November - North Carolina Propane Gas Association

2011-2012
Rebate Programs
Duty to Warn
(Funds go to Propane Marketer)
$500 Per Mailing Per Store
PERC Forms
• Propane Safety Booklet (MaRC 005606)
• For You and Your Family brochure (MaRC 003121)
Commercial
Mower Purchase/
Placement Data
(Funds go to customer)
$500.00 new or aftermarket
See website
for details
Safe Installation of
Appliances Rebate
(Funds go to customer)
•
•
•
•
•
$300.00 for a propane furnace or gas pack,
$200.00 for a propane tankless hot water heater,
$200.00 for a propane vented room heater,
$100.00 for a propane storage type hot water heater, or
$100.00 for a dual fuel heat pump with propane as one
of the fuels
2
NC Propane Gas Association
November 2011
The North Carolina Propane
Gas News
John R. Jessup, Executive Director
Michael S. Boggs, Director of Education and
Technical Services, Editor
Brenda Cole, Office Manager
Jon Carr, Lobbyist, Legal Counsel
Ph. 919-787-8485 ● Fx. 919-781-7481
Officers
David Parker...................................................President
Tim Rice................................................President-Elect
Ken Dye.................................................Vice President
David Briles...................................................Secretary
Cyndi Kibler...................................................Treasurer
Amy Jordan Dean.................Immediate Past President
District Directors
District 2. Mike Fox....................................Waynesville
District 3. Greg Eanes..................................Greensboro
District 4. Jeff Ruffner...................................Statesville
District 5. Billy Foust........................................Mebane
District 6. Don Worsley, II.................................Sanford
District 7. Alex Jernigan................................Smithfield
District 8. Jo Ann Jezard..........................Elizabeth City
District 9. F. Ray Moore..............................Washington
Committee Chairs
Advisory Board................................Amy Jordan Dean
Convention.................................................Angi Harris
Education/Safety.................................Donald Godfrey
Finance..................................................George Lipford
Governmental Affairs...............................Jeff Ruffner
Membership Services..........................Doug Lawrence
NC Young Gassers.............................Don Worsley, II
Promotion & Public Relations.....Colin Wood-Bradley
Publication................................................Mike Groom
Technologies/Innovations.................Armistead Mauck
Suppliers.................................................Christian Rich
Notice
As the official publication of the NC Propane Gas Association,
the NC Propane Gas News carries authentic notice pertaining to
the activities of the Association. In other respects, statements of
fact and opinion are made on the responsibility of the authors and
contributing writers alone, and do not imply an opinion on the
part of the Board of Directors, the Officers, or the Membership.
November 2011
Advertisers
Apache LP-Gas Trucks, Inc....................................10, 23
Apex Propane...............................................................5
Best & Langston..............................back outside cover
Cates Propane Plant Construction.................................2
Charlotte Tank Trucks.................................................21
CUI.....................................................................11
Gardner Marsh Gas Equipment...................................8
Gas Equipment Co....................................................22
PETCO...................................................................15
Plains Marketing.........................................................18
Propane Trucks.............................................................6
Rutherford Equipment................................................16
Thompson Gas...........................................................17
Contents
David Parker.....................................................4
John Jessup.......................................................7
Richard Fredenburg.........................................9
Thank You from J.E. Hardison........................11
Happenings at NCPGA....................................13
National Save for Retirement Week...............14
Michael S Boggs............................................16
Upcoming Events
Dec. 6, 2011
Board of Directors Meeting, Board of Directors only,
NCPGA
5109 Hollyridge Dr.
Raleigh, NC 27612
10:00 am-12:00 noon
January 9-12. 2012
NPGA Leadership Summit
hosted by NCPGA
5109 Hollyridge Dr.
Raleigh, NC 27612
Feb. 1-3, 2012
Southern Farm Show
NC State Fairgrounds
Raleigh, NC
March 25-28, 2012
Board of Directors Meeting
all members welcome
Charlotte Marriott City Center
100 W. Trade St.
Charlotte, NC 28202
NC Propane Gas Association
3
David Parker, President
As you read this October is
gone and we are moving on with
November. Your 2011-12 association officers have settled down
to work. We held our 1st executive committee meeting on October 10th. I’d like to take this
opportunity to welcome our newest executive committee member
Cyndi Kibler. Cyndi begins her
term as treasurer and the 1st supplier member to serve on the executive committee.
