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New York adopts law to require 2% biodiesel in heating oil

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg signing the heating oil bill this week (Photo Credit: Spencer T Tucker)

New York City has adopted new legislation requiring all heating oil sold from October 2012 to include at least 2% biodiesel.

The new law, Introductory Number 194-A, promotes use of Bioheat, a blended fuel available in Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states.

It also places limits on sulfur content within Number 4 heating oil of 1,500 parts per million, complementing new sulfur limits on Number 2 heating oil adopted by New York State last month.

Signing the measure into law this week, New York’s Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, said it would “significantly” reduce pollution and “vastly” improve city air quality.

He added that the legislation would also support alternative fuels and help to create new “green” jobs.

Mayor Bloomberg said: “Promoting the use of cleaner burning heating fuels is one of fourteen air quality initiatives from PlaNYC 2030 and I am pleased to say that the legislation before me today will do just that. Introductory Number 194-A requires that by 2012, the sulfur content of Number 4 heating oils be limited to no more than 1,500 parts per million and all heating oils used in New York City contain at least two percent biodiesel.”

Green economy

New York City uses more than a billion gallons of heating oil each year. The new law will mean replacing 20 million gallons of this with renewable biodiesel.

METRO Fuel Oil Corporation, a fuel distributor due to open one of the nation’s largest biodiesel plants in Brooklyn in 2011, applauded city lawmakers for helping reduce reliance on fossil fuels while supporting a local green economy.

The company plans to process used cooking oil from New York restaurants into biodiesel, and is also looking to use other sustainable sources including soybean oil and algae.

Gene V. Pullo, President of METRO Terminals, said: “METRO is looking forward to playing its part in locally processing biodiesel and helping New York become a greener place to live and work.”

Local fuel distributor Sprague Energy, which helped champion the new legislation, said it was one of the original suppliers of Bioheat, with firsthand experience of the “positive impact” the biofuel blend has.

Steven J. Levy, the firm’s managing director, said: “This landmark legislation is another huge step in reducing air pollution in the city, yet just another building block in cleaning the air we breathe for healthier, longer lives.”