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Dear PEI Member: We have been
asked with increasing frequency if PEI has taken a stance on a variety of
issues having to do with underground storage tanks, reformulated fuels,
weights and measures, EMV and OSHA. The short answer is no.
PEI is not a lobbying organization. We do not employ
any registered lobbyists and do not have a legislative committee. The
association’s stance has always been fuel and equipment neutral. The PEI
Board of Directors has followed this policy for decades because any action
taken on behalf of PEI members would tend to help some of our members while
hurting others. Furthermore, serving as an advocate for laws and regulations
that may benefit some members but hurt our customers is a policy PEI has
always avoided.
That’s a very brief explanation about what PEI will not
do. But since the mission of PEI “is to be the leading authority and source
of information for the fuel and fuel handling equipment industries,” there
are a few things that PEI does on the legislative and regulatory fronts that
deserve mentioning:
- We are a member of the National Association of Wholesaler
Distributors (NAW) which is a pro-business association in Washington, D.C.
They lobby on behalf of business issues that affect the wholesale
distribution industry. PEI may co-sign letters with other NAW-member trade
associations to members of Congress and federal agencies when potential
legislation and/or regulations matter to PEI members.
- PEI provides information to Congress and regulatory agencies
upon request. Most requests for information have to do with the availability
and functionality of equipment, and the cost of particular equipment and
services. Information provided by PEI is always gathered and averaged from
informal surveys of PEI members. No confidential or proprietary information
relating to specific members is ever shared.
-
PEI provides access to all of our information (except member
data) to regulators throughout the world free of charge.
EPA EXTENDS BIOFUELS DEADLINE AGAIN
U. S. EPA is again extending the compliance period for refiners to meet
2013 renewable fuel standard (RFS) requirements, citing delays in finalizing
the 2014 standards.
In a direct final rule issued August 1, EPA said it
would extend the deadline for refiners to submit RFS compliance reports
until 30 days after the 2014 rule is finalized. EPA previously said refiners
would have to show compliance with the 2013 standards by September 30. “This
action is being taken because we are still working on the 2014 RFS final
standards, and we are taking the time to get them right,” EPA said in an
email.
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PEI Lobbying Policy
EPA Extends RFS Compliance Period
Service &
Construction Managers Conference
PEI Service Manager Networking Groups
PEI and Industry News »
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EPA’s proposal for 2014, released last fall, has been
highly controversial and taken much longer than the agency originally
anticipated to finalize. It would represent the first rollback of the
federal standards for both ethanol and advanced biofuels, requiring refiners
to blend 15.21 billion gallons of biofuels this year. EPA received more than
10,000 comments on the proposal, many from farmers and biofuel producers who
warned that the proposal would erase some gains made in the rural economy
and energy independence. At this point it is unclear when EPA will finalize
the 2014 rule. A group of senators who met with the White House recently
said its release was “imminent,” but EPA has yet to send over the rule to
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for final review. Consideration by
OMB, once it receives the rule, could take at least several weeks.
PEI SEEKING MEMBERS TO PLAN SERVICE & CONSTRUCTION
MANAGERS CONFERENCE
PEI will sponsor its 2015 Service and Construction Managers Conference
March 19-21. In order to develop the most beneficial and relevant program
for attendees, PEI needs your help. On average, this Conference brings
together more than 100 industry professionals in service and construction
management. Serving on the Conference planning committee is an excellent
opportunity to put your expertise to good use, help the association and gain
greater value from your PEI membership.
If you are interested in serving on the committee
responsible for planning the Conference, contact Bob Young at PEI
byoung@pei.org (918-236-3966) no later than Wednesday, August 27. All
committee meetings will be held via conference call. Planning committee
members are expected to register and attend the Conference.
PEI ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR SERVICE MANAGER
NETWORKING GROUPS
Modeled after PEI’s highly successful 10-Groups program for company
owners and managers, these new networking groups will provide a forum for
service managers to brainstorm, share knowledge, problem solve and generate
new ideas. To join, members must be responsible for managing service
department work and personnel. There is no additional fee to participate in
a PEI Service Manager Networking Group. For more information
visit our website, or
contact Bob Young at
byoung@pei.org or 918-236-3966.
