Crackdown on diesel engines, vehicles, ships, jet fuel, aircraft key to California emissions 'SIP'

Diesel Fuel News, Oct 27, 2003 by Jack Peckham

--Tougher EPA limits on big "Category 3" ocean ships, between 2005-2010. While EPA promises to propose tougher limits in 2007, it's vague on what these might be, although it's mulling technologies such as SCR and water injection (see Diesel Fuel News 2/7/1/03, p5; 2/3/03, p6). "Implementation of [emissions-control] measures for ocean-going vessels may even require the formation of a national or international coalition, particularly for some of the proposed federal incentive programs (which would be more effective if implemented on a national or West Coast basis)," CARB says.

While in/near ports, these ships could switch to a 500-ppm sulfur marine gasoil, a low-sulfur heavy bunker fuel, or perhaps even ULSD, CARB says. Meantime, CARB is "working with U.S. EPA, the [US] Maritime Administration and several other regulatory agencies, shipping operators and port representatives to provide funding for demonstration projects that will test emission control technologies on ocean-going ships," CARB says;

--Tougher jet-engine emissions limits, cleaner jet fuel. "One target is to introduce an engine that can emit 70% less NOx than the current International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard," CARB says. Landing-fee schemes such as those used in Zurich and Boston could encourage airlines to route the newest, low-emissions aircraft for California, as well as retire older, high-pollution craft.

Meantime, "U.S. EPA, with concurrence of FAA, has the authority to require the reformulation of jet fuel to lower the sulfur content," CARB says. Since sulfur causes PM emissions, "reformulating jet fuel should be evaluated." Many U.S. refiners are likely to produce ultra-low sulfur jet fuel anyway since jet-kero is a common highway diesel blending stock (Diesel Fuel News 1/20/03, p11).