MANE-VU PUSHES REDUCTION IN SULFUR IN HEATING OIL

U.S. Northeast and Mid-Atlantic refiners and environmental groups, most specifically the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast Visibility Union, recently met in December, 2008, to discuss significantly tightening the sulfur level of heating oil. MANE-VU member states include: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

The plan’s first phase would lower heating oil sulfur to 500ppm in 2012 in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, with the rest of the states making the move in 2014.  The second phase would take heating oil sulfur to 15ppm in the New York City area, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware by 2016, with the rest of the states following suit in 2018.