310 CMR 7.05
U Fuels All Districts
(1) Sulfur Content of Fuels. (except natural gas)
(a) Maximum Sulfur Content of Fuel.
1. No person owning, leasing or controlling the operation of a fossil fuel utilization
facility shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the burning therein of any liquid fossil fuel
having a sulfur content in excess of that listed in 310 CMR 7.05(1)(a)1.: Table 1 and in
accordance with the timelines listed in 310 CMR 7.05(1)(a)1.: Table 1, and/or of any
solid fossil fuel having a sulfur content in excess of that listed in 310 CMR 7.05(1)(a)1.:
Table 2, except as provided in 310 CMR 7.05(1)(b).
2. On and after July 1, 2014, no person owning, leasing or controlling the operation of
an indirect heat exchanger with an energy input capacity equal to or greater than 250
MMBtu per hour providing steam to a steam-electric generator that produces electrical
energy for sale shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the burning therein of any residual fuel
oil having a sulfur content in excess of 0.28 pounds per million Btu heat release potential
(i.e., 0.5% sulfur content by weight), except as provided in 310 CMR 7.05(1)(b).
3. Stationary Engines and Turbines. On and after July 1, 2007, no person owning,
leasing or controlling a stationary engine or turbine subject to the requirements of
310 CMR 7.02(8)(i), 310 CMR 7.03(10), or 310 CMR 7.26(40) through (44) shall accept
for delivery for burning any diesel or other fuel unless said fuel complies with the
applicable U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sulfur limits for fuel pursuant to
40 CFR 80.29, 40 CFR 80.500, and 40 CFR 80.520(a) and (b) as in effect
January 18, 2001.
310 CMR 7.05(1)(a)1.: Table 1: Sulfur Content Limit of Liquid Fossil Fuel
District/Area
Fuel
Heat Release
Potential,
lb/MMBtu
Percent by Weight
(parts per million,
ppm)
Applicability Date
Statewide
Distillate Oil
0.17
0.3%
(3,000)
Prior to July 1, 2014
Statewide
Distillate Oil
Not Applicable
0.05%
(500)
July 1, 2014 through
June 30, 2018
Statewide
Distillate Oil
Not Applicable
0.0015%
(15)
on and after
July 1, 2018
Berkshire APCD
Residual Oil
1.21
2.2%
June 23, 1975
Cities and Towns
of Arlington,
Belmont, Boston,
Brookline,
Cambridge,
Chelsea, Everett,
Malden, Medford,
Newton
Somerville,
Waltham, and
Watertown
Residual Oil
0.28
0.5%
October 1, 1970
Merrimack Valley
APCD, (Except
City of Lawrence
and Towns of
Andover, North
Andover, and
Methuen)
Residual Oil
1.21
2.2%
(1.0%)
Prior to July 1, 2014
Merrimack Valley
APCD
Residual Oil
0.55
1.0%
July 1, 2014 through
June 30, 2018
Remainder of
State
Residual Oil
0.55
1.0%
Prior to July 1, 2018
Statewide except
Berkshire APCD
Residual Oil
0.28
0.5%
On and after
July 1, 2018
310 CMR 7.05(1)(a)1.: Table 2: Sulfur Content Limit of Solid Fossil Fuel
District/Area
Fuel
Heat Release Potential,
lb/MMBtu
Percent by Weight
Berkshire APCD and
Merrimack Valley
APCD, except City of
Lawrence and Towns
of Andover, North
Andover, and Methuen
Coal
1.21
1.57%
Cities and Towns of
Arlington, Belmont,
Boston, Brookline,
Cambridge, Chelsea,
Everett, Malden,
Medford, Newton
Somerville, Waltham,
and Watertown
Coal
0.28
0.36%
Remainder of State,
including City of
Lawrence and Towns
of Andover, North
Andover, and Methuen
Coal
0.55
0.72%
(b) Exceptions.
1. Any person with an existing approval issued by the Department that allows the
burning of fossil fuel oil with a sulfur content in excess of the limits in 310 CMR
7.05(1)(a)1.: Table 1 may burn such fuel in compliance with the Department's approval
until July 1, 2014. Beginning on July 1, 2014, such person shall comply with the fuel oil
sulfur content limits in 310 CMR 7.05(1)(a)1.: Table 1, except as provided in 310 CMR
7.05(1)(b)2. or 3.
2. Any person owning, leasing or controlling the operation of a fossil fuel utilization
facility may burn any existing stock of fossil fuel oil at the facility, but shall not accept
delivery of fuel with a sulfur content in excess of the limits in 310 CMR
7.05(1)(a)1.: Table 1 on or after the applicable date(s) in 310 CMR 7.05(1)(a)1.: Table
1, except as provided in 310 CMR 7.05(1)(b)3.
