Anyone who has made a trip to the gas pump in the last month has felt the squeeze of rising energy prices. With this increase comes higher demand for wood as a heating fuel. A recent study by the Alliance for Green Heat outlines how states are doing in their effort to balance between heating needs and health concerns.

The  grading criteria were chosen as an indication of a state’s commitment to supporting clean and responsible use of wood heat. These criteria were: outdoor wood boiler regulation, exempt wood stoves sales limits, incentive programs, strict regulations, educational websites, and change-out programs.

While there are limitations to the study, it does provide the best compilation I have seen to date on the ‘state of wood heat’ in the United States.