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Dear PEI Member:

The latest revision of RP900: Recommended Practices for the Inspection and Maintenance of UST Systems (PEI/RP900-17) has been finalized and is available for purchase. The inspection and maintenance procedures in the document address all below-grade, liquid and vapor handling components accessible from over or near the top of the storage tank up to and including the emergency shutoff valve at the fuel dispenser.

The 2015 revisions to the federal underground storage tank (UST) rule require tank owners and operators to conduct periodic walkthrough inspections of spill prevention equipment, release detection equipment and containment sumps. The rule specifically recognizes RP900 as a code of practice that may be used to meet the walkthrough inspection requirements.

Because PEI recommended practices typically are revised every five years, the previous edition of RP900 (PEI/RP900-08), normally would have been updated in 2013. However, the PEI UST System Inspection and Maintenance Committee, which is responsible for RP900, deferred its work on the current edition until the new federal rule was published.

As a result, the committee was able to ensure that walkthrough inspection procedures in PEI/RP900-17 meet or exceed all federal requirements. To make it easy for readers to compare PEI's recommendations against the requirements in the federal rule, the committee included three side-by-side tables in Chapter 3.

Other revisions, enhancements and additions in PEI/RP900-17 include the following:

• A new appendix, “Water Management in Storage Systems,” will help readers better understand and address water-related issues associated with UST systems containing diesel and ethanol-blended fuels.
• The committee removed many equipment testing and verification procedures included in the 2008 edition because PEI/RP1200-17, which focuses exclusively on testing and verification, is a more logical home for the procedures.
• The committee divided the popular—but lengthy—annual inspection checklist in Appendix A into smaller sections that can be more readily adapted to the needs of specific facilities.
• The committee added steps for inspection of corrosion on drop tube shutoff valves (Section 8.10.1.2) and ball float valves (Section 8.10.2.3) in diesel tanks, as well as components in tank-top sumps, especially for systems storing ethanol-blended gasoline (Section 8.6.3).
• Chapter 8 was reorganized and enhanced with two new tables that clarify which inspection steps are applicable to specific UST components.

RP900-17 Now Available

House Appropriations Bill Softens EPA Budget Cuts

2018 National Tanks Conference Scheduled

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Members of the PEI UST System Inspection and Maintenance Committee are:

• Brad Hoffman, Tanknology Inc. (chair)
• Scott Boorse, Wawa Inc.
• Laura Fisher, California State Water Resources Control Board
• Ron Fulenchek, 7-Eleven Stores
• Ryan Haerer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Eric Hick, CGRS Inc.
• Jim Howard, Speedway LLC
• Jeff Lexvold, Xerxes Corporation
• Wes Loflin, NE Louisiana Wholesale Oil and Gas
• Dave Piercey, JD2 Environmental Inc.
• Ed Rachins, Mutual Oil Company
• John Scandurra, WMRS
• Ben Thomas, UST Training
• Sonny Underwood, Mid-South Steel Products Inc.
• Brian Wiegert, Rounds and Associates

Marcel Moreau served as consultant to the Committee.

To help state regulators and PEI members better understand key provisions of the new PEI/RP900-17, PEI will soon host a free webinar featuring members of the PEI UST System Inspection and Maintenance Committee. The date, time and other details will be announced soon. A similar July 12 webinar on the recently released PEI/RP1200-17 attracted well over 300 participants.

EPA SETS HEARING ON 2018 RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a public hearing on its proposed 2018 volume standards for renewable fuels and 2019 standards for biomass-based diesel (see July 6, 2017 TL). The hearing will be at 9 a.m. on Aug. 1 at the Hyatt Regency Washington Capitol in Washington, D.C. EPA also will accept public comments on the proposed rule for 45 days after its official publication. A pre-publication version of the proposal was released on July 5. More information is available on the EPA’s website.

HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL REDUCES EPA CUTS
The U.S. House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday approved an Interior and Environment Appropriations budget bill for FY 2018. The bill provides $7.5 billion for the EPA, a $528 million or 6.5 percent decrease from the FY 2017 EPA budget. President Trump’s budget proposal would have cut the FY 2018 EPA budget by $2.6 billion or 31 percent.

According to an internal memorandum prepared by EPA Acting Chief Financial Officer David A. Bloom, funding for leaking underground storage tank programs would fall by only $67,000 – from $91,941,000 to $91,874,000. The president had proposed cutting this portion of the budget by nearly $45 million. Notably, spending for state and tribal grants are untouched in the House bill, with FY 2018 funding steady at nearly $1.1 billion. The president had proposed a $469 million cut to state and tribal grants.

The committee-approved bill now goes to the full House of Representatives for consideration.

PEI OFFERS FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS TO BUSINESS BULLET
In response to member requests, PEI is expanding the reach of our free Business Bullet e-newsletter beyond principals and other senior decision-makers of member companies. Monthly issues feature surveys, analyses and best practices on business and financial management, personal and staff development, leadership and communication. Any employee of a PEI member company can subscribe by logging into Members Only Enewsletters.

