New York AG Issued Warning to Lowes Inc. Over Sales of Non-Compliant Wood Stoves

JULY 29, 2020

New York Attorney General Letitia James sent a letter to home improvement retailer Lowes Inc. urging the company to halt sales of wood-burning heaters that do not comply with new Clean Air Act emissions standards that took effect in May 2020. The letter emphasized that the non-compliant stoves exacerbate fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) pollution that harms New York residents and can “have drastic health effects, particularly on those with respiratory issues and people struggling with COVID-19.” The letter also noted that while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) “is electing not to enforce” the new standards, the New York Attorney General’s office “can pursue penalties under both federal and state law.”