2015 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 22a - Environmental Protection
Chapter 446c - Air Pollution Control
Section 22a-174k - Outdoor wood-burning furnaces.

(a) For purposes of this section, “outdoor wood-burning furnace” means an accessory structure or appliance designed to be located outside living space ordinarily used for human habitation and designed to transfer or provide heat, via liquid or other means, through the burning of wood or solid waste, for heating spaces other than where such structure or appliance is located, any other structure or appliance on the premises, or for heating domestic, swimming pool, hot tub or jacuzzi water. “Outdoor wood-burning furnace” does not include a fire pit, wood-fired barbecue or chiminea.

(b) On and after July 8, 2005, no person shall construct, install, establish, modify, operate or use an outdoor wood-burning furnace, unless (1) the outdoor wood-burning furnace was constructed, installed, established, modified, operated or in use prior to July 8, 2005, or (2) the outdoor wood-burning furnace complies with the following:

(A) Installation of the outdoor wood-burning furnace is not less than two hundred feet from the nearest residence not serviced by the outdoor wood-burning furnace;

(B) Installation of the chimney of the outdoor wood-burning furnace is at a height that is more than the height of the roof peaks of the residences that are located within five hundred feet of the outdoor wood-burning furnace, which residences are not serviced by the outdoor wood-burning furnace, provided the chimney height is not more than fifty-five feet; and

(C) Installation and operation of the outdoor wood-burning furnace is in accordance with the manufacturer’s written instructions, provided such instructions do not conflict with the provisions of this section.

(c) On and after June 6, 2014, no person shall burn any material in any outdoor wood-burning furnace other than wood that is not chemically treated.

(d) The provisions of this section shall be enforced by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection and may be enforced by the municipality affected by the operation or potential operation of an outdoor wood-burning furnace.

(e) Any person who operates an outdoor wood-burning furnace in violation of this section shall be deemed to have committed an infraction and shall be fined not more than ninety dollars. Each day of operation of such outdoor wood-burning furnace in violation of this section shall be a separate violation.

(P.A. 05-227, S. 1; P.A. 11-80, S. 1; P.A. 14-92, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 05-227 effective July 8, 2005; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” in Subsec. (c), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 14-92 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing provision re effective date of regulations promulgated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency with “On and after July 8, 2005, no person shall”, deleting former Subpara. (C) re prohibition on burning materials other than wood that has not been chemically treated and redesignating existing Subpara. (D) as Subpara. (C), added new Subsec. (c) re prohibition on burning any material other than wood that is not chemically treated and redesignated existing Subsecs. (c) and (d) as Subsecs. (d) and (e), effective June 6, 2014.