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NPGA NEWS & Turbo Systems on the conversion applications that
present economic, environmental, and community
health benefits. NPGA joined the Ohio Propane Gas
Association at the Midwest Green Transportation
Forum & Expo to share our role in National Clean
Energy Week with state energy and transportation
officials from the midwestern region.
In Washington, D.C., NPGA hosted staff from the
House of Representatives and Senate at a banquet
featuring U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). During the Policy Makers
Symposium, Michael Caldarera, NPGA Senior Vice
President of Advocacy & Technical Services, was a
featured panelist. Caldarera spoke to the advantages
of propane among America’s energy resources,
including the benefits of abundant, domestic
production. He also highlighted the U.S.-based jobs
in the propane industry and our efforts to create an
apprenticeship program for the propane workforce.
In addition, Caldarera noted the international
demand for propane as well as the innovation –
abroad and in the U.S. – to introduce renewable
propane in the market.
Based on the success in raising the profile of
propane and its ability to contribute to clean
energy goals at the state and national level, NPGA
is pursuing participation in National Clean Energy
Week 2020. Please share your recommendations
or suggestions for next year’s events by contacting
Sarah Reboli, Deputy Counsel, Regulatory Affairs.
Marketers Section Holds Panel
Discussion
With the Fall Board of Directors Meeting occurring
in the heart of the Utica and Marcellus shale plays,
Marketers Section Chairman Roger Boehlke invited
representatives from upstream and midstream
companies to participate in a panel discussion on the PACs for the electric and natural gas industries have
opportunities and challenges all industry segments
face in bolstering the domestic propane market.
Tucker Perkins of PERC, Mark Donahue of Markwest
Energy Partners, and Kendall Puig of Antero
Resources, provided perspective on the investment
needed by all industry players to successfully
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communicate the benefits of propane to new and
existing markets and to policymakers.
The section also discussed the recent transition of
were introduced to the Propane Logistics Analysis
the CETP program to PERC. Additionally, marketers
Network, or PLAN, application. The aim of this new
crowd-sourced tool is to give companies and drivers
a reliable resource to help maximize their hours of
service when trying to obtain supply. Please see the
next article for full details.
Governmental Affairs Committee
NPGA’s fall Governmental Affairs Committee meeting
saw plenty of discussion on a variety of issues. Much
of the discussion occurred during the breakout
sessions of the committee’s three main task forces.
The federal regulatory task force reviewed two
DOT proposals, one of which pertains to favorable
proposed changes to FMCSA’s short-haul operations
criteria and the other involving a change that returns
the language addressing cylinder requalification
for hydrostatic testing back to 12 years rather than
the current 10 years. The federal legislative task
force reviewed the legislative priorities for the
second session of the 116th Congress, including
appropriations language for research, development,
and demonstration for propane. Discussion within
the state engagement task force focused on the
idea of combating the decarbonization movement
occurring in a number of states throughout the U.S.
The committee also heard a report on PropanePAC’s
2020 election cycle implementation plan with
one of the key priorities being an expansion of
the PAC’s donor groups to enhance relationships
with members of Congress. The need to engage
Congress even more is critical when considering
that competitor industry association and corporate
received contributions that are 6 to 8 times more
than that for propane.
In addition, an update was provided on DOT’s entry
level driver training requirements, which go into
effect February 7, 2020. NPGA is working with PERC
GPGA MARKETER November 2019