At this meeting we selected
our 2011-2012 committee members.
The Committees were
formed from the preferences you
requested on the Committee Assignment Request Form that was
sent to all members. The response
to the request for committee interest was tepid at best. If you are
a member of NCPGA we need
your input on one of our various
committees. If you are an owner
or manager that does not have the
time, then maybe there would be
someone in your company that
could participate. It’s not too late
to get started. Please call Brenda
at the Association office if you
have an interest in serving on a
committee.
The PERC committee also
met on October 10th to finalize the programs we would put
forth this year. You will be receiving information on these programs very soon if you haven’t
already. You will notice that our
PERC programs are not as large
this year due to a couple of reasons. One, last year we had some
carry over money from previous
years that had not been used. The
PERC committee last year wanted to see your PERC dollars used
for the purpose it was collected
(industry programs) rather than
sitting in a bank account and benefiting no one. Therefore we used
that money in addition to last
year’s assessment dollars. Two,
as sales volumes go down across
the state, our PERC dollars decrease as well. The committee
did a good job in disbursing our
PERC dollars last year and although the assessment is smaller
this year, they arrived at a good
plan for this year’s programs.
November is a month where
Americans give thanks for our
many blessings. America is experiencing some difficult times
with our economy at present, but
we still have much to be thankful
for. If I were to list all the things
that I am blessed with and thankful for, this magazine would not
hold them all. I suspect most of
our members could say the same
thing. Please take a few moments
in the next few days and make a
list. Yes, write down a few things
you are thankful for. Then share
it with someone, throw it away,
post it on your wall, whatever
you would like. I have found
that writing things down tends
to make them more real to me
and they remain in my thoughts
4
NC Propane Gas Association
Greetings:
clearer and longer. My short list
follows:
I am thankful for my family,
for my faith, for having a job
that supports my family, for my
health, for a new son-in-law, for
my friends and peers in this industry,…………
If you have suggestions, questions, need technical advice, or
a need for anything your association offers, please contact the
office and speak with Brenda,
Mike, or John. You can also contact one of the executive committee members or a district director.
I am positive we will listen to
your suggestion and do our best
to get you an answer.
My desire is that at the end of
this year we can all say it’s been
a good year.
David Parker
See page 12 for my Pride and Joy
November 2011
What Does
Promoting Low PrIce
Bring? Growth or
Decline?
tactics… “First Fill Special,”
“Special Low Price,” “New Customer Special Rate,” etc., focus
the attention on “lowest price”
and do nothing to illustrate the
benefits people enjoy from using
propane. What this “low price”
focus does is tarnish the industry’s image and weaken people’s
overall perception of propane as
an energy source.
As propane marketers, we
need to realize we’re undermining
our own profits and the reputation
of the industry when we focus on
lowest price. When we promote
the qualities of this exceptional
energy source — including the
economical and environmental
benefits, cost savings over electric appliances (i.e., water heaters) longevity (i.e., propane furnaces), safety spects, versatility,
etc., we elevate our product and
reputation and create the climate
to increase gallons delivered.
Instead of a myopic marketing
approach based on “price” (cultivating a not-so-ideal customer?),
increase revenue by marketing
the additional benefits and uses
of propane and thus increase your
gallons delivered. Tout propane
for water heaters, gas stoves,
generators, furnaces, room and
garage heat, and other uses.
This approach creates a favorable impression in people’s
minds of propane as an energy
source. You’ll elevate people’s
perception of propane, and the industry, by conveying the benefits
and uses of this excellent energy
source.
