How Other States Regulate Open Burning

Other Northeastern States' Controls on Open Burning

Other Northeast States' Regulations and Programs
State	Household Waste	Yard Trimmings	Field & Crop Residue	Land clearing	C&D Debris	Other Regulations & Policies	Exemptions and Notes
CT	Banned	Allowed w/permit	n/a	n/a	n/a		Brush, campfires, branding, controlled burning, disease & pest prevention, watershed rehab
ME	Allowed w/permit	Allowed w/permit	Allowed w/permit	Allowed w/permit	Banned	Plastics banned; recreation (w/o snow), ceremonial, firefighter training, hazard reduction, control spills allowed w/permit	Wood waste exempt from C&D ban; recreation (w/snow), cooking exempt from permit requirement
MA	Banned near water; allowed w/permit elsewhere	Some types banned	Allowed w/permit	Allowed w/ag permit	Banned near water	One ceremonial bonfire per town allowed	Brush, cane, driftwood, forestry debris, branches, berry brushes, beehives, Christmas trees, cooking, but prohibited in densely populated areas
NH	Banned	Allowed for municipalities with permits	Allowed w/permit	n/a	Allowed-??	n/a	Clean untreated wood, brush, campfires, agricultural activities
NJ	Banned	Banned	Allowed w/permit	Allowed w/ag permit	Banned	Banned	Firefighter training, infested plant life, prescribed burning, emergencies, disposal of dangerous material, herbaceous plant life, orchard pruning
NY	Banned except in communities with less than 20,000 people	Banned periodically	n/a	Banned for some types; need permit for others	Banned for some types; need permit for others	n/a	Paper products, dangerous materials
RI	Banned	Banned	Banned (allowed w/permit to burn weeds)	n/a	Banned		Firefighter training, weed abatement, pest control, ceremonial, combustible material
VT	Banned	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Wood allowed w/permit

n/a= nothing specifically cited in regulations
Source: US EPA, Chlorine Chemistry Council, state websites
Prepared July, 2003