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Dear PEI Member:
California and Washington have joined New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and the District
of Columbia in banning the use of handheld cell phones while driving.
As of July 1, with a few narrow exceptions, drivers in California with a
cell phone to his or her ear while driving will be subject to a $20 fine for
the first offense and $50 for those thereafter. Most drivers will still be
allowed to talk on a hands-free unit, although those under 18 can't even do
that. What's more, the California law makes cell-phone use while driving a
primary offense. That means the police can stop a motorist for that purpose
alone.
Although it's far from the only distraction that can take drivers'
attention from what's happening on the road (eating, shaving, changing a CD, reading, talking to passengers), cell-phone use is the
one lawmakers have chosen to target. And it's one attorneys have chosen to
cite when a cell-phone user causes an accident. Cell phone users do have
accidents—a study by the Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety found that drivers using cell phones are four
times more likely to be in an accident than other drivers.
For these reasons, experts are beginning to suggest that employers have a
cell-phone-use policy on the books. Such a policy will help ensure that
employees are aware of their obligations under federal, state, and local
regulations regarding the use of cell phones while driving. A written policy
might also help employers build a defense to possible tort claims that may
arise should an employee become involved in an accident.
What should a cell-phone policy cover? Here are some ideas, but certainly
not an all-inclusive list:
- Either an absolute prohibition of cell-phone use while driving or a
requirement that drivers pull over and park to take or make calls
- Mandatory use of a headset if a cell phone must be used
- Require employees to make their calls before driving
- Require cell phones be turned off while driving
- A prohibition against text messaging or reading text while driving
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Cell Phone Usage Policy
Regulatory Briefs
Nonmetallic Pipe Reference Guide
EPA Biodiesel Compendium Available
2008 PEI Convention at the NACS Show
October 5-7, 2008
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For more information on this subject visit
Driving
Laws.org.
REGULATORY BRIEFS
Arizona. A new law, signed June 6 by Governor Janet Napolitano, requires biodiesel dispensers
to have labels that specify the volume percentage of biodiesel in the finished product.
For biodiesel
blends containing up to 5 percent biodiesel, the label on the dispenser is
required to state: "May contain up to 5 percent biodiesel." The labeling
provisions of this new law take effect immediately.
Missouri. Effective September 1, 2008, owners/operators of
underground storage tank systems who use an electronic line leak detector (ELLD)
to monitor their pressurized piping will be required to demonstrate that
they have checked the ELLD for proper operation when they renew their
insurance with the Petroleum Storage Tank Insurance Fund. Documentation of
the annual operability test should include the date of the test, name of the
technician who performed the test, test data, model of ELLD, test method
used, and ELLD serial number (if legible).
Arizona. Governor Janet Napolitano signed a new underground storage
tank (UST) statute into law May 20. The statute covers secondary containment
of all UST systems installed on or after January 1, 2009. The new law also
covers "stop use" orders and outlines an operator training program. The
complete statute is located
here.
Nevada. All new or replaced underground storage tanks (USTs)
installed on or after July 1 must be secondarily contained provided they are
within 1,000 feet of any existing community water system or any existing
potable drinking water well according to new regulations which took effect
earlier this year. The regulation also creates a requirement for under-dispenser
containment at motor vehicle dispensers connected to a regulated underground
storage tank. A delivery prohibition program was also created. See
complete details of all the changes
under Regulations R004-08 and R005-08.
South Carolina. New underground storage tank (UST) rules became
effective May 23. They require secondary containment for new and replaced
USTs near drinking water, prohibit fuel delivery at noncompliant USTs, and
adopt an operator training program which will be published by August 8,
2009. A copy of the new regulations is available
here.
NONMETALLIC PIPE REFERENCE GUIDE AVAILABLE
Kevin Henderson, compliance and enforcement manager for the underground
storage tank branch of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality,
has developed a presentation that identifies nonmetallic piping for state
UST inspectors and others. Most state regulators have recently received the
guide and we thought PEI members would benefit from it as well. Although PEI
cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information contained in the guide,
regulators we communicate with consider it a very useful tool.
The guide is
available here.
US EPA BIOFUELS COMPENDIUM AVAILABLE
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has developed
a
Web-based compendium that
provides people in the underground storage tank industry with information on
biofuels (ethanol and biodiesel). The information was collected by EPA from
federal and state agencies, trade associations, and industry on topics
such as equipment compatibility and installation, fate and transport, handling,
health and safety, remediation, UST system conversion and state policies.
