250-RICR-120-05-8
250-RICR-120-05-8. Sulfur Content of Fuels (version Amendment, 01/09/2017 to 01/09/2017)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
OFFICE OF AIR RESOURCES
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL REGULATION NO. 8
SULFUR CONTENT OF FUELS
Effective 21 October 1971
Last Amended: 9 January 2017
AUTHORITY: These regulations are authorized pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-
17.1-2(s) and 23-23, as amended, and have been promulgated pursuant to the
procedures set forth in the R.I. Administrative Procedures Act, R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter
42-35.
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
OFFICE OF AIR RESOURCES
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL REGULATION NO. 8
SULFUR CONTENT OF FUELS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
8.1
Definitions............................................................................................................................1
8.2
General Limitations .............................................................................................................1
8.3
Exemptions ..........................................................................................................................2
8.4
Determination of Compliance ..............................................................................................2
8.5
Recordkeeping .....................................................................................................................4
8.6
Blending of Fuel Oils ...........................................................................................................4
8.7
Fuel Supply Shortages .........................................................................................................4
8.8
General Provisions ...............................................................................................................5
Page 1 of 5
RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
OFFICE OF AIR RESOURCES
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL REGULATION NO. 8
SULFUR CONTENT OF FUELS
8.1
Definitions
Unless otherwise expressly defined in this section, the terms used in this regulation shall be
defined by reference to the Rhode Island Air Pollution Control General Definitions
Regulation.. As used in this regulation, the following terms shall, where the context permits,
be construed as follows:
8.1.1 "Alternative fuel" means any materials, other than fuel oil, natural gas, coal or
wood residue that is burned for the purpose of creating useful heat. Types of
alternative fuels include, but are not limited to waste oil and hazardous waste. This
definition does not include refuse derived fuel (RDF).
8.1.2 "Approved stack gas cleaning process" means a process, approved by the
Director, which removes sulfur dioxide from the products of combustion of fossil
fuel.
8.1.3 "Fuel oil terminal" means a fuel oil storage and distribution facility that is
supplied by pipeline or waterborne vessel, and from which fuel oil may be
distributed at a loading rack into a truck, trailer, or railroad car. Fuel oil terminals
may be supplied by additional means such as tank trucks or railroad cars.
8.2
General Limitations
8.2.1 Unless the Director determines, pursuant to subsection 8.7, that a shortage of fuel oil
meeting the requirements of this regulation exists, no person shall store for sale,
offer for sale, sell or deliver for use in Rhode Island and no person shall use any fuel
oil having a sulfur content in excess of that in Table 1 except as provided in Section
8.6.
Page 2 of 5
Table 1
Fuel Type
Percent by weight
Effective date(s)
Distillate Oil or
Biodiesel
0.5% (5000 ppm)
Current requirement
Distillate Oil or
Biodiesel
0.05% (500 ppm)
July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2018
Distillate Oil or
Biodiesel
0.0015% (15 ppm)
On and after July 1, 2018
Residual Oil or
Alternative Fuel
1.0%
Current requirement
Residual Oil or
Alternative Fuel
0.5%
On and after July 1, 2018
8.2.2 No person shall store for sale, offer for sale, sell or deliver for use in Rhode Island
and no person shall use any solid fossil fuel containing more than 0.55 pounds of
sulfur per million Btu heat release potential.
8.3
Exemptions
8.3.1 Limitations with Stack Gas Cleaning Process
The Director may approve the use of fuels that do not meet the requirements of
Section 8.2 when combined with an approved stack gas cleaning process, provided
the sulfur compound emissions (expressed as sulfur dioxide) from the stack are no
greater than if the applicable sulfur content fuel were used.
8.3.2 Fuel oil stored in Rhode Island that met the applicable requirements of subsection
8.2.1 at the time the fuel oil was received for storage in Rhode Island may be stored
for sale, offered for sale, sold or delivered for use or used after the effective date in
subsection 8.2.1.
8.3.3 The limitations of this regulation shall not apply to marine vessels or motor vehicles.
8.4
Determination of Compliance
8.4.1 Compliance with the applicable limitations set forth in this regulation shall be
determined by procedures referenced below or deemed equivalent by the Director.
