|
|
 |
|
 |
|
SIGMA COMMENTS ON EPA’S INSPECTION PROVISIONS
SIGMA submitted comments in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) draft grant guidelines for implementing EPAct’s inspection provisions on Dec. 20, 2006. SIGMA referred to: (1) clarification in the type of inspections referenced in the guideline; and (2) opposition to any requirement that forces owners or operators to pay for private on-site inspections. To meet EPAct’s UST program requirements, SIGMA strongly urged EPA to request from Congress a substantial increase in additional LUST fund appropriations for fiscal year 2007, given the program’s effective date of August 8, 2007, and make this mission a priority. SIGMA also reminded EPA that the roughly $200 mil authorized by HR 6111, and signed by Pres. Bush this week, presents EPA with a renewed opportunity to secure funds needed to accomplish the important goals set out by the EPAct.
EPA STAGE II SYSTEM REMOVAL
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards and the Office of Transportation and Air Quality provided some guidance via a memorandum sent to States concerning the removal of Stage II gasoline vapor recovery systems where States demonstrate to EPA that widespread use of Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) occurred in specific portions of the motor vehicle fleet. The specific fleets addressed in the memo include: (1) initial fueling of new vehicles at automobile assembly plants; (2) refueling of rental cars at rental car facilities; and (3) refueling of flexible fuel vehicles at E85 dispensing pumps. Because the rate of ORVR-equipped vehicles has not penetrated the general market at the same rate of the advanced fleets discussed in this memo, EPA is still considering the possible criteria for determining widespread use for the U.S. general fleet. Click here to read the full memo.
Back to top
SIGMA COMMITTEE MEETINGS
SIGMA invites you to the Winter Committee Meetings coming up February 8-9, 2007 in Denver, CO at the Loews Denver hotel. Make your hotel reservation by calling 303-782-9300 today! Be sure to ask for the SIGMA rate of $129.00 (single/double). Questions? Call SIGMA at (703) 709-7000 or visit www.sigma.org
Back to top
PRES. BUSH COMPROMISES ON MINIMUM WAGE
President Bush signaled a willingness to support a minimum wage hike (from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour over two years) during a press conference held on Dec. 20th in exchange for small business tax relief in the 110th Congress. “I support pairing it with targeted and regulatory relief, to help these small businesses stay competitive and to help keep our economy growing,” Bush said. At this time, no small business tax breaks package exists, though past proposals may give some insight into the universe of possibilities. However, the most popular provision (the extension of the increase in Section 179 expensing for small businesses) does not seem likely to reappear, given the tax reconciliation legislation.
Back to top
RFG RULE EXTENSION: IL AREA
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Stephen Johnson signed the Extension of the Reformulated Gasoline Program (RFG) to the East St. Louis, Illinois Ozone Non-attainment Area (40 CFR Part 80) on Dec. 20, 2006. The rule extends the Act’s prohibition against the sale of conventional gasoline to the Illinois portion of the St. Louis, Missouri-Illinois 8-hour ozone non-attainment area. The RFG requirements will apply to refiners and all other persons in the fuel distribution system on May 1, 2007. For retailers and wholesalers, the requirements of this rule will apply on June 1, 2007. For more information, contact EPA’s Kurt Gustafson at (202) 343-9219 or via email at gustafson.kurt@epa.gov.
Back to top
FINAL BOUTIQUE FUELS LIST
As required by EPAct, EPA issued an approved list of boutique fuels on Thursday. The list’s intent is to reduce the number of different fuels required around the country and to promote fungibility of fuels, which typically travel through common carrier pipelines and terminals. EPA published a draft list in the Federal Register in June and a 60-day comment period followed. Click here to see which fuels made EPA’s final cut. Please contact EPA’s Anne-Marie Pastorkovich at (202) 343-9623 or via email at pastorkovich.anne-marie@epa.gov with any questions.
