STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS 

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AL MANAGEMENT 

OFFICE OF AIR RESOURCES 

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL REGULATION NO. 32 

CONTROL OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS 

FROM MARINE VESSEL LOADING OPERATIONS 

Effective 31 March 1994 

Last Amended 19 July 2007 

AUTHORITY: These regulations are authorized pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws§ 42-

17.l-2(s) and 23-23, as amended, and have been promulgated pursuant to the 

procedures set forth in the RI. Administrative Procedures Act, RI. Gen. Laws Chapter 

42-35. 
RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AL MANAGEMENT 

OFFICE OF AIR RESOURCES 

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL REGULATION NO. 32 

CONTROL OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM 

MARINE VESSEL LOADING OPERATIONS 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

32. l Definitions ....................................................................................................................................................... I 

32.2 Applicability ................................................................................................................................................... 2 

32.3 Emission Limitations ...................................................................................................................................... 2 

32.4 Recordkeeping and Recording ........................................................................................................................ 3 

32.5 Compliance Demonstration!festing ................................................................................................................ 6 

32.6 Compliance Schedules .................................................................................................................................... 6 

32.7 General Provisions ........................................................................................................................................... 7 
RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 

OFFICE OF AIR RESOURCES 

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL REGULATION NO. 32 

CONTROL OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM 

MARINE VESSEL LOADING OPERATIONS 

32.1 Deimitions 

Unless otherwise expressly defined in this section, the terms used in this regulation shall 

be defined by reference to the Rhode Island Air Pollution Control General Definitions 

Regulation. As used in this regulation, the following terms shall, where the context 

permits, be construed as follows: 

32.1.1 "Combustion device" means emission control equipment used for combustion or 

destruction of organic vapors and includes, but is not limited to, thermal 

incinerators, catalytic incinerators, flares, boilers, and process heaters. 

32.1.2 "Emission Control Equipment" means any equipment, machinery, apparatus, or 

device used to recover or reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds. 

32.1.3 "Gasoline" means any petroleum distillate having a Reid vapor pressure 

of more than 4 psia as determined by ASTM Method D323. This term includes 

but is not limited to mixtures of alcohols and gasoline. 

32.1.4 "Leak free" means the dripping of a liquid containing volatile organic 

compounds at a rate of four drops per minute or less; or an emission of gaseous 

volatile organic compounds which causes an appropriate analyzer sampling one 

centimeter or less from a source to register less than I 0,000 ppm as methane. 

32.1.5 "Loading Event" means an incident or occurrence beginning with the 

connecting of marine terminal storage tanks to a marine tank vessel by means of 

pipes or hoses followed by the transferring of organic liquid cargo and ending 

with the disconnecting of the pipes or hoses; or any means of admitting any other 

liquid into a marine vessel's cargo tanks. Loading events shall include only such 

incidents which occur when a marine tank vessel is moored to a dock or other 

permanent stationary structure. 

32.1.6 "Marine Tank Vessel" means any marine vessel which is specially 

constructed or converted to carry liquid bulk cargo in tanks. 

32.1.7 "Marine Terminal" means any facility, equipment, or structure 

constructed to load or unload organic liquid bulk cargo into or out of marine tank 

vessels. 

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32.1.8 "Marine Vessel" means any tugboat, tanker, freighter, passenger ship, barge or 

other boat, ship or water craft except those used primarily for recreation. 

32.1.9 "Organic Liquid" means, for the purposes of this regulation, gasoline, 

gasoline blending stocks, aviation gas and aviation fuel which contains gasoline, 

such as JP-4 type. 

32.1.10 "Recovery device" means emission control equipment used to remove organic 

vapors and recover liquids or chemicals and includes, but is not limited to, 

absorbers, carbon adsorbers, and condensers. 

32.1.11 "Segregated ballasting operations" means the loading of ballast water into 

tanks on a marine vessel if those tanks are used only for ballasting and never hold 

organic liquid. 

32.1.12 "Vapor tight marine vessel" means a marine vessel which has been 

demonstrated within the previous 12 months to have no leaks. A marine vessel 

loaded at negative pressure is assumed to be vapor tight for the purposes of this 

regulation. Discharges from pressure/vacuum relief valves on cargo tank vent 

lines are not considered leaks for the purposes of this definition. 

32.2 Applicability 

32.2.1 The provisions of this regulation apply to any loading event in which 

organic liquid is loaded into marine tank vessels and to loading events in which 

any liquid is loaded into a marine vessel's cargo tanks if the most recent cargo 

held in those tanks was an organic liquid. This regulation does not apply to 

segregated ballasting operations. 

32.2.2 Wherewr the term Volatile Organic Compoood or VOC is used in 

Seetioas 32.2 through 32.6, this term should be read as Volatile Organic 

Compound and Halogenated Orgaffic Compound or VOC and HOC. 

