Wood Stove Changeout program expands to Cook, Will counties

CHICAGO (September 3, 2015) - Today, the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest announces the expansion of their Wood Stove Changeout Program to now cover Cook and Will Counties.

The program now also has options for gas inserts for open and basic fireplaces along with a retrofit which will update current wood burning fireplaces to burn green and breathe clean.

The Changeout Program aims to improve outdoor and indoor air quality by removing old, high polluting low efficiency wood stoves, hydronic heaters or open/basic fireplaces and replacing them with cleaner burning, more efficient EPA‐certified wood, pellet or gas stoves. Homeowners who already have a gas fireplace will qualify for a $400 voucher to purchase a hybrid clean burn system which reduces pollutants and increases heat.

For decades, the Lung Association has been committed to reducing residents' exposure to wood smoke. Expanding this program will build upon past successes. The Changeout program began in August last year and at this writing, it's responsible for more than 75 changeouts totaling close to $100,000.

"Replacing older, high polluting stoves with new ones is one of the quickest ways for communities to reduce particle pollution," says Kathy Drea, Vice President of Advocacy of the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest.

The program will help improve the lung health of residents in participating communities while supporting local retail stove businesses who've chosen to partner with the Lung Association in this effort.

The program previously only covered Christian, Macon, Montgomery, Sangamon and Shelby counties in Illinois and Jasper, Lake, Newton and Porter counties in Indiana. The program is made possible by EPA's Clean Air enforcement settlement with Dominion Energy.

Homeowners who live in designated areas can apply for a voucher to trade in their non‐EPA certified woodstove. Most stoves made before 1989 are non‐EPA certified. Vouchers will be granted for:

· $5,000 to replace outdoor wood boilers with Phase II hydronic heater or indoor gas furnace;

· $3,000 toward a wood, pellet or gas stove for those who are income qualified - defined as documented current participation in the Women Infant and Children's Nutrition Program, Medicaid program, free school lunch program or the Low Income Heating Assistance Program

·$2,000 to replace an existing non-EPA certified stove with gas stove or pellet;

·$1,500 to replace an open or basic fireplace with gas insert;

· $1,000 to replace existing non-EPA certified wood stove with an EPA certified wood stove;

· $400 to retrofit fireplace with new EPA qualified option (see website for details) or

· $300 for a new catalyst or retrofit for the existing wood stove or hydronic heater.

Upon receiving a voucher, participants will have 30 days to enter into a purchase agreement with one of our participating retailers. The retailer then installs the new stove and recycles and makes the old stove inoperable. The number of vouchers is limited and they are on a first come, first served basis.

For more details, visit the Wood Stove Changeout Program online or call 1-800-548-8252.

About the American Lung Association in Illinois

Our mission is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. With your generous support, the American Lung Association is "Fighting for Air" through research, education and advocacy. For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.LungIL.org.