November 24, 2014 | Vol. 64, No. 23
November 24, 2014 | Vol. 64, No. 23
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Dear PEI Member: There are relatively few advantages to getting older. I have firsthand knowledge of some of them. You get more frugal. (I always ask for the senior discount.) You become more open and say what’s really on your mind (It’s as if you kept it in, all these years, under the guise of being courteous, but your inhibitions melt away as you age.) And you wear comfortable clothes. (As long as I leave the house with comfortable shoes and matching socks on my feet, I’m happy.) Another advantage of getting older is having great long-term memory—just don’t ask me what I did with my car keys an hour ago. For example, I can remember exactly where I was 30 years ago this month when I received word that President Reagan signed amendments to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Subtitle I of those amendments specifically provided for regulation of underground storage tank (UST) systems. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST) was created the following year (1985) to carry out the Congressional mandate to develop and implement a new regulatory program for USTs. It resulted in the most comprehensive regulatory program PEI members have ever participated in. Leaking tanks became a problem before 1984. PEI predicted in 1975 that state and federal controls related to tank and piping leaks would proliferate. At about the same time, the American Petroleum Institute’s (API’s) Operations and Engineering Committee recognized that UST leaks presented a growing industry problem and formed a task force to recommend procedures for detecting and dealing with them. By 1981, less than 10 percent of all USTs in the ground were protected from corrosion. Emphasis shifted in the early 1980s from tank
regulations for safety reasons (i.e., fire codes) to regulations for
protecting the environment and public health. Pressure to deal with the
impact of leaking USTs on groundwater mounted when 60 Minutes aired a
disturbing segment on leaking underground service station tanks. Shortly
after that, Congress stepped in with the 1984 Subtitle I RCRA amendments.
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UST Program's 30th Anniversary PEI's Young Executives Conference Oklahoma's Proposed Tank Regulations
by e-mail to the editor, Robert Renkes at rrenkes@pei.org or join the discussion in the Petroleum Equipment Forum to unsubscribe or change preferences see below.
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There were over two million USTs in 1984. Many of them were bare steel that were corroding and leaking fuel into the ground. When President Reagan signed the law, more than 85 percent of the USTs were still made of unprotected steel. By 1988, somewhere from 10 to 48 percent of existing tanks failed a tank tightness test, depending on which study you believed. And when you consider that from 8 to 20 percent of all USTs had releases, UST regulators back then had their hands full. The U.S. EPA’s UST program has made significant contributions to the environment during the last 30 years. The program’s accomplishments are real, and there is much that regulators and the regulated community can point to with pride. Part of the reason this governmental program works so well after three decades is because Ron Brand and other founders of the UST program involved everyone in the process of protecting our environment from UST releases. States, territories, tribes, industry, owners/operators, service providers, equipment manufacturers and trade associations were called partners. PEI and its members were treated that way back then and continue to feel that way today. This is a unique program with unique relationships that has produced quantifiable results. I think successful managers and leaders should continuously focus on what can be, rather than what is. And I also believe that the best leaders are always focused on improving. From the equipment and contractor side of this unique partnership—and in that spirit—this is what I see still needs to be addressed to make a great UST program even greater:
Here’s to another 30 years. Let’s continue the good work. REGISTRATION OPENS FOR YOUNG EXECUTIVES CONFERENCE
The keynote speaker for the conference is Bruce Wilkinson, a leadership and communications implementation specialist. The Winter Conference early registration fee is $395 for PEI Young Executives members and $495 for nonmembers (nonmember fee includes a one year Young Executives membership). Spouses or guests also are invited to attend for a fee of $125, which includes all meals and receptions. These registration fees are valid until December 13, 2014. To register for the event or to view a detailed schedule for the conference, click here. Questions regarding Young Executives Winter Conference registration should be directed to Sondra Sutton at 918-236-3967 or ssutton@pei.org. The conference rate for the Andaz San Diego Hotel is $179 per night, excluding taxes and resort fees. This special block is available from February 2-8, 2015. The housing deadline is January 6, 2015. Reservations can be made via phone at 619-849-1234. Please make hotel reservations early, as only a limited number of rooms are available in the PEI room block. All rooms must be reserved with a valid credit card. PEI Young Executives Program is open to full-time employees of any PEI member company who are between the ages of 21 and 45. The cost for membership in the program is $100 per year. BRIEFLY NOTED REGULATORY BRIEFS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS ADMITTED TO PEI
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© 2014 The TulsaLetter (ISSN 0193-9467) is published two or three times each month by the Petroleum Equipment Institute. Robert N. Renkes, Executive Vice President, Editor. Opinions expressed are the opinions of the Editor. Basic circulation confined to PEI members. |
