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Ultra-low Sulfur Diesel - Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Requirements

Stationary Compression Ignition (CI) Internal Combustion Engines for Urban Alaska:

  • Owners and operators of stationary CI engines with a displacement of less than 30 liters per cylinder subject to New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) must purchase fuel that meets requirements of 40 CFR 80.510(b) for non-road diesel fuel, which requires maximum sulfur content of 15 ppm.
  • Owners and operators of stationary CI engines with a displacement of 30 liter per cylinder or greater must begin using 1,000 ppm sulfur content beginning June 1, 2012.

Urban areas of Alaska have to follow the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for Stationary Engines as required for the rest of the lower 48 states, although some provisions were granted to remote areas of Alaska.

Stationary Compression Ignition (CI) Internal Combustion Engines for Rural Alaska:

In the original NSPS, the EPA agreed to delay the sulfur requirements for diesel fuel intended for stationary internal combustion engines (ICE) in remote areas of Alaska not accessible by the Federal Aid Highway System until December 1, 2010, with the 2011 model year and later stationary CI engines operating in rural Alaska prior to December 1, 2010. Year 2011 and later models were required to meet the 15 ppm sulfur requirement for diesel fuel.

In the original final regulations, the EPA allowed the State of Alaska to submit an alternative plan for implementing the requirements for public-sector electrical utilities located in remote areas of Alaska not accessible by FAHS. An extension was granted to State of Alaska to provide an alternative plan. On October 31, 2008, State of Alaska submitted a request for several revisions to NSPS pertaining to engines located in the remote areas.

The State of Alaska requested to:

  • allow NSPS owner/operator requirements to apply only to model year 2011 and later engines;
  • maintain a December 1, 2010 deadline for transition of regulated engines to ULSD;
  • authorize continued use of single circuit jacketwater marine diesel engines for prime power applications;
  • remove limitations on using fuels mixed with used lubricating oil that do not meet the fuel requirements of 40 CFR part 60, subpart III;
  • review emission control design requirements needed to meet new NSPS emissions standards regarding advanced exhaust gas emissions after-treatment.

The EPA recognizing the circumstances in remote Alaska promulgated several amendments for engines used in remote Alaska for small facilities (area sources).

The EPA:

  • exempted all pre-2014 model year engines from diesel fuel sulfur requirements;
  • allowed owners and operators of stationary CI engines located in remote areas of Alaska to use engines certified to marine engine standards, rather than land-based non-road engine standards; and
  • removed requirements to use after-treatment devices for NOx, in particular, SCR, for engines used in remote Alaska;
  • removed requirements to use after-treatment devices for PM until the 2014 model year;
  • and allowed the blending of used lubricating oil, volumes up to 1.75 percent of the total fuel, in the sulfur content of the used fuel is less than 200ppm and the used lubricating oil is "on-spec," i.e., it meets the on-specification levels and properties of 40 CFR 279.11.

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