KENTUCKY EXTENDS UST REMOVAL ASSISTANCE
Effective July 15, Kentucky pushed its deadline for applications to participate in the state’s Petroleum Storage Tank Environmental Assistance Fund from July 15, 2016 to July 15, 2021. The fund was created to support UST owners’ efforts to remove old underground gas and oil tanks in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. The legislation also extended the deadline for reimbursement requests for covered corrective actions from 2019 to 2024.

ACAPMA RELEASES DRAFT VAPOR RECOVERY AND BIOFUEL STORAGE GUIDELINES
The Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association (ACAPMA) released for public comment draft best practices for the storage of biofuels and the installation and operation of vapor recovery systems at retail fueling sites. Both draft documents can be downloaded from the ACAPMA website, which also includes instructions for submitting comments. ACAPMA will accept comments through close of business July 31.

MEMBER NEWS
Leighton O’Brien promoted Greg Salverson to the newly created position of president, Wetstock International. Previously the company’s international business development manager, Salverson will be responsible for growing the company’s global wetstock operations, establishing licensed software partners and driving product enhancements.
SPATCO Energy Solutions relocated its corporate headquarters to 8303 University Executive Park Drive in Charlotte, North Carolina, after 53 years at 4800 N. Graham St., also in Charlotte. For now, the balance of SPATCO's Charlotte operations, including service, construction, manufacturing and central warehousing, will remain at the Graham Street location.
Bridgestone HosePower, a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Bridgestone Corp., acquired Fittings Inc., a hydraulic and industrial hose sales and service company in Seattle. Bridgestone is based in Orange Park, Florida.
Washworld Inc. Co-marketing Manager Karen Ott retired from the company July 13, after 10 years of service.

BRIEFLY NOTED
“Alimentation Couche-Tard is continuing its acquisition run in the United States. The Canadian retailer signed an agreement with Holiday Cos. to acquire all the issued and outstanding shares of Holiday Stations Inc. and certain affiliated companies. The Midwest-based Holiday's assets include more than 500 company-operated and franchise convenience stores, a food commissary and a fuel terminal.”—Convenience Store News, July 11, 2017
“All Volvo car models launched after 2019 will be electric or hybrids, the Chinese-owned company said on Wednesday, making it the first major traditional automaker to set a date for phasing out vehicles powered solely by the internal combustion engine. The Sweden-based company will continue to produce pure combustion-engine Volvos from models launched before that date, but its move signals the eventual end of nearly a century of Volvos powered solely that way.”—Reuters, July 4, 2017
“France aims to end the sale of gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2040 and become carbon neutral 10 years later, Ecology Minister Nicolas Hulot said on Thursday at a presentation of measures to keep up momentum on the Paris climate agreement. ... Diesel and gasoline vehicles represented about 95.2 percent of French new car fleets in the first half of the year, while electric vehicles hold 1.2 percent of the market. Hybrid cars make up about 3.5 percent."—U.S. News & World Report, July 6, 2017
“A growing number of states are imposing new fees on electric vehicles as officials scrounge for ways to pay for infrastructure projects they say are long overdue. At least five states, including California, passed bills targeting the cars this year, bringing the total number with fees on the books to 13. The charges generally range from $100 to $200 a year.”—CNBC, July 3, 2017

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
Chicago software provider. Urgent Technology, 155 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 4250, Chicago, Illinois 60606, has applied for affiliate division membership. Kinga Makenas is business development manager for the firm, which was established in 1996. The company provides software solutions for maintenance management for convenience store locations for the petroleum retail industry. Sponsored for PEI membership by Steve Trabilsy, Accurate, North Aurora, Illinois. www.urgtech.com
Dominican Republic contractor. Compañia Armenteros, Santo Domingo, D.N Suite 208, Avenida Kennedy 34, Naco, Dominican Republic 10119, has applied for service and construction division membership. Jesus Armenteros is manager for the firm, which was established in 2001. The company is a general contractor for gas stations and terminals in the Dominican Republic. Sponsored for PEI membership by David Fiala, FMGLLC, Maitland, Florida. www.companiaarmenteros.com

ADMITTED TO PEI

• McMurray Industrial Supply, Miami, Florida (dis)
• Stacey Agostini, Global Partners, Waltham, Massachusetts (O&E)
• Eric Andrews, Gypsum Management & Supply, Tucker, Georgia (O&E)
• Martin Hilfinger, Cumberland Farms, Westboro, Massachusetts (O&E)
• Galen James, Quick Fuel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (O&E)
• Harry Lewis, Murphy Oil, El Dorado, Arkansas (O&E)
• Thomas Petrauskas, Greater Chicago I-55 Truck Plaza, Chicago, Illinois (O&E)
• John Puthusseril, Greater Chicago I-55 Truck Plaza, Chicago, Illinois (O&E)
• Mathew Puthusseril, Greater Chicago I-55 Truck Plaza, Chicago, Illinois (O&E)
• Robin Puthusseril, Greater Chicago I-55 Truck Plaza, Chicago, Illinois (O&E)
• Diane Rae, BJ’s Wholesale, Westborough, Massachusetts (O&E)

 

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Petroleum Equipment Institute
P. O. Box 2380
Tulsa, OK 74101-2380

The TulsaLetter (ISSN 0193-9467) is published two or three times each month by the Petroleum Equipment Institute. Richard C. Long, Editor. Opinions expressed are the opinions of the Editor. Basic circulation confined to PEI members.