R307-203. Emission Standards: Sulfur Content of Fuels  


R307-203-1. Commercial and Industrial Sources
Latest version.

(1) Any coal, oil, or mixture thereof, burned in any fuel burning or process installation not covered by New Source Performance Standards for sulfur emissions shall contain no more than 1.0 pound sulfur per million gross BTU heat input for any mixture of coal nor .85 pounds sulfur per million gross BTU heat input for any oil.

(a) In the case of fuel oil, it shall be sufficient to record the following specifications for each purchase of fuel oil from the vendor: weight percent sulfur, gross heating value (btu per unit volume), and density. These parameters shall be ascertained in accordance with the methods of the American Society for Testing and Materials.

(b) In the case of coal, it shall be necessary to obtain a representative grab sample for every 24 hours of operation and the sample shall be tested in accordance with the methods of the American Society for Testing and Materials.

(c) All sources located in the SO2 nonattainment area covered by Section IX, Part H of the Utah State Implementation Plan which are required to comply with specific fuel (oil or coal) sulfur content limitations must demonstrate compliance with their limitations in accordance with (a) and (b) above.

(d) Records of fuel sulfur content shall be kept for all periods when the plant is in operation and shall be made available to the director upon request, and shall include a period of two years ending with the date of the request.

(e) If the owner/operator of the source can demonstrate to the director that the inherent variability of the coal they are receiving from the vendor is low enough such that the testing requirements outlined above may be deemed excessive, then an alternative testing plan may be approved for use with the same source of coal.

(f) Any person may apply to the director for approval of an alternative test method, an alternative method of control, an alternative compliance period, an alternative emission limit, or an alternative monitoring schedule. The application must include a demonstration that the proposed alternative produces an equal or greater air quality benefit than that required by R307-203, or that the alternative test method is equivalent to that required by R307-203. The director shall obtain concurrence from EPA when approving an alternative test method, an alternative method of control, an alternative compliance period, an alternative emission limit, or an alternative monitoring schedule.

(2) Any person engaged in operating fuel burning equipment using coal or fuel oil, which is not covered by New Source Performance Standards for sulfur emissions, may apply for an exemption from the sulfur content restrictions of (1) above. The applicant shall furnish evidence, that the fuel burning equipment is operating in such a manner as to prevent the emission of sulfur dioxide in amounts greater than would be produced under the limitations of (1) above. Control apparatus to continuously prevent the emission of sulfur greater than provided by (1) above must be specified in the application for an exemption.

(3) In case an exemption is granted, the operator shall install continuous emission monitoring devices approved by the director. The operator shall provide the director with a monthly summary of the data from such monitors. This summary shall be such as to show the degree of compliance with (1) above. It shall be submitted no later than the calendar month succeeding its recording. When exemptions from (1) above are granted, the source's application for such exemption must specify the test method for determining sulfur emissions. The test method must agree with the NSPS test method for the same industrial category.

(4) Methods for determining sulfur content of coal and fuel oil shall be those methods of the American Society for Testing and Materials.

(a) For determining sulfur content in coal, ASTM Methods D3177-75 or D4239-85 are to be used.

(b) For determining sulfur content in oil, ASTM Methods D2880-71 or D4294-89 are to be used.

(c) For determining the gross calorific (or BTU) content of coal, ASTM Methods D2015-77 or D3286-85 are to be used.


R307-203-2. Sulfur and Ash Content of Coal for Residential Use
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(1) After July 1, 1987, no person shall sell, distribute, use or make available for use any coal or coal containing fuel for direct space heating in residential solid fuel burning devices and fireplaces which exceeds the following limitations as measured by the American Society for Testing Materials Methods:

(a) 1.0 pound sulfur per million BTU's, and

(b) 12% volatile ash content.

(2) Any person selling coal or coal containing fuel used for direct residential space heating within the State of Utah shall provide written documentation to the coal consumer of the sulfur and volatile ash content of the coal being purchased.


R307-203-3. Emissions Standards
Latest version.

Other provisions of R307 may require more stringent controls than listed herein, in which case those requirements must be met.