3. The sulfur content limits in 310 CMR 7.05(1)(a)1.: Table 1 and Table 2 shall not
apply to a facility whose owner or operator has applied for and received approval from
the Department and EPA of a plan whereby use of a fuel with a sulfur content in excess
of the limits in 310 CMR 7.05(1)(a)1.: Table 1 and Table 2 would cause no greater
emissions of sulfur compounds into the ambient air than if the applicable sulfur content
fuel in 310 CMR 7.05(1)(a)1.: Table 1 and Table 2 were used. The plan must be
approved by the Department, in writing, and any conditions attached to the Department's
approval must be agreed to by the applicant, in writing.
4. Approval granted under the provisions of 310 CMR 7.05(1)(b)1. or 3. may be
revoked by the Department for cause or when in its opinion revocation is necessary to
prevent or abate a condition of air pollution.
(2) U Use of Residual Fuel Oil or Hazardous Waste Fuel. No person owning, leasing or
controlling an individual fuel utilization emission unit rated by the Department as having an
energy input capacity of less than 3,000,000 Btu per hour shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the
burning of any residual fuel oil or hazardous waste fuel therein.
(3) Ash Content of Fuels (Except Natural Gas).
(a) No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the burning in the Commonwealth of any
solid or solid/liquid mixture fossil fuel containing an ash content in excess of 4% by dry
weight, except as provided in 310 CMR 7.05(3)(b) and (c).
(b) In CM, MV, and SM, fossil fuel utilization facilities having an energy input capacity
rated by the Department of 250,000,000 or greater Btu per hour, may burn solid or
solid/liquid mixture fossil fuel with an ash content in excess of 9% by dry weight, provided
that:
1. An application is made to the Department in writing to use such fuel and any
information as the Department may require is submitted;
2. The Department determines that the use of such fuel would not cause other applicable
air pollution control regulations or ambient air quality standards to be violated; and
3. The use of such fuel has been approved, in writing, by the Department and the
conditions of approval have been agreed to by the applicant, in writing. Such conditions
of approval may include the installation, operation and maintenance of ambient air
monitoring equipment by the applicant, in a manner specified by the Department.
(c) In MB, B and PV, all fossil fuel utilization facilities may burn solid or solid/liquid
mixture fossil fuel with an ash content in excess of 9% by dry weight, provided that:
1. An application is made to the Department in writing to use such fuel and any
information as the Department may require is submitted;
2. The Department determines that the use of such fuel would not cause other applicable
air pollution control regulations or ambient air quality standards to be violated; and
3. The use of such fuel has been approved, in writing, by the Department and the
conditions of approval have been agreed to by the applicant, in writing. Such conditions
of approval may include the installation, operation and maintenance of ambient air
monitoring equipment by the applicant, in a manner specified by the Department.
(4) Fuel Additives. No person owning, leasing or controlling a fuel utilization facility shall
cause, suffer, allow or permit the use therein of any fuel additive except in accordance with the
manufacturer's recommended specifications.
(5) Fuel Suppliers.
(a) No person shall ship or deliver in intrastate commerce to any person for burning or
reshipment for burning, any fuels with a sulfur content in excess of those specified in
310 CMR 7.05(1)(a)1., except that such shipment may be provided when:
1. Use of such fuel has been approved by the Department in writing;
2. Such approval has been verified by the shipper; and
3. Record of such shipment shall be retained for two years and the record shall be made
available to the Department for its review and inspection during customary business
hours.
(b) Any person supplying in intrastate commerce for burning or for reshipment for burning,
fuel oil of a grade No. 2 or greater or coal shall keep and maintain records showing the
quantities of the fuels handled and analyses showing the Btu value, sulfur content, nitrogen
content (required only for residual fuel oils), viscosity, and ash content of said fuels and
make such records available to the Department for its review and inspection during
customary business hours.
(c) Any person supplying residual fuel oil in intrastate commerce shall provide certification
of the nitrogen content of the oil to its customers as determined by the applicable ASTM
method or any other method approved by the Department and EPA.
(d) Shippers and distributors of fossil fuels shall provide evidence, to the satisfaction of
customer-users, of the ash content of fuels supplied.
(6) All fuel analyses to be performed by or for distributors, suppliers or users of fuels, for
purposes of 310 CMR 7.00, shall be performed in accordance with the applicable ASTM method
or any other method approved by the Department and EPA.
(7) No person owning, leasing, or controlling the operation of a fossil fuel utilization facility
shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit the burning therein of any quantity, batch, or lot of used oil
fuel unless:
(a) that quantity, batch, or lot of used oil fuel was generated and mixed at the site of said
fossil fuel utilization facility by the person owning, leasing, or controlling the operation of
said fossil fuel utilization facility in compliance with 310 CMR 30.201, or
(b) both of the following requirements are met:
1. said quantity, batch, or lot of used oil fuel was mixed in compliance with 310 CMR
30.201; and
2. the person owning, leasing, or controlling the operation of the fossil fuel utilization
facility complied with 310 CMR 30.250.
(8) Except as provided in 310 CMR 7.05(9), no person owning, leasing, or controlling the
operation of a fossil fuel utilization facility shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit the burning
therein of any used oil fuel that does not meet the specifications set forth in 310 CMR