BECS Staff and Members Recognized by NFPA and CSA for End Use Codes and Standards Development Efforts.
This month, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) bestowed the prestigious NFPA Committee Service Award to recently retired AGA BECS staffer Paul Cabot and to BECS Committee member  Bruce J. Swiecicki (Senior Technical Advisor for the National Propane Gas Association). Paul was recognized for his work and support in the development of the National Fuel Gas Code (NFPA 54) and Bruce was recognized for his efforts in developing and updating the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code (NFPA 58). The NFPA Committee Service Award is presented for continuous voluntary service as a technical committee member for a substantial period of time in recognition and appreciation of distinguished service to NFPA in the development of NFPA codes and standards.
Also this month, AGA’s Ted Williams was the recipient of CSA Group’s coveted Reward of Merit for outstanding contributions and leadership in the development and advancement of voluntary standards. Ted was recognized for his efforts in developing “Fuels and Appliance Standards” and “Alternative Energy Vehicles Standards”.  Congratulations to Paul, Bruce and Ted.
 
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Announces Lochinvar Recall of Condensing Residential Boilers Due to Risk of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.
BECS Committee members have requested information on any CPSC recalls involving natural gas appliances or components. Yesterday, the CPSC announced the recall by  Lochinvar, LLC   of condensing residential boilers due to risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. The notice reports that there are about 34,300 boilers recalled in the US and an estimated additional 3,642 units that were sold in Canada. The CPSC announcement can be found here  and contains detailed information on the recall, including models involved and consumers remedy if they have a recalled boiler. The notice reports that Lochinvar, LLC received “7 reports of boiler’s flue grommets deteriorating, including one report of two nonfatal injuries involving carbon monoxide poisoning, and two reports of carbon monoxide emission not involving an injury.”  BECS Committee members may wish to pass this information on to appropriate individuals and/or departments within your organization.
 
EPA Energy Star Equipment Tax Credits for Residential Natural Gas Furnaces, Boilers, Water Heaters, etc.
A number of BECS Committee members have recently inquired about the status of EPA Energy Star tax credits for natural gas furnaces, boilers, water heaters etc. This past  January, Congress extended the  Non-Business Energy Property Tax Credits including residential natural gas furnaces, boilers and water heaters  retroactively from 12/31/2017 through 12/31/2020. The complete list of the tax credits for residential appliances including electric heat pumps, air conditioners, etc. can be found here. Additional information on how to apply for tax credits is also included on that EPA site.
“Mother Jones” Magazine Slams Natural Gas Cooking Promotional Campaign.
The AGA BECS Committee members  highlighted an article available here in which Mother Jones takes to task a “carefully orchestrated campaign dreamed up by marketers for representatives with the American Gas Association and American Public Gas Association… intend[ing] to spend another $300,000 on its millennial-centric ‘Natural Gas Genius’ campaign in 2020 “extolling the virtues of their [gas] stoves in sponsored posts.”  The article discusses historical campaigns at promoting natural gas cooking, but concludes:
“Every time you ignite a gas stove, you’re filling your home with many of the same pollutants in exhaust from cars—carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and formaldehyde, which are all associated with a range of chronic health problems like respiratory problems and cardiovascular disease.
The problem is worse the smaller the space; cramped apartments fill up more quickly with pollutants. And lower-income African American and Hispanic adults and children face the biggest toll as populations already facing higher rates of asthma exacerbated by more polluted outdoor air.”
BECS committee members continue to monitor media accounts targeting natural gas cooking with an anticipation that  written comments and testimony at model code hearings may cite these types of attacks on the direct use of natural gas at model code hearings in support of “electrification” and the banning or restriction of gas cooking appliances.
 
NIST Creates Online Tool for Evaluating Potential COVDID-19 Aerosol Transport in Buildings.
In following with an article in last week’s “Friday Updates” and AGA Codes and Standards’ presentation at last week’s Energy Solution Center “Webathon,”  the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has produced an online modeling tool to estimate aerosol transport of Coronavirus in buildings, discussed and available for public use here.  The “Fate and Transport of Indoor Microbiological Aerosols (FaTIMA) models ventilation, filtration and aerosol properties for estimating concentrations that a person might encounter in a room and provides a capability of evaluating options for building managers and HVAC engineers for reducing occupant exposures to COVID -19.  Aerosol transport and potential transmission is distinct from droplet-related transmission that can be inferred from current guidance related to six-foot social distancing and other, well-established and publicized modes of virus transmission.
 
State Codes Activity Update
[This is a weekly feature of the “Friday Update” covering state code calendar activities as presented by the online utility “Fiscal Note,” which is sponsored by APGA and AGA Code and Standards.]
Recent Activity Alerts
State
Date
Title
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
 
Recent Code Body Meetings
State
Body
Date
Address
Agenda
NY
New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council
06/19/2020
Teleconference
HI
State Building Code Council (SBCC) Meeting
06/16/2020
Teleconference
CA
Planning Commission Meeting
06/15/2020
Teleconference
IN
Fire Prevention & Building Safety Commission
06/11/2020
Teleconference
N/A
 
Bills with Recent Activity
State
Bill #
Bill Title
Primary Sponsor(s)
Last Action
Last Action Date
KS
Preempting local building and construction codes more stringent than national model codes, with certain exceptions.
House Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic Development
Failed; Died in Committee
06/09/2020
Summary:  This bill establishes that a particular building product, material or construction practice that is approved for use by a national model code that applies to the construction, renovation, repair or other alteration of a residential or commercial building shall be allowed for use in this state and shall not be prohibited or limited except in conformity with amendments or revisions by the nationally recognized technical association or organization that publishes the national model code. Additionally, no state agency, city, county, unified government, township or other political subdivision of this state or any homeowner’s association or similar entity shall adopt or enforce any such prohibition or limitation on and after July 1, 2020.
CA
Maintenance of the codes
Andreas Borgeas (R) Maria Durazo (D) Lena Gonzalez (D) Brian Jones (R) Bill Monning (D) Henry Stern (D) Tom Umberg (D) Bob Wieckowski (D) Senate Committee on Judiciary
In Assembly; Read first time. Held at Desk
06/11/2020
Summary:  This bill would make non substantive changes in various provisions of law to effectuate the recommendations made by the Legislative Counsel to the Legislature.
MS
Mississippi Development Authority; bring forward various sections relating to.
Trey Lamar (R)
Failed; Died in Committee
06/09/2020
Summary:  N/A