Back to top
WRI 110th CONGRESSIONAL PREDICTIONS: RENEWABLES
According to Jonathan Lash, president of the World Resources Institute, the newly-democratic 110th Congress will bring a new focus on boosting the use of renewable fuels in the United States by pressing for legislation that will require industries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Lash said he expects President Bush to place renewed attention on the climate change issue in his January State of the Union address but will likely not offer any dramatic new proposals. He went onto say that Congress will also review ethanol subsidies due to the limited environmental benefits to increasing further production to meet EPAct 2005 mandates.
Back to top
UPDATES REQUESTED FOR 2007 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY
To date, SIGMA’s only received 160 updated records from our 350 member companies—that’s less than 50 percent. SIGMA wants to publish the most up-to-date information for your company in the coveted 2007 SIGMA Membership Directory. Help us represent you the best we possibly can! To update your information, please contact SIGMA’s Director of Membership, Eileen Moore, at emoore@sigma.org or (703) 709-7000 for more information.
Back to top
BUSH SIGNED TAX LEGISLATION
President Bush signed a $40 billion tax and trade bill (H.R. 6111) on Wednesday. As reported in last week’s Weekly Report, the bill includes measures to expand oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and to authorize new provisions for environmental programs that address underground storage tanks. The offshore drilling provision opens more than 8 million acres in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico to new oil and gas development. It also states that the LUST trust fund may be used for corrective actions involving MTBE and other oxygenated fuel additives, as well as provisions for secondary containment on underground tanks and expanded inspections and enforcement actions.
Back to top
CANADA GOES RENEWABLE
Canada unveiled plans on Wednesday to require a percentage of renewable fuel in gasoline, diesel fuel and heating oil as part of the country’s effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The regulatory proposals would require gasoline refiners to reach an annual average of 5 percent renewable content in gasoline by 2010 and an average of 2 percent renewable content in diesel fuel and heating oil by 2012. The same day, Canada’s Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Chuck Strahl announced that the federal government will allocate $304 mil to fund efforts of agricultural producers and rural communities to develop biofuels resources.
Back to top
2007 EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE: ASPEN, CO
Get a jumpstart on 2007 by mapping out your business strategy at the SIGMA/NPN/OPIS Executive Leadership Conference, coming up February 11-14, 2007. Education sessions will cover everything from financing your business to the always-popular CEO 2007 Outlook Marketer Panel, where five of SIGMA’s best will share their business strategy fundamentals for the upcoming year. Keynote speaker Philip K. Verleger, Jr. will also be on hand to show us his views on what the U.S. oil markets might look like in the coming decade. Other education sessions include: Common Hedging Mistakes, Improving Domestic Energy Security, The Right Financing for the Right Assets, and Business Analyst Nancy Yamaguchi on alternate fuels! For more information, please visit SIGMA’s Web site at www.sigma.org.
Back to top
HOUSE SPEAKER PELOSI NAMES NEW HOUSE LEADERS
Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced the new leaders of the House ethics committee and the Committee on House Administration on Tuesday. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH) will chair the ethics committee. Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA) will chair the House Administration Committee. Both new nominees are African-American women. Tubbs Jones, a former Ohio prosecutor and judge, is a veteran Committee member who helped lead the House page scandal investigation. Millender-McDonald served as the ranking Democrat on the House Administration Committee when the GOP controlled the House. Her panel is widely expected to focus on president election reform issues, such as electronic voting machine problems, and possibly a contested House election in Florida’s 13th congressional district.
Back to top
SIGMA’S TRUCK AUTOMATION SHARE GROUP: MARCH 21-22
Sign up for SIGMA’s Truck Automation Share Group, coming up March 21-22, 2007 in Denton, Texas, before it’s too late—this group’s filling up fast, with over 30 participants thus far! Expert speakers from DTN, Federated Insurance, Intellifuel and Smart Logix will be on hand to answer your truck automation questions. Plus, this Share Group also includes a Peterbilt Assembly Plant Tour, giving you an inside look into what’s going into your truck. So come share your experiences with other marketers, talk about solutions for your total truck automation program and don’t forget to register today!
Back to top
SIGMA Weekly Report December 25, 2006 © Copyright SIGMA, 2006
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Marquis Sponsor
|
|
|
|
Elite Sponsors
|
|
|
|
|
|
Affiliate Sponsors
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive Sponsor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Patron Sponsor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
