PERTH - Town officials are considering restrictions on the use of outdoor wood-burning boilers to heat homes.

Supervisor Greg Fagan said several residents have expressed concern at meetings about smoke produced by the boilers.

Wood boiler proponents have said the devices are a cheaper alternative to heating with oil over the long term. But the boilers have raised significant environmental concerns locally and across the state.

A 2008 report from the state Attorney General's Environmental Protection Bureau office said "outdoor wood boilers produce thick, acrid, foul smoke that permeates buildings and homes, causing not only a nuisance, but also environmental degradation and health problems."

That same report said wood boilers have four times the emissions of conventional wood stoves-72 grams per hour, as opposed to 18 grams per hour.

More than 61 municipalities, including Dolgeville and the town of Mayfield, and two counties have imposed some sort of restriction on wood boilers.

Many others, including Gloversville, are considering restrictions.

The Environmental Protection Bureau report recommends the state Department of Environmental Conservation require all municipalities to conform to certain wood boiler regulations.

The DEC has not done so yet, but DEC spokeswoman Lori Severino said Monday the agency's regulatory agenda, which lists laws that could be proposed for adoption during this calendar year, contains a regulation that would restrict outdoor wood boiler use.

Fagan, who heats his own home with a wood boiler, said he expects the potential ban to become a relatively regular topic of discussion at town meetings in the near future.

He said the board needed time to discuss the issue before formally considering a resolution to restrict the use of wood boilers, at least during the warm-weather months.

Some residents are clamoring for a year-round ban, but Fagan said the board likely will not take that stance.

"I think the whole board would probably go along with a seasonal ban if the law's crafted right," he said.

Zach Subar covers rural Fulton County news. He can be reached at ruralnews@leaderherald.com.