EMPLOYMENT AND REPRESENTATION TRANSITIONS
Freedom Electronics, LLC, Kennesaw, Georgia, has named Matt Jenkins vice
president of sales and marketing. He will report to Rod Smith, president of
Freedom Electronics.
The Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (SIGMA),
Washington, D.C., announced July 31 that executive vice president Ken Doyle
has decided to leave SIGMA after 34 years to pursue other opportunities.
SIGMA has formed a transition team that is charged with identifying Doyle’s
successor.
OMNTEC Mfg., Inc., Ronkonkoma, New York, has contracted with Rocky
Mountain Rep Agency and The Boston-McDermott Group to represent
OMNTEC in the Western United States.
DEATHS
Robert A. Becker, owner of Becker Aviation Specialists, passed away June
29 after a short battle with cancer. He was 86. Bob spent his career working
in aviation, his lifelong passion. He founded Becker and Associates in 1969
and started Becker Aviation Specialists after he left Becker and Associates
in 2012. He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou; daughter Polly (Doug) Kerkman;
son Jay (Robin); daughter Nancy (Brian) Olson; three stepchildren; and six
grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his former wife, Shirley, in
1996.
Donald Johnson, former chair of the National Fire Protection
Association’s Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code Committee and the
Technical Committee on Automotive and Marine Service Stations, died July 14.
He was 93. A chemical engineer by training, he worked 37 years in the
petroleum industry. He is survived by his son and daughter and was preceded
in death by his wife. Don was one of the best chairs I have had the pleasure
to work with in any capacity. He was fair, knowledgeable and always able to
add some humor to otherwise bland proceedings.
Al Villareal, an employee of Coleman Hanna Carwash Systems LLC, was
involved in a car accident July 20 and did not survive.
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
Tennessee distributor. Phillips Sales and Service Inc., 1772 Beersheba
Road, McMinnville, Tennessee 37110, has applied for distributor division
membership. Dave Brown is vice president of the firm, which was established
in 1948. The company represents Bagby, Bennett, Catlow, CentralIl, ESCO,
Franklin, LSI, ModernWeld, NewberryTk, PemcoFL, PMPCorp, RDMElec, TMS and
Tuthill. Phillips Sales and Service also services petroleum equipment.
Sponsored for PEI membership by Lucas Ford, LucasFord, St. Petersburg, FL.
Compliance documentation software provider. No Violation, Inc., 1325
Howard Avenue, Number 525, Burlingame, California 94010, has applied for
affiliate division membership. E. Tabet is founder and CEO of the firm,
which was established in 2010. The company provides cloud-based software for
the storage of compliance documents. Sponsored for PEI membership by Eddy
Tabet, TEC, South San Francisco, CA.
www.noviolation.com
Georgia architectural and engineering firm. Robertson Loia Roof
Architects & Engineers, 3460 Preston Ridge Road, Suite 275, Alpharetta,
Georgia 30005, has applied for affiliate division membership. Alison R.
Daughtry is fuel project manager for the firm, which was established in
1980. The company provides design services in architecture, landscape
architecture, interior design, civil, structural and MEP engineering.
Sponsored for PEI membership by David L. Jones, Galloway, Greenwood Village,
CO.
www.rlrpc.com
California installation and maintenance firm. George Bryant
Construction Inc., 9333 Golden Street, Alta Loma, California 91737, has
applied for service and construction division membership. Ronald Franklin is
project manager for the firm, which was established in 1989. The company
installs, maintains and tests aboveground and underground fuel storage
systems. Sponsored for PEI membership by Pablo Fuerte, PFServices, Upland,
CA.
Dominican Republic service company. Petro y Mas, C/Romulo Betancourt
#1370, Local 2D, Santo Domingo, Districto Nacion, Dominican Republic, has
applied for service and construction division membership. Rafael Enrique
Mota Luna is president of the firm, which was established in 2009. The
company installs and services equipment at fueling stations and convenience
stores. Sponsored for PEI membership by Oscar Ramirez, Bolivar, Miramar, FL.
ADMITTED TO PEI
- Eduardo Cantu
Garcia, GYBSACO, Santa Catarina, NL, Mexico (O&E)
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