Don’t undermine your profits, or our industry — build them
through positioning propane in a
positive light and increasing your
gallons delivered. Ë
November 2011
NC Propane Gas Association
5
Propane Resources
The key to creating sustainable growth won’t come from
luring customers based on lowest
price. It will happen through diversifying the services and products you offer and increasing gallons delivered. It’s about creating
a positive image of the value your
company provides and the great
things propane can do for customers. This will add up to a positive perception of propane and
the propane industry as a whole.
Even though shortsighted,
it’s common for propane retailers to rely on a “lowest price”
marketing strategy to gain new
customers. These all-to-familiar
6
NC Propane Gas Association
November 2011
John R. Jessup, Executive Director
Tough Times…
Tougher People
I recently attended the National Propane Gas Association
meeting in Kansas City, Mo. In
2 years of attending these meetings this one was full of the most
pessimistic meetings I have ever
attended. The comments ranged
from concerns about the 3.5 million barrels of propane being
exported out of the US to the
long-term damage high propane
pricing will do to our customer
base. At the end of the day nobody had a silver bullet to solve
all of these problems, but there
was an underlying message in
the conversations in the hallways
and corners of rooms. That message was tough times never last,
but tough people do. And from
what I know about our members
is that they are savvy business
owners that do what it takes to
survive. The members of this association are like a family. We
may fuss at each other at times,
but when the chips are down and
somebody needs help we roll up
our sleeves and lend a hand.
Just take the substantial flooding from Hurricane Irene this fall.
J.E. Hardison owner of Eastern
Propane in Bayboro, NC needed
some help rounding up hundreds
of tanks that were dislodged by
the hurricane. NCPGA members formed crews from different
companies of both marketers and
November 2011
affiliates worked side by side in
the mosquito infested area. They
lent their time, equipment, and
people to recover tanks of all
sizes and in all types of predicaments.
So the next time hard times
hit you, remember that you are
not alone; and don’t be too proud
to pick up the phone and ask for
help. And chances are like your
momma does…we will call you
to check on you before you even
get a chance to call. That’s what
being in a family is all about.
Travis Hardison, Brandon Cox, Woody Tew, and Paul Harris take a
break from hunting tanks.
Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay
NC Propane Gas Association
Anybody seen my chainsaw?
7
8
NC Propane Gas Association
November 2011
Richard Fredenburg, NCDA&CS
Anchoring Tanks –
More to Learn
Richard Fredenburg, NC
Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services
The 2011 Atlantic hurricane
season comes to an end Nov. 30,
but that does not prevent hurricane-like storms outside of the
season. We have seen some nasty
storms pop up in the spring, too.
The bottom line is any low-level
sites with propane tanks or sites
where tanks are located in a flood
plain run the risk of flooding.
Although we don’t know the
true extent of the losses yet, Hurricane Irene caused hundreds of
tanks to float away or turn bottom up. We do realize that not
all tanks can be secured against
the forces of hurricanes or other
acts of nature, but judging from
preliminary reports, it is fair to
say that anchoring requirements
of the LP-Gas Code were not followed at several locations.
Hurricanes can cause sand and
soil to wash away, sometimes
resulting in breaches where land
disappears. If a dune disappears,
a tank on top of it is gone, too.
No reasonable amount of anchoring in that situation will keep the
tank there.
The LP-Gas Code is clear
about anchoring requirements.
“Where necessary to prevent flotation due to possible high flood
waters around aboveground or
November 2011
mounded containers, or high water table for those underground
and partially underground, containers shall be securely anchored.” (NFPA 58, section
6.6.1.6)
The code is less clear about
how to meet those requirements.
We have seen a variety of methods employed. A few types seem
to be the most effective. Others
are questionable.
The most popular anchors
for propane containers are helix anchors, also known as mobile home anchors. These are
rods with helical discs attached
that you literally screw into the
ground. They vary in length, disc
diameter and number of discs.
They should be used with soil
charts or test probe charts, which
will show which size anchors can
be expected to hold in the soil at
the tank site. The cable or straps
that connect the anchors to the
tank are a key part of the anchoring system. These, too, must be
properly sized to ensure they do
not fail.
