SIGMA's Summer Legislative Review

This year’s Legislative Meeting exceeded SIGMA’s attendance goals and turned out to be a great success! On July 19, SIGMA’s Legislative Committee met for three hours and discussed the most important marketer issues in the then-pending energy bill. The Committee and other Legislative Conference attendees discussed the MTBE “safe harbor” and deemed it as the most important marketer issue at stake in the energy bill — a consensus driven home by the experience of Jack Tevis, a Maryland marketer who is facing a half-a-billion-dollar MTBE lawsuit alone.

Unfortunately, MTBE was taken out of the energy bill entirely. The failure to achieve an MTBE safe harbor is a negative development for the entire motor fuels manufacturing and distribution industries. In short, the conference report does not ban MTBE on a federal level; there is no “safe harbor” protection from product liability litigation for MTBE or gasoline containing MTBE; and the report stipulates that litigants involved in cases regarding MTBE can have the cases removed to federal district court. For more information on energy legislation, see the article on the outcome of the energy bill on page 8.

On Tuesday evening, 16 legislators joined SIGMAPAC contributors at a reception held at the Tortilla Coast restaurant — one block from the House office buildings. The event gave SIGMA marketers the chance to talk one-on-one with Representatives who’ve supported legislation and amendments favorable to SIGMA and independent motor fuel marketers.

On July 20, SIGMA graciously welcomed Senator Richard Burr, R-N.C., for breakfast before what would be a busy day of lobbying. Mr. Burr has been a supporter of marketers in the past and it was a great privilege to have him meet with us. Approximately 45 SIGMA motor fuel marketers made 220 Capitol Hill visits that day to make their concerns and positions known to key legislators.

The impeccable timing presented SIGMA members with the opportunity to meet with several of the energy bill conferees during key debates. In sum, this year’s Legislative Meeting was a profound success and SIGMA would like to thank all those involved in making the meeting a memorable and productive event.