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New Jersey Adopts Ultra Low Sulfur Standard For Cleaner, More Efficient Heating Oil
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New Jersey this week followed New York in adopting an ultra low sulfur standard for cleaner, more efficient heating oil making it the same as diesel fuel.
Pennsylvania is also considering legislation and the PA Department of Environmental Protection proposed a regulation to adopt the same 15 ppm ultra low sulfur standard.
Adopting the rule in Pennsylvania will mean the state's 1.2 million heating oil customers about $86 million a year, or the equivalent of 14 cents per gallon in more efficient fuel use and the reduced need for furnace cleaning.
New York adopted the 15 ppm standard with a deadline for compliance of July 1, 2012.
The issue is now truly bipartisan and regional with a Republican Governor in New Jersey following a Democratic Governor in New York in taking the same action.
“This rule is an important component of New Jersey’s plan to reduce air pollution and improve public health and welfare, which are priorities of the DEP, ’’ said NJ Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin. “This will markedly reduce sulfur dioxide, particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions, making New Jersey a much healthier place to live.
“At the same time, we have provided a strict but reasonable time frame to allow industry to be able to install new equipment and prepare to meet these new standards. This is a win for all sides.’’
A new maximum sulfur content standard of 500 parts per million for home heating oil and lighter grade fuel oil will take effect on July 1, 2014, and a second phase of more stringent standards to reduce sulfur to 15 parts per million will take effect on July 1, 2016. That is down from current maximums of 2,000 to 3,000 parts per million.
In moving to adopt tougher sulfur standards, New Jersey joins an effort undertaken by many other Mid- Atlantic and Northeast states in a regional strategy to reduce air pollution, said Commissioner Martin. New York, Connecticut and Maine recently passed legislation mandating a 15 parts per million home heating oil standards, while Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Hampshire, Vermont, Delaware, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia also are considering sulfur reductions.
Under New Jersey's new rules, home heating oil must be as clean as ultra low sulfur diesel fuel currently available for diesel vehicles. This also will make home heating oil as clean as natural gas and enable the use of high efficiency condensing furnaces, which can significantly reduce oil use by about 10 percent, saving money for persons who buy such furnaces.
The amended sulfur rules will be published in the New Jersey Register on September 20.
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9/6/2010 |
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