Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources: Residential Wood Heaters

On September 11, 1996, EPA proposed amendments to the Standards of Performance for New Residential Wood Heaters, 40 CFR part 60, subpart AAA, as part of a larger proposal to reduce recordkeeping and reporting burden of numerous EPA regulations. The proposed wood heater amendments were intended to make needed corrections and clarifications to the wood heater rule. Some of the proposed clarifications are being promulgated under the final action for the recordkeeping and reporting burden reduction. This action announces the EPA's final decisions on one aspect of those proposed amendments. The wood heater rule is being revised to expand the conditions under which EPA can initiate a ``recall'' of wood heaters from distributors and retailers by prohibiting sales other than sales back to the manufacturer. The rule as originally promulgated specifically authorized EPA to initiate such a ``recall'' due to the knowing submission of false or inaccurate information or other fraudulent acts. This action amends the rule to allow EPA to initiate a recall, not only in cases of fraud, but also if it is found that the original certification test was invalid, irrespective of fraud. This action is being taken to ensure that further sales to consumers of wood heaters that should not have been originally certified are prohibited. This action does not affect wood heaters already sold to consumers.