I found some information on
earth anchors, another effective
anchor, which uses triangular
wedges with an attached cable
that you drive into the ground
with a hammer. Once the wedge
reaches the desired depth, you
pull on the cable and the anchor
pivots to the most pull-resistive
configuration. Again, proper sizing and depth are dictated by use
of appropriate charts.
NC Propane Gas Association
We have seen and heard stories of imaginative uses of various devices to anchor tanks. I
must warn you against most of
these, as they have no engineering basis to determine if they will
do as expected. One person told
me he digs a hole, runs a cable
through the hole of an old harrow
disc, buries the disc, and attaches the cable to the tank. There
are a couple of problems with
this. Since the soil is disturbed
by digging, he does not know
what its strength is unless he
follows some specific soil compaction steps as he puts the soil
back. Also, what is the appropriate depth for the disc? That will
depend on the soil characteristics
and disk diameter. If the conclusion when you finish installing
the anchor is, “Well, that oughta
hold,” then you probably did not
use the right type of anchor. You
continued on page 10
9
“Anchoring Tanks” cont. from
page 9
should think, “That’s gonna keep
it there, and I’ve got documentation to support it.”
The best anchors are those
with some engineering behind
them. There are a number of resources online. The manufacturer
I am most familiar with is Minute
Man Anchors in East Flat Rock,
N.C. You can access information at minutemananchors.com/
propane-tank-anchors-and-supplies. They have drawings, load
tables, soil charts and other good
information. Tie Down Engineering also has information online
at www.tiedown.com. I suggest
you look at a couple of tables
they have at www.tiedown.com/
pdf/d909.pdf and www.tiedown.
10
com/pdf/d215.pdf. FEMA also
has online information at www.
scemd.org/library/DisasterMitigation/Flood/ProtectPropFloodPropaneTank.pdf.
In North Carolina, anything
below the 100-year flood level
must be anchored; this is also a
FEMA requirement. For many of
the barrier islands, that includes
the whole island. Most counties have flood maps showing the
100-year flood level. If you place
tanks, it is your responsibility to
know where this level is and to
anchor where appropriate. Remember, this applies to all areas
of the state, as all counties are
subject to occasional flooding.
Anchoring also means that the
tank will not turn bottom side up.
If it does so, the propane line will
most assuredly break, causing a
potentially hazardous gas leak.
Be sure to run a cable through
the legs or foot ring instead of
the lifting lugs. Or, you can run
a strap or two over the tank and
snug it down on the anchors. Another choice is to weigh the tank
down by fastening it to a concrete slab heavy enough to hold
it. Keep in mind the likely action
of wind, waves and current when
you do this. Also, consider adding an insulator between the strap
and tank, as these are usually dissimilar metals and you can set up
galvanic action, which will corrode the tank and/or the strap.
You should be aware that
three municipalities have adopt-
NC Propane Gas Association
November 2011
continued on next page
“Anchoring Tanks” cont. from
previous page
Thank You from
J.E. Hardison
ed at least enough of NFPA 58
so they can enforce the anchoring
requirements. The municipalities are New Hanover County,
Wrightsville Beach and Leland.
Other coastal municipalities are
considering it.
This is a quick rundown on
anchoring. It probably raises almost as many questions as answers. I’ll post this information
and other stuff as I can on our
website. I encourage you to ask
questions. There will be a section
for frequently asked questions
about anchoring in the LP-Gas
Concerns section, along with all
of the articles about anchoring
written over the last several years
Ë.
On August 27, 2011, Hurricane Irene wreaked havoc on the
Eastern North Carolina seaboard.
Many homes and businesses on
the coast suffered property damaged, or were destroyed completely. Pamlico County was one
of the hardest hit areas, and our
gas company, Eastern Propane in
Bayboro, was crushed in Irene’s
wake. We are located in a low
lying area, and have weathered
many storms in the past. As usual,
we prepared quickly and believed
that we were ready for the direct
hit. A quick overview of the damage, proves that we were not. In
her rage, Irene flooded service
November 2011
NC Propane Gas Association
trucks, blew water into the main
office, laid more than 600 tanks
down and left many loyal customers without service. With water levels 24 inches higher than
have ever been recorded in this
area, the devastation was widespread. In the days following,
our small family owned and operated company worked day and
night to restore service, repair
lines and retrieve our equipment.
