribute about 39% to local air pollution, a very close second to cars and trucks. Household appliances, like gas-fired water heaters are a significant source of air pollution. These water heaters are essentially tiny fireplaces that burn constantly to keep the water we use in our homes hot on demand. The good news is technology for our appliances improve over time. For many years now water heater manufacturers are using clean and efficient technology to reduce the amount of Nitrogen Oxide pollution that comes from burning natural gas in these appliances. These Ultra Low NOx water heaters utilize a burner technology that uses a two-step combustion process where the fuel and air is first premixed and then burned on a lower flame. This technology, as the name implies, drastically reduces NOx emissions by 75% compared to a "low NOx" model. Its essentially the same water heater, it heats the water just the same, it just utilizes a bigger burner that burns at a slightly lower temperature which lowers the oxidation that occurs from conbustion.
Sponsors
- Rep. Ward, Ray
Position
OPPOSE
Status - Not Considered
Scheduled Hearings
Past Hearings
Floor Debates