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Murray • The Salt Lake County Board of Health held a hearing Thursday night to allow the public to comment on a proposed regulation that would outlaw fireplace or wood-stove burning during bad air-quality days and would also prohibit open burning.
The proposed regulation brought a decent crowd of residents who evenly represented both sides.
Brian Moench started the public hearing and spoke on behalf of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment to support the board's regulation proposal.
"Wood smoke is 12 times more likely to cause cancer than second-hand cigarette smoke," Moench said.
Moench also says that Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment endorse the ordinance but also encourage the health department to go further is possible.
Others who came to support the regulation say that they believe the health of the community is more important than the preservation of wood burning.
"Regulation 35 is great because it helps to improve our health," Ann Waters said.
However, Nancy Olsen is very against the adoption of this regulation and even compared the situation to the Gestapo Nazi Germany.
"I think that it's insane in Utah, especially where we have earthquake possibilities to rely on just our gas lines are going to keep us warm in the middle of the winter if we have an earthquake," Olsen said.
Many who oppose the regulation are unsure that wood burning is the cause of the pollution and are upset that more of their freedoms are being taken away.
According to Nicholas Rupp, Salt Lake County health department communication director, if the regulation passes at the Jan. 8 meeting, the community wouldn't receive any fines for burning on prohibited days until January 2016. The department would use this coming burning season to educate those who use wood-burning stoves or fireplaces on why it is now prohibited.
"We don't want to be punitive, we want to be educational," Rupp said.
Corbin Anderson, who is in charge of air pollution control for the health department, says they are taking it step-by-step since it is a big cultural change for many in Utah.
"This is a new reality. We know a lot more about the health effects of pollution than we did a generation ago. Our conditions are what they are and we have to do extra," Anderson said.