Some of our tanks are long gone.
They were swallowed up by the
many swamps and waterways
that surround the quad-county
area that we serve, while others
were found in neighbors’ yards or
close by, needing to be reset and
reconnected.
continued on page 12
11
A Gas Man’s Pride and Joy
Ashley (Parker) Stevens
“Thank you” cont. from page
11
In the days after the storm,
many of our suppliers called to
check on us and offer assistance.
Christian Battle, from Targa Resources, was swift to assemble
a team of workers to join forces
and enter the disaster zone. Upon
their arrival this “multi-company relief crew” began working.
Brandon Cox and Woody Tew
from Rutherford Equipment, arrived at Eastern Propane early
each morning ready to assist.
With the help of the crane truck
that was provided for us by Triad Propane, from the piedmont
region, we were able to retrieve
many of our larger 250, 500 and
1,000 gallon tanks with ease. Ed
Congleton from Stokes and Congleton, and Paul Harris from Pro12
pane Trucks and Tanks also came
to Pamlico County and aided in
the retrieval and reconnection of
several tanks. One of the guys
even admitted that he “enjoyed
taking a stack of work orders and
hitting the open road, for the first
time in years”. Each of the men
were eager and more than willing
to help in any way possible.
This experience has been
overwhelming,
eye-opening,
devastating and humbling. There
are no words to describe our gratitude, but we would like to offer
our sincere appreciation for each
man that came down, and for the
company that they represent. To
all the others who responded after
Irene hit, with offers to help, the
lending of equipment, advice or
even kind words of support, we
would like to also thank each of
NC Propane Gas Association
you. Although we hope to never need this form of assistance
again, we know that we can indeed rest easily knowing the type
of people that make up the community within the North Carolina
Propane Gas Association. Again,
Eastern Propane sincerely appreciates all of the time, labor and
equipment that was provided for
us, and for the care and concern
that was shown towards our company during such a difficult and
demanding time.
Sincerely,
J.E. Hardison
Eastern Propane, Inc.
Bayboro, NC
November 2011
Happenings Around NCPGA
NCPGA’s new ventfree fireplace donated by Monessen Hearth, solicited by Doug Lawrence of CUI, and
installed with the help of Steve Ward of Gardner Marsh
Gas Equipment.
Billy Foust of Foust Fuels delivers NCPGA’s new
dispensing station. The station was purchased with the
help of Gardner Marsh Gas Equipment.
Solar panels being installed on the roof at NCPGA
The grounds being prepared for Propane Village
NCPGA visits North State Gas Service
New gas packs being installed at NCPGA
November 2011
NC Propane Gas Association
13
National Save for
Retirement Week
Promotes Lifelong
Security
By Derek Carawan
When it comes to saving for
retirement, there is never a better time than today to assess your
progress toward meeting financial goals. America’s leaders declared Oct. 16 through Oct. 22
as National Save for Retirement
Week. This reminds us that now
is a great opportunity to learn
more about how tax advantaged
saving plans can help improve
long term retirement success.
National Save for Retirement
Week was the first congressionally endorsed, national event
formally calling on all employees
to take full advantage of employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Experts estimate that retirees
will need to replace from 80 percent to 100 percent of their preretirement spending to maintain
their lifestyle after retirement.
Yet, surveys repeatedly show
that most Americans remain unprepared for retirement.
“The earlier folks can get in
the habit of putting money away
for retirement, the earlier they
can see their money working for
them, and once they see the money start to compound and grow,
it’s easier to keep up those contributions” says Mark Snodgrass of
Money Tree Software, a Corvallis
financial planning software company. “Saving for retirement is a
long term proposition, but putting
it off only makes it harder. Save
early, save regularly, and plan on
saving seven to ten percent from
each paycheck for a secure retirement.”
