Control of visible emissions.
Tulsa Revised Ordinances tit. 17, § 709
in effectSection 709. - Control of visible emissions.
A. Purpose. It is the purpose of this regulation to prevent undesirable ambient concentrations of smoke and particulate matter through regulation of visible emissions.
B. Control of smoke and visible emissions.
1. General prohibition. No person owning, leasing or controlling the operation of any air contaminant source shall willfully, negligently or through failure to provide necessary equipment or facilities or through failure to take necessary precaution, permit the emission from the contaminant source of such quantities of air contamination as will cause a condition of air pollution.
2. Visible emissions.
a. No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the discharge of any fumes, aerosol, mist, gas, smoke, vapor, particulate matter or any combination thereof of a shade or density equal to or darker than a number one (1) on the Ringelmann Chart or twenty percent (20%) equivalent opacity.
b. Subparagraph 2a shall not apply to:
(1) Smoke or visible emissions emitted during the cleaning of a fire, the building of a new fire or short-term occurrence, the shade or density of which is not darker than Number two and one-half (2½) of the Ringlemann Chart or fifty percent (50%) opacity for a period aggregating no more than five (5) minutes in any sixty (60) consecutive minutes or more than twenty (20) minutes in any twenty-four (24) hour period;
(2) Smoke resulting from fires covered by the exception outlined in Section 707; or
(3) An emission where the presence of uncombined water is the only reason for failure to meet the requirements of Subparagraph 2a.
3. Method of measurement. The Ringelmann Chart and its opacity equivalents shall be used in grading the shade or opacity of visible air contaminant emissions. The Director of Health may specify other means of measurement which give comparable result or results of greater accuracy.
Source: City of Tulsa, Revised Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ok/tulsa/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_TIT17HERE_CH7CLAICO_S709COVIEMFetched: 10/28/2026