2016 -- S 2800

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LC005121

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- BIODIESEL HEATING OIL ACT OF 2013

     

     Introduced By: Senators DiPalma, Sosnowski, Conley, and Algiere

     Date Introduced: March 23, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Environment & Agriculture

     (Environmental Management)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 2. Sections 23-23.7-3, 23-23.7-4, 23-23.7-5 and 23-23.7-7 of the General

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Laws in Chapter 23-23.7 entitled "Biodiesel Heating Oil Act of 2013" are hereby amended to

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read as follows:

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     23-23.7-3. Definitions. -- As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the

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following meanings:

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      (1) The term "ASTM" means American Society for Testing and Materials.

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      (2) "Biobased product" shall include the following;

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      (i) "Biobased liquid fuel" means a liquid fuel that is derived principally from renewable

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biomass and meets the specifications or quality certification standards for use in residential,

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commercial, or industrial heating applications established by ASTM International--ASTM D396,

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or the appropriate successor standard, as the case may be.

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      (ii) "Biodiesel fuel" means the monoalkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from

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plant or animal matters which meet the registration requirements for fuels and fuel additives

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established by the United States environmental protection agency under section 211 of the clean

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air act, 42 U.S.C. § 7545, and the requirements of ASTM International--ASTM D6751.

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      (iii) "Renewable biomass" means a material, including crops and crop residues, trees and

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tree residues, organic portions of municipal solid waste, organic portions of construction and

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demolition debris, grease trap waste, and algae, that can be used for fuel but does not have a

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petroleum or other fossil fuel base.

 

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      (3) "Director" means the director of the department of environmental management.

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      (4) "Heating oil" means fuel or fuel oil used for heating residential, commercial, or

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industrial properties, including No. 1 distillate, No. 2 distillate, a liquid blended with No. 1

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distillate, No. 2 distillate, or a five percent (5%) biobased liquid fuel that meets the specifications

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or quality certification standards for use in residential, commercial, or industrial heating

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applications established by ASTM International.

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     (5) "Fuel oil terminal" means a fuel oil storage and distribution facility that is supplied by

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pipeline or waterborne vessel, and from which fuel oil may be distributed at a loading rack into a

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truck, trailer, or railroad car. Fuel oil terminals may be supplied by additional means such as tank

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trucks or railroad cars.

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     23-23.7-4. Heating oil biobased products. -- Notwithstanding any law, rule, regulation,

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or order to the contrary, and in accordance with the compliance schedule established in this

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chapter, all No. 2 distillate heating oil sold in the state for residential, commercial, or industrial

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uses within the state, shall contain, at a minimum on average, the specified percentage of

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biobased product, unless such requirement has been suspended pursuant to § 23-23.7-6. The

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compliance schedule shall be as follows:

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      (1) Not later than July 1, 2014, all No. 2 distillate heating oil sold in the state shall

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contain not less than two percent (2%) of a biobased product, on average.

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      (2) Not later than July 1, 2015, all No. 2 distillate heating oil sold in the state shall

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contain not less than three percent (3%) of a biobased product, on average.

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      (3) Not later than July 1, 2016, all No. 2 distillate heating oil sold in the state shall

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contain not less than four percent (4%) of a biobased product, on average.

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      (4) Not later than July 1, 2017, all No. 2 distillate heating oil sold in the state shall

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contain not less than five percent (5%) of a biobased product, on average.

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     23-23.7-5. Certification. -- (a) The blender of the biobased product at the time of sale to

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a distributor of Each fuel oil terminal that distributes heating fuel oil shall provide certification

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stating:

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      (1) That the No. 2 distillate heating fuel meets ASTM International--ASTM D396 and/or

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the successor standard as the case may be; and

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      (2) That the biobased product used for blending meets the definition of biobased product

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in subdivision 23-23.7-3(2); and

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      (3) The percentage of the biobased product contained in the fuel.

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      (b) The director shall create and provide to blenders fuel oil terminals a quarterly

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semiannual report form to be filed by the blender the fuel oil terminal with the department of

 

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environmental management stating the number of gallons of biobased fuel sold and certification

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that said gallons meet the standards set forth in this chapter.

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     23-23.7-7. Suspension. – (a) The governor of the state of Rhode Island may temporarily

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suspend the requirements imposed by § 23-23.7-4 if it is determined that the physical availability

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of biobased product heating oil which complies with these requirements is inadequate at

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commercially reasonable prices to meet the needs of the residential, commercial, or industrial

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uses in this state and the inadequate availability constitutes an emergency, provided that the

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governor, shall specify in writing, the period of time the suspension shall be in effect. Shall be in

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writing and shall not exceed six (6) months. Any person seeking a suspension under this

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subsection shall submit a request in writing to the governor that provides sufficient information to

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demonstrate that the physical availability of biobased product heating oil which complies with

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these requirements is inadequate at commercially reasonable prices to meet the needs of the

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residential, commercial, or industrial uses in this state and that the inadequate availability

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constitutes an emergency.

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     (b) The director may, upon application by a fuel oil terminal, defer compliance with the

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requirements imposed by §23-23.7-4 for a period that shall not exceed six (6) months for that fuel

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oil terminal where compliance is not possible for good cause shown. Any fuel oil terminal

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seeking a deferral of compliance under this subsection shall submit a request in writing to the

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director that provides sufficient information to demonstrate why a deferral of compliance is

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needed.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- BIODIESEL HEATING OIL ACT OF 2013

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     This act would add a definition for "fuel oil terminal" and establish procedures for

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obtaining temporary suspensions from compliance when there is an inadequate supply of

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biobased product or when good cause is shown.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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