BARCLAYS OFFICIAL CALIFORNIA CODE OF

REGULATIONS

TITLE 13. MOTOR VEHICLES

DIVISION 3. AIR RESOURCES BOARD

CHAPTER 5. STANDARDS FOR MOTOR

VEHICLE FUELS

ARTICLE 2. STANDARDS FOR DIESEL FUEL

This database is current through 12/26/08, Register

2008, No. 52

§ 2281. Sulfur Content of Diesel Fuel.

(a) Regulatory Standard.

(1)500 parts per million sulfur standard.On or after October 1, 1993, no person shall sell, offer for sale, or supply any vehicular diesel fuel which has a sulfur content

exceeding 500 parts per million by weight. Once the 15

parts per million sulfur content standard becomes applicable to an activity in accordance with the phase-in

schedule in subsection (a)(3), the 500 parts per million

sulfur content standard shall no longer apply to that

activity.

(2)15 parts per million sulfur standard. Starting June

2006 in accordance with the phase-in schedule in subsection (a)(3), no person shall sell, offer for sale, supply

or offer for supply any vehicular diesel fuel having a

sulfur content exceeding 15 parts per million by weight.

(3)2006 phase-in schedule.The 15 parts per million sulfur standard in section (a)(2) shall apply in place of the

500 parts per million sulfur standard in section (a)(1):

(A) Starting June 1, 2006 to all sales, supplies or offers

of vehicular diesel fuel from the production facility or

import facility at which it was produced or imported.

(B) Starting July 15, 2006 to all sales, supplies, or offers of vehicular diesel fuel except for transactions directly involving:

1. The fueling of motor vehicles at a retail outlet or bulk

purchaser-consumer facility, or

2. The delivery of vehicular diesel fuel from a bulk

plant to a retail outlet or purchaser-consumer facility.

(C) Starting September 1, 2006 to all sales, supplies, offers or movements of vehicular diesel, including transactions directly involving the fueling of motor vehicles

at a retail outlet or bulk purchaser-consumer facility.

(4)Phase-in of 2006 standard at low-throughput facilities.The 15 parts per million sulfur standard in section

(a)(2) shall not apply to transactions directly involving

the fueling of motor vehicles at a retail outlet or bulk

purchaser-consumer facility, where the person selling,

offering, or supplying the diesel fuel demonstrates as an

affirmative defense that the exceedance of the pertinent

standard was caused by diesel fuel delivered to the retail

outlet or bulk purchaser-consumer facility prior to July

15, 2006, or delivered to the retail outlet or bulk purchaser-consumer facility directly from a bulk plant prior

to September 1, 2006.

(5)Applicability of standards to California nonvehicular

diesel fuel.

(A) Activities involving California nonvehicular diesel

fuel (other than diesel fuel offered, sold or supplied

solely for use in locomotives or marine vessels) are also

subject to this section to the extent required by section

93114, title 17, California Code of Regulations. As adopted, section 93114 requires each air pollution control

or air quality management district by December 12,

2004 to treat this section 2281 as applying to California

nonvehicular diesel fuel (other than diesel fuel offered,

sold or supplied solely for use in locomotives or marine

vessels) as if it were vehicular diesel fuel, and to enforce those requirements regarding California nonvehicular diesel fuel, unless the district has proposed its

own airborne toxic control measure to reduce particulate emissions from diesel-fueled engines through standards for nonvehicular diesel fuel.

(B) Activities involving California nonvehicular diesel

fuel used in harborcraft and most diesel-electric intrastate locomotives are also subject to this section 2281

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as if the fuel were vehicular diesel fuel, to the extent required by section 2299, title 13, California Code of

Regulations, and section 93117, title 17, California

Code of Regulations. As adopted, these regulations

make nonvehicular diesel fuel used in most harborcraft

in the South Coast Air Quality Management District

subject to the requirements of this section 2281 starting

January 1, 2006, and make all California nonvehicular

diesel fuel used in most harborcraft and diesel-electric

intrastate locomotives subject to this section 2281 starting January 1, 2007.

(6) Subsections (a)(1) and (2) shall not apply to a

sale, offer for sale, or supply of diesel fuel to a refiner

where the refiner further processes the diesel fuel at the

refiner's refinery, prior to any subsequent sale, offer for

sale, or supply of the diesel fuel.

(b) Definitions.

For the purposes of this section:

(0.2) "Bulk purchaser-consumer" means a person that

purchases or otherwise obtains diesel fuel in bulk and

then dispenses it into the fuel tanks of motor vehicles

owned or operated by the person.

(0.5) "Bulk plant" means an intermediate diesel fuel distribution facility where delivery of diesel fuel to and

from the facility is solely by truck.

(0.8) "California nonvehicular diesel fuel" means any

diesel fuel that is not vehicular diesel fuel and that is

sold or made available for use in engines in California.

(1) "Diesel fuel" means any fuel that is commonly or

commercially known, sold or represented as diesel fuel,

including any mixture of primarily liquid hydrocarbons

- organic compounds consisting exclusively of the elements carbon and hydrogen - that is sold or represented

as suitable for use in an internal combustion, compression-ignition engine.