Many workers already participate to some degree in company
sponsored retirement plans which
can provide a foundation for retirement saving. Plus, most workers will also be eligible for Social
Security benefits at retirement
age. However, even basic retirement plans and Social Security
won’t provide sufficient lifetime
income; they will need more to
live comfortably throughout their
retirement years. Maximizing
company retirement plan participation, starting a Roth IRA account, and building a long term
investment strategy are all ways
to improve retirement readiness.
For working Americans today
it is important to begin saving for
retirement – or increasing contributions enough to meet their
goals – as early as possible. National Save for Retirement Week
is dedicated to showing how important it is to meet retirement
objectives by contributing early,
regularly and investing wisely for
the long term.
Here are a few simple examples of what it takes to prepare
for when it’s time to retire:
• Save just $10 per week in a
deferred compensation plan for
40 years at an average rate of return of 7 percent, and you will
have an account with $115,000.
That just shows the power of taxdeferred savings.
• If you start a little later, don’t
be discouraged. You can still
save more than $73,000, by setting aside $60 a month in a taxdeferred savings account for 30
years and at a 7 percent return.
• If you are saving now, and
you increase your contributions,
you can really make a difference
in your final total. Over 30 years,
adding $25 to your $100 biweekly contribution can increase your
account from $264,327 to more
than $330,409, assuming you
earn 7 percent.
• Saver’s Credit. Sometimes
saving seems really hard, especially if your income is limited.
The government has a special
Saver’s Credit just for you. If you
are eligible, you can actually receive money back when you file
your tax return. Ë
Derek Carawan is a LPL Financial Advisor and LPL Registered Principal with Carawan
Financial Partners, Inc. / Securities offered through LPL Financial/ Member FINRA/SIPC and
may be reached at, www.carawanfp.com, 919-870-8181 or derek.
carawan@lpl.com
14
NC Propane Gas Association
November 2011
In Memorium
Jody Lynn
Sohr unexpectedly
passed
away September
11, 2011. Jody
was a dedicated
book keeper for Apache LP
Trucks, Inc. for 15 years.
She leaves behind in addition to her business family, a
son Austin, daughter Amber,
husband Matthew and grandson Devon.
November 2011
NC Propane Gas Association
15
Michael S Boggs, Safety and Training
Those of you who have attended NCPGA’s continuing
education classes have heard
me talk about definitions many
times, and I constantly remind
the class attendees how important
the definitions included in any
code are. In the phone calls I get
in the office, I notice how often
other people pay no attention to
definitions. Invariably this leads
them to wrong conclusions.
I recently received a phone
call from a contractor operating
on federal property. He had just
been fined because he had a couple of 100# cylinders in a building
under construction (using them to
fuel construction heaters to cure
drywall), and the cylinders were
not secured. The inspector referenced a section of CFR 29
that referred to compressed gas
cylinders used to fuel cutting or
welding operations. I realized
the inspector didn’t understand
he was dealing with LP-gas,
not compressed gas and told
the contractor that he needed to
reference the definitions and explain to the OSHA inspector the
difference between compressed
gas and LP-Gas as it relates to
the requirements of CFR 29.
Another example that pops
up every now and then is the
interpretation that the underground line between a propane
tank and the house is installed
in a concealed location. Some
16
NC Propane Gas Association
of you, when using copper for
this line, prefer to have a single
piece of copper tubing with no elbows, joints, etc. in the line, and
Continued on page 19
November 2011
November 2011
NC Propane Gas Association
17
18
NC Propane Gas Association
November 2011
“Definitions” cont. from page
16
for you, this interpretation means
nothing. Others prefer to use an
elbow rather than bending the
copper tubing. Interpreting this
portion of the piping system as
being in a concealed location prevents them from using any tubing
fittings at all. The answer, as you
might suspect, is in the definition
of concealed location. The wording in Chapter 2 of the NC Fuel
Gas Code only defines parts of a
building as concealed locations.
Plainly stated, the ground is not
part of the building. So just because you can’t see the tubing
doesn’t necessarily mean it’s installed in a concealed location.
To try to alleviate this misinterpretation, the Fuel Gas Code Ad
Hoc committee (which I serve on)
added a sentence to the definition
to clarify that the underground
portion of a gas line between a
propane tank and house shall not
be considered as a concealed location. This should appear in the
2012 edition of the NC Fuel Gas
Code.
