Yolo-Solano AQMD

Revised January 13, 2010 Reg. II, Rule 2.3, Page 1

RULE 2.3 RINGELMANN CHART

Adopted January 21, 1972

Revised January 13, 2010

INDEX

100 GENERAL

101 PURPOSE

102 APPLICABILITY

110 EXEMPTIONS - GENERAL

111 EXEMPTIONS - LIMITED

200 DEFINITIONS

201 ABRASIVE BLASTING

202 CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL

203 OBSCURANT

204 OPACITY

205 TEEPEE BURNER

206 VISIBLE AIR CONTAMINANTS

300 STANDARDS

301 REQUIREMENTS

400 MONITORING

401 TEST METHOD
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100 GENERAL

101 PURPOSE: The purpose of this rule is to limit the emissions of visible air

contaminants to the atmosphere. 

102 APPLICABILITY: The provisions of this rule apply to any source operation which

emits or may emit air contaminants.

110 EXEMPTIONS - GENERAL: The provisions of this rule shall not apply to the

following:

110.1 Smoke from fires set by or permitted by any public officer, when such fire is,

in his or her opinion, necessary for any of the following purposes:

a. The prevention of a fire hazard which cannot be abated by any other

means.

b. The instruction of public employees in the methods of fighting fires.

c. The instruction of employees in methods of fighting fire, when such

fire is set, pursuant to permit, on property used for industrial

purposes.

d. Disease or pest prevention, where there is an immediate need for and

no reasonable alternative to burning.

e. The remediation of an oil spill pursuant to Section 8670.7 of the

Government Code.

110.2 The use of orchard and citrus grove heaters that do not produce more than

one gram per minute of unconsumed solid carbonaceous material.

110.3 Agricultural operations necessary for the growing of crops or raising of fowl

or animals.

110.4 The use of other equipment in agricultural operations necessary for the

growing of crops or raising of fowl or animals.

110.5 Other open outdoor fires set or permitted in accordance with Rule 2.8 or Rule

6.1.

110.6 Use of any aircraft to distribute seed, fertilizer, insecticides, or other

agricultural aids over land devoted to the growing of crops or raising of fowl

or animals.

110.7 Open outdoor fires used only for cooking of food for human beings or for

recreational purposes.
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110.8 Emissions from vessels using steam boilers during emergency boiler

shutdowns for safety reasons, safety and operational tests required by

governmental agencies, and wheremaneuvering is required to avoid hazards.

110.9 Emissions from vessels during a breakdown condition, as long as the

discharge is reported in accordance with district requirements.

110.10 The use of visible emission generating equipment in training sessions

conducted by governmental agencies necessary for certifying persons to

evaluate visible emissions for compliance with Section 41701 of the

California Health and Safety Code or applicable district rules and regulations.

110.11 In accordance with Section 41704 of the California Health and Safety Code,

smoke emissions from burners used to produce energy and fired by (or teepee

burners used for the disposal of) forestry and agricultural residues with or

without supplementary fossil fuels when:

a. The emissions result from the startup or shutdown of the combustion

process or from the malfunction of the emission control equipment.

b. The emissions do not exceed a period or periods of time aggregating

more than 30 minutes in any 24 hour period.

c. The emissions do not result from the failure to operate and maintain

in good working order any emission control equipment.

110.12 The use of an obscurant for the purpose of training military personnel and the

testing of military equipment by the United States Department of Defense on

any military reservation.

111 EXEMPTIONS - LIMITED: The requirement of subsection 301.2 of this rule shall

not apply to the following:

111.1 Abrasive blasting operations conducted outside of a permanent building.

111.2 Pile-driving hammers for no more than four minutes during the driving of a

single pile.

111.3 Diesel auxiliary engines or generators used exclusively to operate a drinking

water system, when operated under emergency circumstances, or operated no

more than 30 minutes each week, or two hours each month, under nonemergency circumstances.

200 DEFINITIONS

201 ABRASIVE BLASTING: Propelling abrasive material against a surface with
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sufficient velocity to remove coatings and promote a uniform surface texture.

202 CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL: Substances composed of or containing carbon

or carbon compounds.

203 OBSCURANT: A chemical discharged with the specific intent to hinder viewing of

terrain or objects.

204 OPACITY: The degree to which emissions reduce the transmission of light and

obscure the view of an object in the background.

205 TEEPEE BURNER: A free-standing conical metal structure used for the disposal

of forestry and agricultural waste material.

206 VISIBLE AIR CONTAMINANT: Pollutants discharged into the atmosphere in the

form of dust, smoke, or fumes.

300 STANDARDS

301 REQUIREMENTS

301.1 A person shall not discharge into the atmosphere from any single source of

emission listed under section 111 of this rule, any air contaminant, other than

uncombined water vapor, for a period or periods aggregating more than three

(3) minutes in any one (1) hour which is:

a. As dark or darker in shade as that designated as No. 2 on the

Ringelmann Chart, as published by the United States Bureau of

Mines; or

b. Of such opacity as to obscure an observer’s view to a degree equal to

or greater than does smoke described in subsection 301.1 a. of this

rule.

301.2 Effective 6 months after the adoption of the revisions of this rule, a person

shall not discharge into the atmosphere from any single source of emission

whatsoever, any air contaminant, other than uncombined water vapor, for a

period or periods aggregating more than three (3) minutes in any one (1)

hour which is:

a. As dark or darker in shade as that designated as No. 1 on the

Ringelmann Chart, as published by the United States Bureau of
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Mines; or

b. Of such opacity as to obscure an observer’s view to a degree equal to

or greater than does smoke described in subsection 301.2 a. of this

rule.

400 MONITORING

401 TEST METHOD: The opacity of visible emission shall be determined in

accordance with EPA Test Method 9.