Such procedures shall include but not be limited to any of the following:
(a)
Emission testing conducted by the owner or operator of the source according
to the Reference Methods of Appendix A to 40 CFR 60; or
(b)
The owner or operator of a stationary source using fuel oil shall obtain a
Page 3 of 5
certification from the fuel supplier which contains:
(1)
the name of the supplier and the date the fuel oil was received from
the supplier; and,
(2)
the sulfur content of the fuel oil and the ASTM method used to
determine the sulfur content of the fuel oil; and,
(3)
the date and location of the fuel oil when the sample was drawn for
analysis to determine the sulfur content of the fuel oil , specifically
including where the fuel oil was sampled; or
(c)
Laboratory analysis of fuel oils by the owner or operator of the stationary
source or by the supplier. Sampling and analysis shall be conducted after
each new shipment of fuel oil is received by the source. Samples shall be
collected from the fuel tank immediately after the fuel tank is filled and
before any fuel oil is combusted. All fuel oil must be sampled and analyzed
in accordance with applicable ASTM methods or another method which has
the prior approval of or are required by the Director; or
(d)
A continuous monitoring system for the measurement of sulfur dioxide
that meets the performance specifications in Appendix B of 40 CFR 60.
The monitoring equipment shall also be installed, calibrated, operated, and
maintained in accordance with the procedures in Appendix B of 40 CFR
60 and the minimum specifications in Appendix P of 40 CFR 51.
8.4.2 Fuel Oil Terminals
The owner or operator of a fuel oil terminal shall determine the sulfur content of any
fuel oil sold that is subject to the sulfur content limitations in Table 1 of this
regulation and provide certification of the sulfur content of the fuel oil to each
purchaser of the fuel. Certifications shall meet the requirements of subsection
8.4.1(b)(1)-(3). All fuel oil must be sampled and analyzed in accordance with
applicable ASTM methods or another method which has the prior approval of or are
required by the Director.
8.4.3 Taking of Fossil Fuel Samples
The Director may require, under his supervision, the collection of fossil fuel samples
for the purpose of determining compliance with this regulation.
Page 4 of 5
8.5
Recordkeeping
8.5.1 Copies of all fuel supplier certifications or fuel oil analyses shall be maintained by
the owner or operator and be made accessible for review by the Office of Air
Resources or its authorized representative and USEPA.
8.5.2 All records required by this regulation shall be maintained for a minimum of five
years after the date of each record and shall be made available to representatives
of the Office of Air Resources upon request.
8.6
Blending of Fuel Oils
8.6.1 A fuel oil terminal may receive and store, but not offer for sale, sell or deliver for
use in Rhode Island, fuel oil that does not meet the sulfur content limitations in
Table 1 of this regulation, if it meets the following conditions:
(a)
The higher sulfur fuel will be blended with lower sulfur fuel to meet the
sulfur content limitations in Table 1 of this regulation; and,
(b)
Notifies the Director, in writing, of its intention to store and blend fuel oil
that does not meet the sulfur content limitations in Table 1 of this
regulation prior to the initial receipt and storage thereof.
8.6.2 Nothing herein shall relieve a fuel oil terminal from compliance with the
requirements of subsection 8.4.2 of this regulation.
8.6.3 Nothing herein shall prohibit a fuel oil terminal from receiving and storing fuel oil
in the state of Rhode Island for shipment, sale and use outside of the state of
Rhode Island.
8.7
Fuel Supply Shortages
8.7.1 The Director may, upon application, defer compliance with subsection 8.2.1 of
this regulation where compliance is not possible because of breakdowns or
malfunction of equipment, acts of God, other unavoidable casualties or for good
cause shown; provided that the order shall not defer compliance for more than
three (3) months.
8.7.2 The Director shall notify the Administrator within five (5) business days after
issuing an order deferring compliance with subsection 8.2.1.
Page 5 of 5
8.8
General Provisions
8.8.1 Purpose
The purpose of this regulation is to limit the sulfur content of fuels.
8.8.2 Authority
These regulations are authorized pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-17.1-2(s) and
23-23, as amended, and have been promulgated pursuant to the procedures set
forth in the R.I. Administrative Procedures Act, R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-35
8.8.3 Application
The terms and provisions of this regulation shall be liberally construed to permit
the Department to effectuate the purposes of state law, goals and policies.
8.8.4 Severability
If any provision of this regulation or the application thereof to any person or
circumstance, is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the validity of
the remainder of the regulation shall not be affected thereby.
8.8.5 Effective Date
The foregoing regulation, "Sulfur Content of Fuels”, as amended, is hereby
adopted and filed with the Secretary of State this 20th day of December, 2016, in
accordance with the provisions of Chapters 23-23, 42-35, 42-17.1, 42-17.6, of the
General Laws of Rhode Island of 1956, as amended.
Janet Coit, Director
Department of Environmental Management
Notice Given on:
May 5, 2016
Filing Date:
December 20, 2016
Effective Date:
January 9, 2017