November 20, 2018 | Vol. 68, No. 22

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Dear PEI Member:

On Oct. 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued one of the most important proclamations of his presidency. In the midst of the Civil War, with the outcome of that great conflict still uncertain, Lincoln announced a national holiday to give thanks for the nation’s many blessings. His words are just as stirring today as they were then:

“The year that is drawing towards its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. …. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.”

Like millions of Americans, on Thursday I will eat too much turkey, watch too much football and give thanks for the many ways in which my family has been blessed. But as the executive vice president of PEI, I also will give thanks for our association. The past year has affirmed much of what is good about our industry. It also has brought new developments that will mean even greater profit and greater stability for PEI members in the days to come.

Here are the top 10 PEI- and industry-related blessings for which I’m thankful this Thanksgiving:

Giving Thanks

OSHA Trench Safety Updates

Texas Skimmer Reporting

Free Webinar on Dispenser Fraud

California Data Privacy Law

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by e-mail to the editor, Rick Long at rlong@pei.org

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The easing of overly burdensome business regulations;
Lower corporate and personal income tax rates;
The strong, collaborative relationships PEI has built with regulators and other industry stakeholders;
Customers that, for the most part, have money to spend on upgrades and expansions;
Hundreds of volunteers who serve PEI on technical, safety, education and other committees;
The publication—now just days away—of PEI/RP1700, a document that will facilitate the safe, economical and environmentally sound removal of aging underground storage tanks (USTs);
Members who continue to compete with each other fairly, honestly and professionally;
A record-breaking 2018 PEI Convention @ the NACS Show;
Innovators who are bringing new ideas, new technologies and new business opportunities into the industry;
The chance to be involved in an industry that fuels transportation and commerce around the world.

That’s my top 10. What about you?

OSHA TRENCH SAFETY UPDATES
According to an Oct. 31 press release, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed a $35,844 penalty on a Texas company that allowed its employees to enter an excavation site without proper protections or training on the dangers of unsupported soils. The excavation also lacked any sloping, benching or shoring to support the soil walls. Under OSHA rules, the company has the right to contest the proposed citation.

The press release noted that OSHA recently updated its National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation in response to a spike in trenching fatalities.

TEXAS SKIMMER REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
According to Oil Express Daily, Texas soon may require fuel marketers to report all suspected credit card skimming incidents to the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). The state currently has no mandated reporting procedures. Consolidating all reports in a single office, the TDA believes, will allow Texas officials to better understand the frequency and type of skimming incidents in the state.

FREE WEBINAR ON FUEL DISPENSER FRAUD
Visa and Conexxus will host a free webinar at 12:00 p.m. CST, Tues. Nov. 27 on fraud at fuel dispensers. The webinar will discuss dispenser fraud trends, why fraud is accelerating, how to spot a skimmer and what to do if you find one. For more information or to register, click here.

GUIDANCE ON CALIFORNIA DATA PRIVACY LAW
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) takes effect Jan. 1, 2020. The CCPA establishes strict requirements on how businesses may collect, use and disclose California residents’ personal information. The requirements apply regardless of where the business that holds the data is located.

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW)—of which PEI is a member—recently released a summary detailing how the law applies to distributors. You can find it here.

MEMBER NEWS
Blue1 Energy Equipment of Buford, Georgia, purchased Roger Jones & Associates of Newnan, Georgia.
Guardian Fueling Technologies joined the ChargePoint network as a Signature Partner authorized to represent and service ChargePoint’s complete line of electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment.
Shields, Harper & Co. named Niazi “Z” Alzouhbi director of sales and marketing. Alzouhbi will be based in the company’s Martinez, California headquarters.
Wilson/Rogers & Associates Inc. expanded its operations into Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and California. The company also named Kirk M. Jackson sales representative and Erika Kibitskaya sales, marketing and administrative coordinator.

