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From the Desk of the EVP

Membership Value
PEI is offering more value to our members. We are happy to announce the 2022 PEI Webinar Series. The series will kick off Feb. 16 with “Winning the War on Talent.” The full series lineup will be announced in mid-February. This series is available to all members as a benefit.

Looking Into the Future
“U.S. sets 55-mile-per-gallon fuel efficiency standard for 2026 models.” I shared this headline with the senior PEI staff to contemplate. Whether you agree with the administration or not—or believe this goal is attainable—it’s yet another indicator that our industry will face more change ahead. Change can be hard, but at PEI we are excited and determined to ensure that our members succeed. We are dedicated to continue to be forward-thinking for our industry.

Help Wanted
It’s not a secret. The need for talent is in every industry and every business. Everyone is looking for qualified help. I wish there were a silver bullet solution for this widespread problem. On the positive side, our education system is now more than ever willing to work with industry. All PEI members must get involved at a local level to take advantage of this moment. At PEI, we are building tools to train our industry’s workforce. Online training, testing and credentialing are a key focus for PEI moving forward.

I wish you all success in 2022. If we at PEI can assist in any manner, please let us know.

Jason Blake
PEI Executive Vice President
jblake@pei.org

From the Desk of the EVP

Supreme Court Stays Vaccine Mandate

EEOC Updated Guidance on Covid-19

PEI President Appoints 2022 Committees

PEI Seeks RP Topics

Respond to this Newsletter

by e-mail to info@pei.org

SUPREME COURT STAYS VACCINE MANDATE
On Jan. 13, the Supreme Court of the United States stayed enforcement of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s (OSHA’s) vaccine-or-test rule for private employers. The mandate is an emergency temporary standard directing employers with 100 or more workers to require vaccination against COVID-19 or weekly testing. Enforcement was scheduled to begin Jan. 10.

Late last year, the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) and other trade associations sued OSHA over its mandate. PEI is a member of NAW. The petitioners stated that the action taken by OSHA is “an extreme assertion of administrative power” and will cause harm to businesses, including employee loss, substantial and unrecoverable compliance costs and worsening of already fragile supply chains and labor markets.

“As association partners with both NACS and NAW, PEI supported this challenge against OSHA and the vaccine mandate,” said PEI Executive Vice President Jason Blake. “Our members, who are already experiencing labor shortages and critical supply chain challenges, face the real threat of workers leaving their jobs rather than getting vaccinated. The stay of the mandate is good news for PEI members.”

EEOC ISSUES UPDATED GUIDANCE ON COVID-19
On Dec. 14, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its guidance on What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws to clarify under what circumstances COVID-19 may be considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The updated guidance is available here.

PEI PRESIDENT SLEDD APPOINTS 2022 COMMITTEES
On Jan. 1, Ron Sledd, co-president of Beneficial Systems in Jetersville, Virginia, became president of PEI. He succeeds Steve Dixon of P.B. Hoidale in Wichita, Kansas. John Keller of JF Petroleum Group in San Antonio is the new PEI vice president. Jim Ether of R.M. Dalrymple Co. in Saratoga Springs, New York, continues as treasurer.

In November, Sledd appointed more than 200 members to PEI committees for 2022. These volunteer committees serve an important role in helping develop technical publications and other association resources.

PEI SEEKS TOPICS FOR RECOMMENDED PRACTICES
PEI is seeking topics suitable for future PEI Recommended Practices (RPs). Suggested topics should:

• Involve energy equipment handling practices that would strengthen the industry.
• Be overlooked or inadequately covered in other industry documents and literature.
• Be within the expertise of PEI members who could write the proposed document.

The more information and direction you can share, particularly around the purpose and scope of the proposed topic, the better it will be received by the RP Topic Selection Committee, which is comprised of the chairmen of all 17 PEI RP committees. Submit your proposal here.

EPA SETS VEHICLE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS STANDARDS
On Dec. 30, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published federal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for passenger cars and light-duty trucks through model year 2026. The final rule revises current GHG standards beginning in model year (MY) 2023 and increases in stringency year-over-year through MY 2026. The MY 2026 requirements establish the most stringent GHG standards ever set for the light-duty vehicle sector. More information is available on EPA’s website here.

SPEAKER SUBMISSIONS FOR PEI EVENTS NOW OPEN
Are you interested in sharing your expertise with others in the industry? Do you enjoy speaking in front of an audience? If so, you are encouraged to submit your proposed technical, business or industry topic for consideration at a PEI conference. To review submission requirements and submit your proposal, click here.

POLL: MOST AMERICANS WILL PURCHASE ICE VEHICLES
A recent study by Deloitte Consulting shows that 69% of Americans prefer to have their next vehicle be internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered. The study, entitled “2022 Global Automotive Consumer Study” asked more than 26,000 consumers in 25 countries questions about key trends impacting the automotive industry.

The study showed that while consumer interest in battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs) is highest in South Korea, China and Germany, ICE vehicles still dominate future purchasing intentions in the U.S. Consumers who said they are not considering an EV as their next vehicle cited range anxiety and a lack of public charging infrastructure as their biggest concerns.

The report is available for download here.

OSHA INJURY AND ILLNESS ANNUAL RECORDKEEPING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Posting Requirements. ​Employers subject to OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements must post copies of completed 300A forms between Feb. 1 and April 30. The 300A, also known as the “Summary of Work-related Injuries and Illnesses,” must be completed by Feb. 1 using data from the previous calendar year (2021) for each required establishment. The OSHA recordkeeping rule states that certain employers with more than 10 employees are required to keep a record of serious work-related injuries and illnesses.

