Accelerate conversions of residual heating oil boilers in buildings

Summary

At the beginning of 2012, there were about 5,300 boilers in the city that still red #6 fuel oil, the heavy heating oil associated with the highest levels of air pollutant emissions. By July 2015, the City will no longer issue permits to use #6 fuel oil, so all boilers must switch to gas, #2 oil, or #4 oil. As a result of the City’s targeted outreach and enforcement efforts, approximately 90 percent of boilers on #6 have been converted.

Nonetheless, residual oil (#4) will continue to be used by several thousand devices as owners have until 2030 to switch from #4 oil to the less-polluting #2 oil, or gas. Complete phase out of heavy heating oil (#4 and #6) in New York City could prevent 80 deaths per year and avoid 200 hospitalizations and hospital emergency department visits for heart and lung disease. In addition, it is estimated that 39 percent of the boilers in buildings over 25,000 square feet that still use heavy oil are located in the highest poverty neighborhoods in the city. We will therefore explore the feasibility of accelerating the phase out of #4 oil in boilers in advance of 2030.