More on Oneida County

Tell me that these don’t sound familiar:

The board of health has spent nearly four months crafting an ordinance that would regulate the location and stack size of outdoor wood burning units. In October, the committee’s resolution was forwarded to the Oneida County Board of Supervisors for a vote. The supervisors, citing concerns about a lack of public awareness of the resolution, sent the matter back to the committee and directed that a public hearing be held.

In other words, trying to sneak something past the people…

According to the resolution, the board of health is trying to help those whose health and quality of life is severely affected by wood smoke.

Particles in wood smoke can worsen heart conditions and cause breathing problems for those who suffer from asthma and other lung conditions, the resolution states.

…  in the name of “public health.”

Donna Winenski of the American Lung Association urged responsible regulation of outdoor wood burning units. She said the particulate emitted when wood is burned embed deeply in the lungs and can cause very serious health problems.

Winenski said Oneida County should protect its air now before it joins six other Wisconsin counties whose air has been deemed “unsafe for human health.”

And the ALA fully supports excessive government regulation where “public health” is concerned.

Romelle Vandervest informed the crowd that the health department received six complaints about outdoor wood burning units in the last year.

And all over six complaints.

I think I have seen these tactics and arguments before… I would like to say that I’m surprised to see them in a new context, but in all honesty I’m not. As I have said before, tobacco and smoking has set the precedence, and now that precedence is going to be used to build up an overbearing and restrictive government.

Quotes from the Rhinelander Daily News