ALBANY (AP) -- A supreme court judge says New York must immediately halt the sale of outdoor wood boilers that violate new air quality rules set by the Department of Environmental Conservation.
The new regulations were supposed to take effect April 15 but DEC wanted to extend the deadline to July 15 to give retailers time to sell off the older boilers. The judge ruled Tuesday that the sales must stop now.
The American Lung Association, Environmental Advocates and Earthjustice sued to enforce the deadline.
The new regulations cut emissions by 90 percent and require an 18-foot stack height to reduce smoke flowing to neighboring homes. Farm groups say the regulations are too burdensome.
Wood boilers are wood-fired furnaces that provide hot water to heat buildings.
DEC spokeswoman Lori Severino says the agency is reviewing the decision.
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