(2) "Executive Officer" means the executive officer of

the Air Resources Board, or his or her designee.

(3) "Further process" means to perform any activity on

diesel fuel, including distillation, desulfurization, or

blending, for the purpose of bringing the diesel fuel into

compliance with the standard in subsection (a)(1).

(3.5) "Marine vessel" has the meaning set forth in section 39037.1 of the Health and Safety Code.

(4) "Motor vehicle" has the same meaning as defined in

section 415 of the Vehicle Code.

(5) "Produce" means to convert liquid compounds

which are not diesel fuel into diesel fuel.

(6) "Producer" means any person who produces vehicular diesel fuel in California.

(7) "Refiner" means any person who owns, leases, operates, controls or supervises a refinery.

(8) "Refinery" means a facility that produces liquid

fuels by distilling petroleum.

(9) "Small refiner" means any refiner who owns or operates a refinery in California that:

(A) Has and at all times had since January 1, 1978, a

crude oil capacity of not more than 50,000 barrels per

stream day;

(B) Has not been at any time since September 1,

1988, owned or controlled by any refiner that at the

same time owned or controlled refineries in California

with a total combined crude oil capacity of more than

50,000 barrels per stream day; and

(C) Has not been at any time since September 1,

1988, owned or controlled by any refiner that at the

same time owned or controlled refineries in the United

States with a total combined crude oil capacity of more

than 137,500 barrels per stream day.

(10) "Stream day" means 24 consecutive hours of actual

operation of a refinery.

(11) "Supply" means to provide or transfer a product to

a physically separate facility, vehicle, or transportation

system.

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(12) "Vehicular diesel fuel" means any diesel fuel (A)

which is not conspicuously identified as a fuel which

may not lawfully be dispensed into motor vehicle fuel

tanks in California; or (B) which the person selling, offering for sale, or supplying the diesel fuel knows will

be dispensed into motor vehicle fuel tanks in California;

or (C) which the person selling, offering for sale, or

supplying the diesel fuel in the exercise of reasonable

prudence should know will be dispensed into motor

vehicle fuel tanks in California, and that is not the subject of a declaration under penalty of perjury by the purchaser, offeree or recipient stating that s/he will not sell,

offer for sale, or transfer the fuel for dispensing, or dispense the fuel, into motor vehicle fuel tanks in California.

(c) Test Method.

(1)Test Method for 500 ppm sulfur standard.The sulfur content of diesel fuel limitation of 500 parts per million specified in subsection (a)(1) shall be determined

by ASTM Test Method D 2622-94, which is incorporated herein by reference, or any other test method determined by the executive officer to give equivalent results.

(2)Test Method for 15 ppm sulfur standard.The sulfur

content of diesel fuel limitation of 15 parts per million

specified in subsection (a)(2) shall be determined by

ASTM Test Method D 5453-93, which is incorporated

herein by reference, or any other test method determined by the executive officer to give equivalent results.

(d)Presumed Sulfur Content of Diesel Fuel Represented As Being for Nonvehicular Use.

(1) All diesel fuel which has been identified or represented as a fuel which may not be dispensed into motor

vehicles in California, and which would otherwise be

subject to the 500 parts per million by weight sulfur

content standard in subsection (a)(1), shall be deemed to

have a sulfur content exceeding 500 parts per million by

weight, as determined by a test method identified in

subsection (c)(1), unless the fuel is tested in accordance

with a method identified in subsection (c)(1) and is

shown to have a sulfur content of 500 parts per million

by weight or less.

(2) All diesel fuel which has been identified or represented as a fuel which may not be dispensed into motor

vehicles in California, and which would otherwise be

subject to the 15 parts per million by weight sulfur content standard in subsection (a)(2), shall be deemed to

have a sulfur content exceeding 15 parts per million by

weight, as determined by a test method identified in

subsection (c)(2), unless the fuel is tested in accordance

with a method identified in subsection (c)(2) and is

shown to have a sulfur content of 15 parts per million

by weight or less.

(e) Variances.

(1) Any person who cannot comply with the requirements set forth in subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2) as applicable because of reasons beyond the person's reasonable

control may apply to the executive officer for a variance. The application shall set forth:

(A) the specific grounds upon which the variance is

sought;

(B) the proposed date(s) by which compliance with

the provisions of subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2) will be

achieved; and

(C) a plan reasonably detailing the method by which

compliance will be achieved.

(2) Upon receipt of an application for a variance containing the information required in subsection (e)(1), the

executive officer shall hold a hearing to determine

whether, or under what conditions and to what extent, a

variance from the requirements in subsection (a)(1) or

(a)(2) as applicable is necessary and will be permitted.

Notice of the time and place of the hearing shall be sent

to the applicant by certified mail not less than 20 days

prior to the hearing. Notice of the hearing shall also be

submitted for publication in the California Regulatory

Notice Register and sent to every person who requests

such notice, not less than 20 days prior to the hearing.

(3) At least 20 days prior to the hearing, the application

for the variance shall be made available to the public for

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inspection. Interested members of the public shall be allowed a reasonable opportunity to testify at the hearing

and their testimony shall be considered.