BRIEFLY NOTED
“The Florida Department of Agriculture found theft devices at 689 stations so far in 2018, despite enforcement from station owners and law officers. That’s more credit card skimmers found in ten months than were found in all of 2017.”—www.convenience.org, Nov. 13, 2018
“Woolworths has finally found a buyer for its Australian fuel business some two years after announcing its 540 Woolworths-owned fuel convenience stores were for sale. The buyer is EG Group, a global leader in fuel and c-store retailing which operates 4,700 sites across Europe and North America. The deal is worth Australian $1.725 billion or about U.S. $1.25 billion.”—Oil Express Alert, Nov. 9, 2018
“In September, there were roughly 7 million job openings in the United States, or roughly 1 million more than the number of people actively looking for work. Indeed, it was the sixth straight month with job postings exceeding the number of unemployed.”—Monday Economic Report, Nov. 12, 2019
“Volkswagen plans to price its new generation of upcoming fully electric vehicles lower than it had previously hinted—as low as 18,000 euros for Europe, or about $21,000 for an entry-level fully electric model that will launch there in late 2019.”—Green Car Reports, Nov. 9, 2018

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
New York environmental company. Core Environmental Consultants, Inc., 22-48 119th Street, College Point, NY 11356, has applied for Affiliate division membership. Elizabeth Tramposch, PE, is senior project engineer for the company, which was established in 2004. Core Environmental Consultants is an engineering and consulting firm specializing in petroleum bulk storage tank system evaluation and design, environmental management and remediation. Sponsored for PEI membership by William R. Klein, Franklin Company Contractors Inc., College Point, New York.

Texas technology firm. The Pinnacle Corporation, 201 E. Abram St., Arlington, TX 76010, has applied for Affiliate division membership. Melissa Fox Hadley is vice president of marketing and innovation for the company, which was established in 1990. The Pinnacle Corporation is a point of sale (POS) solution provider. Sponsored for PEI membership by Bret Swan, Minnesota Petroleum Service Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.
www.pinncorp.com

Florida distributor. Genisis Global LLC dba Advanced Petroleum Systems, 16600 NW 54 Ave., Miami Gardens, FL 33014, has applied for Distributor division membership. Percy Newland is general manager for the firm, which was established in 2000. Genisis Global LLC dba Advanced Petroleum Systems operates a warehouse to buy, stock and sell parts from major manufacturers. The company also services fuel dispensers, tanks and other fuel equipment. Sponsored for PEI membership by Adele Azcuy, PEMCO, Hialeah, Florida.
www.tryapsi.com

Mexican service company. Seterr, Murillo Vidal 135 Col. Ensueno, Xalapa, Veracruz 91060, Mexico, has applied for Service and Construction division membership. Miguel Duran Alarcon is environmental engineer for the firm, which was established in 1998. Seterr performs waterproofing tests, hazardous waste transport and disposal, fuel marketing equipment service and ecological cleanings. Sponsored for PEI membership by Brad Hoffman, Tanknology, Inc., Austin, Texas.

California installation and service company. Fuel Tech Support Inc., 28050 Thorup Ln., Hayward, CA 94542, has applied for Service and Construction division membership. Amir Tarbyatjoui is president of the firm, which was established in 2017. Fuel Tech Support Inc. provides installation and service for gas station equipment, as well as IT services to gas stations. Sponsored for PEI membership by Bob Mathews, Northwest Pump & Equipment Co., Portland, Oregon.

California environmental firm. Precision Environmental Services Inc., 1697 Trebbiano Street, Tulare, CA 93274, has applied for Service and Construction division membership. Adam Taylor is owner of the company, which was established in 2016. Precision Environmental Services is a general engineering contractor that performs testing, repairs, sales, service and maintenance. Sponsored for PEI membership by Bob Mathews, Northwest Pump & Equipment Co., Portland, Oregon.

Connecticut service company. Northeast Tank Services, Inc., 2545 Boston Post Road, Guilford, CT 06437, has applied for Service and Construction division membership. Michael Doucette is president of the firm, which was established in 1986. Northeast Tank Services Inc. performs testing and inspection of fuel tanks, piping and vapor recovery systems. Sponsored for PEI membership by Dawn Brooks, Purpora Engineering LLC, Saukville, Wisconsin.

ADMITTED TO PEI

Innovac Environmental LLC, Baird, Texas (affiliate)
GN Services Inc., Spring, Texas (service and construction)
Novak Technologies LLC, Doral, Florida (distributor)
Eastern Automotive Machine Tools Pvt. Ltd., Bahadurgarh, India, (manufacturer)
Daven Loomba, OKL Inc., Fremont, California (operations & engineering)

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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.