Mar 02, 2009 — State environment officials say a revised ban on open burning will be made public "in the very near future." Department of Environmental Conservation spokeswoman Laurie Severino says the first draft of the ban received thousands of public comments. She says "pretty significant changes" have been made in the new version. The burn ban targets the widespread rural practice of burning garbage outside, especially in backyard burn barrels. The low temperature burn of a burn barrel releases toxic pollution and an acrid smell. Some rural communities are already trying to change their trash disposal habits. Todd Melby reports.