ARB Approves "OGV Clean Fuel Regulations"

At a public hearing on June 23, 2011, the Air Resources Board (ARB) approved amendments to the regulations “Fuel Sulfur and Other Operational Requirements for Ocean-Going Vessels within California Waters and 24 Nautical Miles of the California Baseline” (title 13, California Code of Regulations [CCR], section 2299.2, and title 17 California Code of Regulations, section 93118.2). Section 2299.2 is a regulation for ocean-going vessels (OGV) and section 93118.2 is a substantively identical airborne toxic control measure (ATCM). Both sections will be referred to collectively hereafter as the “OGV Clean Fuel Regulations.”

The OGV Clean Fuel Regulations are intended to reduce the public’s exposure to air pollutants from the use of marine diesel fuel in main and auxiliary engines, and auxiliary boilers, on oceangoing vessels operating within 24 nautical miles of the California shoreline (baseline). The emissions from the engines and boilers on ocean-going vessels are transported onshore where they contribute to higher levels of diesel particulate matter (diesel PM), other PM (e.g., secondarily formed nitrate and sulfate PM), and ozone pollution in California’s coastal air basins. The regulations require the use of cleaner marine distillate fuels which substantially reduce emissions from ocean-going vessels. These emission reductions help to improve regional ambient air quality and provide significant health benefits. The regulations also provide critical emission reductions needed by the South Coast Air Quality Management District to fulfill State Implementation Plan obligations and attain the PM2.5 standard in the South Coast Air Basin.

Information regarding the amendments to the regulations can be found in the Initial Statement of Reasons (ISOR) at the following link: http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/2011/ogv11/ogv11.htm.