32.3 Emission Limitations 

32.3.l A loading event shall not be conducted unless one of the following 

conditions is met: 

(a) Volatile organic compounds emissions do not exceed 5.7 grams 

per cubic meter (2 pounds per 1000 barrels) of liquid loaded into the 

marine tank vessel, or 

(b) The emissions of volatile organic compounds are reduced by at 

least 95 percent by weight from uncontrolled conditions if a recovery 

device is used and by at least 98 percent by weight from uncontrolled 

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conditions if a combustion device is used. 

32.3.2 All of a marine terminal's hatches, pressure relief valves, connections, 

gauging ports and vents which are used in connection with a loading event shall 

be leak free. 

32.3.3 A loading event shall not be conducted unless the receiving marine vessel 

is vapor tight. To determine whether a marine vessel is vapor tight, the owner or 

operator of the marine terminal must follow the following procedures for each 

loading event, with the exception of loading events performed at a negative 

pressure: 

(a) Obtain a copy of the record of the most recent pressure test or leak 

test on the receiving marine vessel. The record must contain all 

information specified in Subsection 32.4.2. 

(b) If, according to the records obtained pursuant to the requirements 

of Subsection 32.3.3 (a), the marine vessel passed the most recent pressure 

or leak test and that test was performed within the previous 12 month 

period, the vessel shall be considered vapor tight. 

(c) If, according to the records obtained pursuant to the requirements 

of Subsection 32.3.3 (a), the marine vessel failed its most recent leak or 

pressure test, no loading event shall be conducted unless the operator of 

the marine vessel provides written documentation that all leaks have been 

repaired subsequent to the failed test. Any loading event involving a 

marine vessel that has been repaired subsequent to failing its most recent 

leak or pressure test must be conducted in conjunction with the 

performance of a leak test, as specified in Subsection 32.3 .3 ( d). 

( d) If, according to the records obtained pursuant to the requirements 

of Subsection 32.3.3 (a), the marine vessel has not passed a leak or 

pressure test within the previous 12 month period, a leak test of the vessel 

shall be performed during the loading event. No loading events shall be 

performed if the vessel failed its most recent leak test or pressure test and 

does not provide the owner or operator of the marine terminal with 

documentation that shows that all leaks subsequently have been repaired, 

as specified in Subsection 32.3.3 (c). 

( e) A person testing a marine vessel to determine whether that vessel 

is vapor tight shall provide the operator of the marine vessel and the owner 

or operator of the marine terminal with documentation of the test which 

includes all information specified in Subsection 32.4.2. 

32.4 Recordkeeping and Recording 

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32.4.1 The owner or operator of a marine terminal loading facility shall record 

the following information about each loading event and maintain this information 

at the facility for a period of five years: 

(a) The location of the loading event, 

(b) The company responsible for conducting the loading event, 

(c) The date and time at which the marine vessel arrived and departed 

from the location of the loading event, 

( d) The name, registry of vessels and name and address of the legal 

owner of the marine tank vessel participating in the loading event, 

(e) The prior cargo carried by the receiving marine tank vessel, 

(f) The type and amount ofliquid cargo loaded into the receiving 

marine tank vessel, 

(g) The condition of the receiving tanks prior to being loaded (i.e. 

cleaned, crude oil, washed, gas freed, etc.), 

(h) The amount of ballast water added to a marine vessel's tanks, 

except for ballast water used in segregated ballasting operations, and 

(i) A description of procedures used to prevent venting. 

32.4.2 The owner or operator of a marine terminal shall maintain at the facility 

for a period of five years a record of the most recent leak test or pressure test 

conducted on a marine vessel prior to or in conjunction with each loading event. 

Such records shall be made available to the Department or to EPA on request and 

shall include the following information: 

(a) Test method; 

(b) Marine vessel owner and address; 

( c) Marine vessel identification number; 

( d) Date and location of test; 

(e) Tester's name and signature; 

(f) Witnessing inspector's name, signature and affiliation; and 

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(g) Test results. 

32.4.3 The owner or operator of a marine terminal at which loading events 

subject to this regulation are conducted shall collect and record the following 

information and maintain the information at the facility for a period of 5 years. 

These records shall be made available to the Department and EPA upon request. 

(a) The date and results of each emission test performed at the facility 

as required in Subsection 32.5. l and of each leak free determination 

performed as required in Subsection 32.5 .2; 

(b) A daily log of operating time for any capture system, emission 

control equipment, and monitoring equipment; 

(c) A maintenance log for any capture system, emission control 

equipment, and monitoring equipment detailing all routine and nonroutine maintenance performed, including dates and duration of any 

outages; 

(d) A maintenance log for all of the marine terminal's hatches, 

pressure relief valves, connections, gauging ports and vents which are 

used in connection with loading events, including dates when leaks were 

repaired; 

( e) The dates of any loading events which bypassed the emission 

control equipment or which were performed when the marine terminal was 

not leak free; 

(f) For thermal incinerators: 

(1) All 3-hour periods of operation in which the average 

combustion temperature was more than 28 ° C ( 5 0 ° F) below the 

average combustion temperature during the most recent 

performance test that demonstrated that the facility was in 

compliance, and 

(2) The operating temperature. 

