- A discussion about retail dispenser labeling for gasoline with greater
than 10 percent ethanol (pp.172-3).
- The proposal does not contain requirements that E85 refueling hardware
be configured to prevent the introduction of E85 into non-flex-fuel
vehicles (p.173).
- One potential measure to prevent misfueling would be for cards to be
issued to flex-fuel vehicle owners and for all E85 dispensers to be
equipped with card readers that would allow E85 to be dispensed only to
cardholders (p.173).
- EPA requests comments on the challenges that will be faced by the fuel
distribution system under the RFS2 standards and on what steps will be
necessary to facilitate making the necessary accommodations in a timely
fashion (p.228).
- EPA introduces the concept of mid-level ethanol blends and potential
equipment compatibility issues (pp.231-2). Waiver of mid-level ethanol
blends are fully discussed (pp.253-61).
- EPA estimates that an additional 24,250 E85 retail facilities would be
needed to facilitate the consumption of the additional amount of ethanol
that EPA projects would be used by 2022 to meet the RFS2 requirements. EPA
estimates that the cost of installing E85 refueling equipment will average
$122,000 per facility, which equates to $3 billion by 2022. This equates
to "just 1.5 cents per gallon of E85 throughput" (pp.241-3).
- Details of changes that would have to be made to fire codes, tank
regulations, OSHA, and tank owner insurance contracts before mid-level
blends of ethanol are introduced (pp.256-7).
- Details EPA's efforts to determine compatibility of legacy equipment
with mid-level ethanol blends, both for a complete and partial waiver of
mid-level ethanol blends (pp.257-61). Seeks comments specifically related
to "compatibility of the existing retail fuel storage/dispensing equipment
with mid-level ethanol blends" (p.261).
A 60-day comment period will open when the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
is published in the Federal Register.
PEI BOARD ELECTION DEADLINE
It is time to begin the process of electing members to the PEI Board of
Directors. Under PEI's election procedure, the official representative or a
duly appointed alternate must request to have his/her name included on the
ballot. A form for that purpose was sent May 20 to the official
representatives of PEI member companies from the odd-numbered districts of
the distributor and manufacturer divisions and from the service &
construction division. The form must be received in Tulsa by the close of
business on Wednesday, June 10, for the name to appear on the ballot.
ETHANOL
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is extending the public
comment period on the waiver application to increase the allowable
ethanol content of gasoline to 15 percent (E15) which was submitted by
Growth Energy and 54 ethanol manufacturers on March 6, 2009. The comment
period is now extended to July 20, 2009. EPA makes it clear that this action
does not extend the 270-day statutory deadline for the EPA Administrator to
grant or deny the E15 waiver request, which ends on December 1, 2009.
Comments can be emailed to
a-and-r-docket@epa.gov.
Sacramento-based Pacific Ethanol filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy May
18. The announcement was the latest in a flurry of similar filings in the
industry which has been hit by low prices and slack demand for energy. High
corn prices relative to depressed gasoline prices, combined with a decline
in demand for fuel mean that many of the young and highly-leveraged ethanol
producers cannot survive the downturn. In response to the slew of ethanol
plant bankruptcies, the Department of Agriculture announced earlier
in the month that it will start to distribute grants and loan guarantees for
the construction of commercial-scale biofuel refineries by making funds from
a 2008 farm bill available within 30 days.
"There is incontrovertible evidence from numerous authoritative
sources that ethanol blends exceeding 10 percent damage small non-road
engines and pose risks to operator safety," claims the National Marine
Manufacturers Association in comments filed with the Environmental
Protection Agency.
"I think it's quite conceivable over the next decade of having
biofuel penetration into the gasoline pool in both Europe and the United
States reaching as much as 20%." BP Chief Executive Tony Haywood quoted in
the May 14, 2009, Oil Daily.
RICK LONG JOINS PEI STAFF
Rick Long has joined the PEI staff as general manager. A native of
Memphis, Tennessee, Rick is an attorney, small business owner, strategist,
writer and editor. He will supervise staff, serve as managing editor of
The PEI Journal, and become involved with the legislative and regulatory
aspects of the industry. Rick's email address is
rlong@pei.org.
Rick assumes the responsibilities of Connie Dooley, who will remain
at PEI with scaled-back duties. Connie, in her new role, will oversee and
coordinate PEI's annual convention. She can be reached, as before, at
cdooley@pei.org.
NORTH CAROLINA PROPOSES CHANGES TO SECONDARY CONTAINMENT RULES
The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) has
proposed changes to the state's underground storage tank secondary
containment rules concerning interstitial monitoring of double-walled tanks.
The proposed rule allows electronic liquid detector sensor monitoring as a
permissible method of monitoring the interstitial space of a double-walled
tank for releases. Additional language incorporates standards for operation,
maintenance and testing of USTs if electronic liquid detecting sensors are
used for leak detection monitoring.
The
proposed rule is available here. Written comments will be accepted
through June 30, 2009.
PMAA SEEKS TO DELAY PCI COMPLIANCE DEADLINE
According to a position paper posted this month on the Petroleum Marketers
Association of America (PMAA) website, the trade association says that the
"credit card companies are abusing small business with their market power
and Congressional small business leaders need to investigate." To that end,
PMAA is requesting its members "call the House and/or Senate Small Business
Committee leaders and ask that a hearing on PCI Compliance be scheduled in
the very near future."
APPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS
Containment Solutions, Inc., Conroe, Texas, has announced that Don
Burger will be the company's new western regional manager. He can be reached
at dburger@csiproducts.com.
Petroleum Solutions, Inc., McAllen, Texas, has added two people to
its PSI sales team. Shellie Steele is a sales representative working out of
the company's newest location serving the DFW Metroplex. She can be reached
at (972) 314-2400 or
ssteele@petroleumsolutionsinc.com. Michael Merwarth has joined in the
sales team in San Antonio and can be contacted at (210) 661-2489 or
mmerwarth@petroleumsolutionsinc.com.
DEATHS
Dan Kushnir, sales manager for Seraphin Test Measures, Rancocas, New
Jersey, died May 19. He began his career at Seraphin in the shop working
with sheet metal in 1973. He worked his way up to junior engineer, salesman
and eventually sales manager. Dan is survived by his daughter and
son-in-law, along with their four children.
INTERNATIONAL PETROLEUM MARKETING NEWS
ExxonMobil is working on an agreement to sell its 800 retail stations in
Australia for approximately $380 million, the Australian Financial
Review reports.
Brazilian energy major Petrobras has completed the acquisition of
ExxonMobil's stake in Esso Chile Petrolera and other associated
Chilean companies relative to the fuel business in the retail, industrial
and aviation markets. With the deal, Petrobras now owns a network of 8,315
points of sale in six South American countries.—Datamonitor, May 4,
2009.
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
Chemical dispensing system manufacturer. Colder Products Company, 1001
Westgate Drive, St. Paul, Minnesota 55114, has applied for manufacturer
division membership. Tom Braun is business unit manager for the firm, which
was established in 1978. Colder Products manufactures dispensing systems
that provide extraction of high-purity chemicals from drums and other bulk
transfer containers, which are sold through distributors. Sponsored for PEI
membership by David Crouse, OPW-FC, Hamilton, OH.
Dispenser manufacturer. TOPS, P. O. Box 57307, Salt Lake City, Utah
84157, has applied for manufacturer division membership. Fred W. Jones is
president of the firm, which was established in 2005. TOPS manufactures
dispensers, which are sold through distributors. Sponsored for PEI
membership by Mark Babcock, AdamsFogg, Falmouth, ME.
Storage tank manufacturer. Hamilton Tanks, 2200 Refugee Road,
Columbus, Ohio 43207, has applied for manufacturer division membership. Bret
Carlyle is sales and marketing manager for the firm, which was established
in 1906. Hamilton Tanks manufactures aboveground and underground storage
tanks which are sold through PEI distributors. Sponsored for PEI membership
by Chuck Storey, Storey&Son, Cincinnati, OH.
DEF storage and dispensing system manufacturer. Blue1USA, 3883 Rogers
Bridge Road, Suite 205-A, Duluth, Georgia 30097, has applied for
manufacturer division membership. Charles Culverhouse is sales and marketing
manager for the firm, which was established in 2008. The company provides
storage and dispensing systems for the commercial, retail and industrial
markets. The equipment is sold through distributors. Sponsored for PEI
membership by David Crouse, OPW-FC, Hamilton, OH.
Connecticut general contractor. Amor Pump Service LLC, 16 Cherry Hill
Drive, Newington, Connecticut 06111, has applied for membership in PEI's
service and construction division. Arthur J. Amor is the primary contact for
the company, which was established in 2003. The firm is a general contractor
and performs Stage II vapor recovery testing and line and leak testing.
Sponsored for PEI membership by Thomas J. Dion, WildcoPtr, Bloomfield, CT.
Florida installation and service contractor. Ultimate Petroleum
Incorporated, 14330 SW 151st Court, Miami, Florida 33195, has applied for
service and construction division membership. Vince Calvo is president of
the company, which was established in 1999. The firm installs and services
POS equipment, dispensers and tank monitoring equipment. Sponsored for PEI
membership by Mike Futral, Tronitec, Marietta, GA.
New Jersey installation and service contractor. Spark Contractors,
1307 14th Avenue, Dorothy, New Jersey 08317, has applied for service and
construction division membership in PEI. Thomas Ruga is vice president for
the firm, which was established in 1959. The company installs and services
pumps and tanks. Nominated for PEI membership by Kenneth T. Hagman,
Habhegger, Yeadon, PA.
Pennsylvania installation and service company. Richard T. Wimer Inc.,
431 Springville Road, Quarryville, Pennsylvania 17566, has applied for
service and construction division membership. Richard T. Wimer is president
of the firm, which was established in 1989. The company installs, services
and removes equipment. Sponsored for PEI membership by Fred Monroe, Monroe,
Arlington, TX.
ADMITTED TO PEI
- Horn GmbH & Co. KG, Flensburg, Germany (mfr)
- Flowserve Pump Co., Memphis, TN (mfr)
- Snyder Industries, Inc., Lincoln, NE (mfr)
- Combustion & Fuel - Service & Improvement, Cajica, Colombia (S&C)
- JHL Industrial Services, Centennial, CO (S&C)
- Kandras Construction & Management Inc., Plantation, FL (S&C)
- Mott-Smith Consulting Group, LLC, Tallahassee, FL (aff)
- Kruse North America, Wilmington, DE (aff)
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