HOW BIODIESEL IS REGULATED IN CALIFORNIA
Cal/EPA's Draft Fuels Guidance Document is a helpful guide to biodiesel regulations written by California's regulatory agencies for transportation fuels. The main agencies are:
- California Air Resources Board (ARB)
- California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)
- CDFA Division of Measurement Standards (DMS)
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EMISSIONS REGULATIONS
There are no current emissions–based fuel specifications for biodiesel. CBA is involving biodiesel experts and actively participating in ARB's specifications rulemaking process.
COMPLIANCE FOR B20 IN USTS
On May 5th, 2009 the California State Water Resources Control Board voted to adopt emergency regulations governing the storage of biodiesel in underground storage tanks (USTs). Now that these regulations are in effect, UST owners will need to apply for a variance with their local CUPAs and submit materials compatibility and leak detection functionality documentation. If you need help with variance paperwork, materials compatibility documentation, or related technical issues please email Celia DuBose at celiadubose@gmail.com.
VARIANCE FORMS
MATERIALS COMPATIBILITY DOCUMENTSBelow are links to documentation needed to satisfy variance requirements. You may now download this new spreadsheet UST Equipment Covered in Compatibility Letters on CBA Website. It lists the equipment covered in the letters below (in the order required on the above forms) and is updated as new letters are received and posted.
TANKS- Containment Solutions
- Highland Tank
- Joor Plasteel
- Owens Corning
- Steel Tank Institute (Modern Welding, Mosier Brothers, Perkins)
- Steel Tank Institute (low carbon, i.e. Trusco)
- Xerxes
COMPONENTS
- Bravo Systems - Fittings
- Bravo Systems - Sumps
- Cim-Tek Filtration
- Dresser Wayne
- Emco
- Flexing
- Franklin Fueling - Pumps
- Franklin Fueling - Philtite
- Great Plains Industries, Inc.
- Hosemaster
- Total Control Systems
- Western Fiberglass - Sumps
- Western Fiberglass - UDCs
PIPING
- Ameron
- BRUGG FLEXWELL-HL Piping
- NUPI Piping
- IPP
- NOV Fiber Glass Systems (Smith)
- OPW
- PetroTechnik
- Western Fiberglass
LEAK DETECTION
If you believe your UST systems are compatible with biodiesel but are unable to get documentation from the manufacturers, certification can come from a nationally recognized research organization with applicable expertise. Please email Celia DuBose at celiadubose@gmail.com for assistance. Also please send Celia any documentation you may independently acquire so that we can make it available to others on this site.
THE FUTURE OF UST REGULATIONS
The emergency underground storage tank (UST) regulations that CBA helped establish with the California Water Board to allow biodiesel to continue to be stored in USTs is set to expire in June of 2012. CBA and the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) have begun discussions with Water Board staff to determine a path forward that will provide a stable regulatory environment for UST owners and ultimately accord with pending changes in federal law. Check our Home page for the latest update on this issue.