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Page 16 The INDEPENDENT, March 3, 2011 Know your wood and your wood stove for best burn efficiency by Chris Thomas, Oregon News Service Old Man Winter hit Oregon hard again this week, and folks who depend on burning wood to heat their homes may need to purchase a few extra cords. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering tips about how to use wood sup- plies more efficiently and safely. Alison Davis, senior public affairs adviser with the EPA’s Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, says it’s impor- tant to check wood for proper seasoning before burning it. Wood needs to be kept dry for at least six months before using it as fuel, she says. A simple way to test if the wood is ready is to knock two pieces together. “And if you hear kind of a hol- low sound, that means it’s sea- soned. And you want it to be re- ally dry, because if it’s dry it’s going to burn hotter and so you’re not spending that heat to burn water out of the wood.” It’s best to burn hard wood such as maple or oak rather than softer pine and fir, she says. In addition to burning the right wood, Davis says, you can save money by keeping the fire small and really hot. Also, be sure to have stoves and other burning appliances serviced every year. “If you keep your chimney clean, that provides a good draft for your wood-burn- ing appliance, so it pulls smoke out of the house, but it also re- duces the risk of a chimney fire.” Federal tax credits have been extended to help offset the cost of a new, more efficient wood stove, Davis says. There’s a state tax credit, too. But new wood stoves must be certified, either by the EPA or the Oregon Department of En- vironmental Quality (DEQ). At least 80,000 older wood stoves in use around the state, the DEQ estimates, put out too much air pollution in the smoke they generate. More information about Ore- gon wood-stove laws and safe burning is online at ohpba.org. DEQ seeks input on fee increases The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is pro- posing to increase fees for most of its water quality permits by two percent to address pro- gram cost increases. DEQ is also seeking approval of a one- time, $230 fee for construction stormwater permits covering sites less than one acre that are part of a common plan of development disturbing one or more acres. DEQ is seeking public comments on the pro- posals through Friday, April 1. For more information, see the news release at http://www. deq.state.or.us/news/prDisplay .asp?docID=3558 . Just for Fun Casey and Kyle by Will Robertson If you would be a real seeker after the truth, you must at Solve this Sudoku C o l o r t h i s c l o c k t o c e l e b ra t e Da y l i g h t Sa v i n g s T i m e least once in your life doubt, as far as possi- ble, all things. DESCARTES A n s w e r t o Fe b r u a r y 1 7 Sudoku is on page 22 Philosopher (1596-1650)