Data Submission Requirements. Employers must electronically submit 2021 injury and illness data from OSHA Form 300A by March 2 if they have:

• 250 or more employees and are currently required to keep OSHA injury and illness records.
• 20-249 employees classified in specific industries with historically high rates of occupational injuries and illnesses.

Visit OSHA's Injury Tracking Application webpage for more information and to submit data online.

GASBUDDY PREDICTS $4/GALLON IN 2022
GasBuddy predicts that the average price of gasoline in the U.S. will climb in early 2022, peaking as high as $4.13 per gallon in June. According to the fuel-finding platform, most major U.S. cities could see prices peak around or just short of $4 per gallon, though some California cities such as San Francisco and Sacramento could see average prices soar to over $5 per gallon. GasBuddy expects the 2022 yearly national average gas price will rise from 2021’s $3.02 to $3.41 per gallon.

The full 2022 Fuel Price Outlook is available here.

MEMBER NEWS
Oscar W. Larson Co. acquired Capitol Business Equipment Inc., a technology deployment company that specializes in remote and on-premise large-scale technology deployments, long-term managed service, repair and maintenance of in-store hardware and software technology. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Wolftank Group signed an agreement to acquire a 50% stake in Mares Srl, a subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum Italia, which operates approximately 3,000 service stations under the Q8 brand. Mares will be involved in the project development and construction of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and hydrogen refueling facilities.

DEATH NOTICES
Jerry Knutson, 75, of Billings, Montana, died Dec. 30, 2021. Knutson started T-J Equipment in 1973. He later purchased Warren Sales and Service and started Western States Tank Testing. In 1987, he sold Western States Tank Testing to Northern Engineering and worked for them for over a year. In 1989, he started West-Tech Supply and later purchased Western States Tank testing back from Northern Engineering. 

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS
Texas reseller. Media Woodlands LLC, 928 Rayford Road, Spring, TX 77386, has applied for affiliate division membership. Liangwei Qu is a managing member of the firm, which was established in 2020.  Media Woodlands LLC is a reseller of technical books and media. Sponsored for PEI membership by Leonardo Noach, ISA, Montevideo, Uruguay. www.mediawoodlands.com

Tennessee construction company. CarePro National Painting, P.O. Box 1462, White House, TN 37188 has applied for service and construction division membership. Stacy Williams is founder and president of the company, which was established in 2013. CarePro National Painting provides interior and exterior painting solutions as well as canopy decking and reimaging programs. Sponsored for PEI membership by Guy Knox, Nashville Equipment Service, Nashville, Tennessee. www.carepropainting.com

Canadian manufacturer rep. Bisan Trading and Industrial Services Inc., 16-3190 Ridgeway Drive, Missassauga, Ontario, L5L 5S8, Canada, has applied for affiliate division membership. Bashar Sukhon is CEO of the company, which was established in 1997. Bisan Trading and Industrial Services Inc. provides fuel oil systems such as bulk storage tanks with submersible or positive displacement pumps, monitor/control systems, filtration systems and day tanks. Sponsored for PEI membership by Jonathan Levy, Pneumercator Company, Hauppauge, New York. www.bisaninc.com

Massachusetts engineering firm. CMG Environmental, 67 Hall Road, Sturbridge, MA 01566, has applied for affiliate division membership. David Faist, PE, is principal civil engineer for the company, which was established in 2002. CMG Environmental provides civil, pump and tank engineering design services for filling stations, marinas, fleet fueling and manufacturing facilities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Sponsored for PEI membership by John Nolan, John W. Kennedy Company Petroleum & Industrial Equip., East Providence, Rhode Island. www.cmg.env.com

Wisconsin service provider. RCT Petroleum Inc., 3845 W. Forest Home Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53215, has applied for service and construction division membership. David Storey is project manager for the company, which was established in 2016. RCT Petroleum Inc. installs and removes underground storage tank systems. Sponsored for PEI membership by Jason Mitchell, Icon Containment Solutions, Woods Cross, Utah. 

MEMBERSHIP TRANSFER REQUEST
Evora Petroleum Solutions, 1801 Industrial Cir., West Des Moines, IA 50265, has requested to transfer its PEI membership from the service and construction division to the distributor division. Evora Petroleum Solutions has been a PEI member since 2011. The company represents Dover (Wayne), Xerxes, Modern Welding, King, IRPCO, Husky, S. Bravo, RDM, ESCO, Benecor and Verifone.

ADMISSIONS

• Blink Charging, Miami Beach, Florida (affiliate)
• Chesapeake Pump & Electric, Chesapeake City, Maryland (service and construction)
• Justin James, QuikTrip, Tulsa, Oklahoma (operations and engineering)
• Malik Lighting & Signs, Palatine, Illinois (service and construction)
• Universal Engineering & Consultancy Services Limited, Accra, Ghana (Distributor)
• Petroleum Sales & Services Ltd., Caroni, Trinidad and Tobago (distributor)
• Varun Gangaram, Unipet, San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago (operations and engineering)
• Zad Professional Commercial Est, Nahdah, Saudi Arabia (service and construction)

The TulsaLetter is published each month by the Petroleum Equipment Institute. Opinions expressed are the opinions of PEI.