(4) No variance shall be granted unless all of the following findings are made:

(A) that, because of reasons beyond the reasonable

control of the applicant, requiring compliance with subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2) as applicable would result in an

extraordinary economic hardship;

(B) that the public interest in mitigating the extraordinary hardship to the applicant by issuing the variance outweighs the public interest in avoiding any increased emissions of air contaminants which would result from issuing the variance.

(C) that the compliance plan proposed by the applicant can reasonably be implemented and will achieve

compliance as expeditiously as possible.

(5) Any variance order shall specify a final compliance

date by which the requirements in subsection (a)(1) or

(a)(2) as applicable will be achieved. Any variance order shall also contain a condition that specified increments of progress necessary to assure timely compliance be achieved, and such other conditions, including

limitations on the sulfur content of diesel fuel produced

for use in motor vehicles, that the executive officer, as a

result of the testimony received at the hearing, finds necessary to carry out the purposes of division 26 of the

Health and Safety Code.

(6) The executive officer may require, as a condition of

granting a variance, that a cash bond, or a bond executed by two or more good and sufficient sureties or by

a corporate surety, be posted by the party to whom the

variance was granted to assure performance of any construction, alteration, repair, or other work required by

the terms and conditions of the variance. Such bond

may providethat, if the party granted the variance fails

to perform such work by the agreed date, the cash bond

shall be forfeited to the state board, or the corporate

surety or sureties shall have the option of promptly remedying the variance default or paying to the state board

an amount, up to the amount specified in the bond, that

is necessary to accomplish the work specified as a condition of the variance.

(7) No variance from the requirements set forth in subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2) as applicable based on a plan for

compliance which includes the installation of major additional equipment shall be issued to a producer where

installation of the equipment was not included in a compliance plan or first update submitted pursuant to subsection (f). No such variance shall have a duration of

more than three years.

(8) No variance which is issued due to conditions of

breakdown, repair, or malfunction of equipment shall

have a duration, including extensions, of more than six

months.

(9) The executive officer may, after holding a hearing

without complying with the provisions of subsections

(e)(2) and (e)(3), issue an emergency variance to a person from the requirements of subsections (a)(1) or

(a)(2) as applicable upon a showing of reasonably unforeseeable extraordinary hardship and good cause that

a variance is necessary. In connection with the issuance

of an emergency variance, the executive officer may

waive the requirements of subsection (e)(6). No emergency variance may extend for a period of more than 45

days. If the applicant for an emergency variance does

not demonstrate that he or she can comply with the provisions of subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2) as applicable within such 45-day period, an emergency variance shall not

be granted unless the applicant makes a prima facie

demonstration that the findings set forth in subsection

(e)(4) should be made. The executive officer shall maintain a list of persons who have informed the executive

officer in writing of their desire to be notified by telephone in advance of any hearing held pursuant to this

paragraph (e)(9), and shall provide advance telephone

notice to any such person.

(10) A variance shall cease to be effective upon failure

of the party to whom the variance was granted substantially to comply with any condition.

(11) Upon the application of any person, the executive

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officer may review and for good cause modify or revoke

a variance from the requirements of subsection (a)(1) or

(a)(2) as applicable after holding a hearing in accordance with the provisions of subsections (e)(2) and

(e)(3).

(g) Submittal of Compliance Plan.Each producer shall,

by September 1, 2004, submit to the executive officer a

plan showing the producer's schedule for achieving

compliance with subsection (a)(2). Each producer shall,

by July 1, 2005, submit an update of the plan.

<General Materials (GM) - References, Annotations, or

Tables>

Note: Authority cited: Sections 39600, 39601, 39667,

43013, 43018, and 43101 of the Health and Safety Code

; and Western Oil and Gas Ass'n. v. Orange County Air

Pollution Control District, 14 Cal. 3d 411, 121 Cal.

Rptr. 249 (1975). Reference: Sections 39000, 39001,

39002, 39003, 39010, 39500, 39515, 39516, 39667,

41511, 43000, 43016, 43018, and 43101, Health and

Safety Code; and Western Oil and Gas Ass'n. v. Orange

County Air Pollution Control District, 14 Cal. 3d 411,

121 Cal. Rptr. 249 (1975).

HISTORY

1. Change without regulatory effect renumbering former section 2255 to section

2281 filed 9-17-91 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of

Regulations (Register 92, No. 4).

2. New subsections (h)-(h)(5) filed 10-21-93 as an emergency; operative 10-21-

93 (Register 93, No. 43). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to

OAL by 2-18-94 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on

the following day.

3. Repeal of subsections (h)(1)-(h)(5) by operation of Government Code

section 11346.1(f) (Register 94, No. 18).

4. Amendment of subsection (c) filed 7-25-97; operative 8-24-97 (Register 97,

No. 30).

5. Amendment filed 7-15-2004; operative 8-14-2004 (Register 2004, No. 29).

6. New subsection (a)(5)(A) designator and new subsection (a)(5)(B) filed 7-5-

2005; operative 8-4-2005 (Register 2005, No. 27).

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END OF DOCUMENT

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