CARB MAKES EVR FINANCING OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO STATION OWNERS
Information from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) on financing
options available to assist gasoline station operators in completing
Enhanced Vapor Recovery (EVR) equipment upgrades is now available
here. Organizations
listed as providing financial assistance include the California State Water
Board RUST Program, Patriot Capital, and the California Service Station and
Automotive Repair Association.
COMPANY PROMOTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS
PumpTex Inc., Beaumont, Texas, has promoted Rod Hawkins to service
manager and Jay Ruth to lead technician at its Beaumont facility.
Central Illinois Manufacturing Company, Bement, Illinois, has
recently promoted Todd K. Oberg to vice president of sales and marketing. He
began his career at Cim-Tek in 2005 as sales manager for the petroleum and
industrial markets.
Crompco, LLC, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, has named Tom Souls
president of the company. Souls comes to Crompco from ConocoPhillips, where
he worked in a variety of management positions for the past 29 years.
PetroTechnik Inc., Cresskill, New Jersey, has appointed T and D
Sales, Temple City, California, to represent its products in Arizona,
southern California and southern Nevada.
GILBARCO ACQUIRES AUTOTANK
Gilbarco Inc., Greensboro, North Carolina, has signed a definitive
purchase agreement to acquire the shares of Autotank Group of Tampere,
Finland, from Aspo PLC, pending final closure of the deal. Autotank makes
and sells retail automation equipment for fuel retailers in Scandinavia and
Eastern Europe. The Group also provides extensive installation and
maintenance services for fuel outlets across the region. The Autotank Group
of companies will be renamed Gilbarco Autotank.
BRIEFLY NOTED
Standard for Automotive Lifts - Safety
Requirements for Operation, Inspection and Maintenance (ANSI/ALI
ALOIM: 2008) has been adopted as an American National Standard. Copies are
available from the Automotive Lift Institute, Inc. for $15 at
www.autolift.org.
Alliance Energy LLC, Branford, Connecticut, has purchased 68
convenience store and dealer assets owned by Peterborough Oil Co. Inc.,
Leominster, Massachusetts. The stores are located in Massachusetts, New
Hampshire and Maine.
Accurate Tank Technologies, Inc. has moved from Naperville to newly
acquired property at 204 Poplar Place, North Aurora, Illinois 60542. The
company retained its telephone number (630-375-6121) but changed its fax
number (630-844-0091).
GASOLINE DEMAND
MAY HAVE TOPPED OFF
A report by Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA), an
energy-consulting group, says 2007 probably will represent the peak year of
gasoline consumption in the U.S., with annual demand dropping this year for
the first time in 17 years. "Americans are now driving less and demanding
greater fuel efficiency from their vehicles when they do drive," said Aaron
Brady, CERA's global oil director. "Automakers are responding by
accelerating the shift in their model mix. Both short- and long-term signals
are all pointing toward decreasing future demand."
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
Fuel dispenser manufacturer. Atris Petroleum Machinery Co., Ltd., No.
97, Xushui Road, Hi-tech Development Zone, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province,
Zhengzhou, China 450001, has applied for manufacturer division membership.
Xiaoming Du is president of the firm, which was established in 2006. The
company manufactures fuel dispensers, nozzles, swivels, couplers, and
flowmeters, and sells its products through distributors. Nominated for PEI
membership by Friendship Ge, AileOilEqp, Shanghai, China.
California engineering firm. Strandberg Associates, 348 Concord
Drive, Menlo Park, California 94025, has applied for affiliate division
membership in PEI. John Strandberg is a chemical engineer for the firm,
which was established in 2007. The company inspects tanks, SPCC plans, and
hazardous waste storage. Nominated for PEI membership by Joseph Bagley,
BagleyEnt, Lodi, California.
ADMITTED TO PEI
- Saben Akaryakit ve Teknik Malzemeler San. Tic. AS, Istanbul, Turkey
(dis)
- JMM Management Group, LLC, Elgin, IL (aff)
- Kinetic Fuel Technology, Youngstown, NY (aff)
- Occu-Tec, Kansas City, MO (S&C)
- PetroTech, Nettleton, MS (S&C)
- Lou Stergar, PSC Metals Inc., Mayfield Heights, OH (O&E)
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