(g) For catalytic incinerators: 

(I) All periods where the temperature increase across the 

catalyst bed is less than 80% of the temperature increase recorded 

during the most recent performance test that demonstrated that the 

facility was in compliance, and 

(2) The inlet and outlet temperatures and temperature rise 

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across the catalyst bed. 

(h) For carbon adsorbers: 

(1) All 3-hour periods of operation during which the average 

voe concentration or reading of organics in the exhaust gases is 

more than 20 percent greater than fue average exhaust gas 

concentration or reading measured by the organics monitoring 

device during the most recent determination of the recovery 

efficiency of the carbon adsorber that demonstrated that the facility 

was in compliance, and 

(2) The pressure drop across the adsorber and the hydrocarbon 

levels for breakthrough. 

32.5 Compliance Demonstration/Testing 

32.5.1 Compliance with the emission limitations of Subsection 32.3.1 shall be 

demonstrated upon start up of the emission control equipment and thereafter upon 

request of the Director in accordance with 40 CFR 60, Appendix A, Method 25 as 

amended or another EPA approved method which has been accepted by the 

Director. This test shall be conducted so that at least 50% of the total liquid 

loaded is included. 

32.5.2 Leak free determinations at marine terminals shall be made upon start up 

of the emission control equipment and monthly thereafter. Gaseous leaks shall be 

measured in accordance with EPA Reference Method 21 or another method which 

has been accepted by the Director and by EPA. 

32.5.3 Any leak test or pressure test used to demonstrate that a marine vessel is 

vapor tight shall utilize a method which has been accepted by the Director and by 

EPA. 

32.5.4 The owner or operator of a marine terminal shall notify the Director of the 

date of any test demonstrating the control efficiency of emission control 

equipment at least 90 days in advance of that date. If required by the Department, 

a sampling protocol shall be submitted at least 60 days in advance of the testing 

date. Testing results shall be submitted to the Office of Air Resources within 30 

days of completion of the test. 

32.6 Compliance Schedules 

32.6.1 Any marine terminal at which a loading event subject to this regulation is 

conducted shall be in compliance with the provisions of Sections 32.3 and 32.4 on 

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and after January I, 1996. 

32.6.2 The owner or operator of any marine terminal at which loading events 

subject to this regulation are conducted shall, by July 30, 1994, submit to the 

Director a compliance plan which describes the steps and schedule that will be 

taken to achieve compliance with this regulation. 

32.6.3 Any compliance plan which includes equipment replacement or 

modification or installation of emission control equipment shall provide for 

periodic increments of progress, including but not limited to: 

(a) Date by which engineering plans and permit applications will be 

submitted, . 

(b) Date by which equipment will be ordered, 

(c) Installation date after confirmation of order by the manufacturer, 

and 

( d) Date by which the applicable regulatory emission limitations will 

be achieved after equipment is in satisfactory operation. 

32.6.4 No compliance schedule submitted to satisfy the requirements of this 

section shall allow a facility to exceed any applicable emission limitations 

including but not limited to: 

(a) Best Available Control Technology determinations, or 

(b) Lowest Achievable Emissions Rate determinations, or 

(c) Federal New Source Performance Standards codified at 40 CFR 

Part 60, or National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, 

codified at 40 CFR Part 61 or Part 63, or 

(d) Any other condition or standard that is specifically required by the 

Clean Air Act (as amended) for new or modified sources. 

32.6.5 Compliance schedules submitted in accordance with the requirements of 

this section are subject to review and approval by the Director. 

32. 7 General Provisions 

32.7. l Purpose 

The purpose of this regulation is to limit volatile organic compound 

emissions from marine vessel loading operations. 

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32.7.2 Authority 

These regulations are authorized pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 4 2-17 .1-2( s) 

and 23-23, as amended, and have been promulgated pursuant to the 

procedures set forth in the R.I. Administrative Procedures Act, R.I. Gen. 

Laws Chapter 42-35 

32.7.3 Application 

The terms and provisions of this regulation shall ae liberally construed to 

permit the Department to e:ffi:lctuate the pw-poses of state law, goals aed 

policies. · 

32. 7.4 Severability 

If any provision of this regulation or the application thereof to any person or 

circumstance, is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the 

validity of the remainder of the regulation shall not be affected thereby. 

32.7.5 Effective Date 

Notice Given on: 

Public Hearing held: 

Filing Date: 

Effective Date: 

The foregoing regulation, "Control of Volatile Organic Compounds from 

Marine Vessel Loading Operations", as amended, is hereby adopted and 

filed with the Secretary of State this 12th day of February, 2015 in 

accordance with the provisions of Chapters 23-23, 42-35, 42-17.1, 42-17.6, 

of the General Laws of Rhode Island of 1956, as amended. 

Janet Coit, Director 

Department of Environmental Management 

February 21, 2007 

March 23, 2007 

June 29, 2007 

July 19, 2007 

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