Another interesting example
was pointed out to me a couple of
years ago by one of our members.
By now, we should all be familiar with the prohibition in the NC
Fuel Gas Code that says one or
more unvented heaters cannot be
used as the sole source of comfort heating in a dwelling unit.
This member directed my attention to the term “dwelling unit.”
His customer had a workshop in
the backyard and wanted an unvented heater as the sole source
November 2011
the propane industry in southern
California. The Western Propane Gas Association (WPGA)
has been engaged from the very
start and is doing its best to steer
the process to the most favorable
conclusion possible for the propane industry. Here are some of
the requirements being considered:
•By July 1, 2013 at bulk
plants, no transfer into or out of
a storage container can take place
unless the receiving container is
using a low emission fixed liquid
level gauge (LEFLLG, maximum
No. 72 drill size orifice).
•By July 1, 2013, all cargo
tanks and stationary storage tanks
must be fitted with low emission transfer connectors and the
LEFLLG. At least 50% of stationary storage tanks must be retrofit with the LEFLLG by July 1,
2013. The remaining containers
must be retrofit by July 1, 2015.
•Portable storage containers
(tanks and cylinders) must be retrofit with low emission connectors by July 1, 2013 and LEFLLG
by July 1, 2017.
•Owners/operators of LPG
Propane Emissions bulk plants, cargo tank vehicles
and dispensers must daily check
in California May Be all the connectors used and for
Regulated
the presence of odorant in the
gas. As of January 1, 2013, quarWith the stated intent of reduc- terly inspect all connectors used
ing volatile organic compounds in the transfer of LPG and use a
(VOC) emissions through regu- “bubble test” to verify the conlating liquefied petroleum gas nections do not leak during or
transfer and dispensing, the South after product transfer into the a
Coast Air Quality Management bulk plant storage tank. EmployDistrict (SCAQMD) is proposing
several changes to the hardware
and operational requirements for
continued on page 20
NC Propane Gas Association
19
of comfort heating. When I
looked at the definition of “dwelling unit” I found that it must have
permanent provisions for living,
sleeping, eating, cooking, and
sanitation. Most workshops do
not have all those provisions,
and therefore cannot be considered dwelling units. Therefore,
an unvented heater can be used as
the sole source of heat for these.
A word of caution here; keep in
mind that some workshops may
develop a lot of particulate matter in the air (wood dust, etc.) and
introducing a source of ignition
such as an unvented heater can
ignite the particles and cause an
explosion.
The bottom line is this; many
disagreements are caused not by
differing interpretations of what
is needed, but lack of a consistent
definition. Make sure both sides
understand exactly what the other
is talking about. If you’re being
required to do something that
doesn’t make sense, or seems
totally backwards, you’re most
likely dealing with a misunderstood definition. Ë
“Propane Emissions” cont.
from page 19
ees performing these tasks must
receive periodic training that is
documented.
• Owners/operators of LPG
bulk plants, cargo tank vehicles
and dispensers must maintain
records of the monthly LPG purchase volume and dispensing
volume. Additionally, all other
records demonstrating compliance with any of the requirements
must be kept for a period of two
years.
• Finally, owners/operators
of LPG bulk plants, cargo tank
vehicles and dispensers must annually report the inventory of all
facility LEFLLG and connectors
associated with the transfer or
storage of LPG.
The rule does not apply to
any container having a water capacity less than 4 gallons or to
those facilities that are subject to
SCAQMD Rule 1173 that is implemented at petroleum facilities
and chemical plants. Ë
Autogas Grassroots:
Urge Federal
Legislators to
Cosponsor the
Propane GAS Act
(H.R. 2014/S. 1120)
The Propane Green Autogas
Solutions Act (“Propane GAS
Act”) of 2011 (H.R. 2014/S.
1120), sponsored by Senator Ben
Cardin (D-MD) and Representative John Carter (R-TX), would
extend for five years federal alternative fuel tax credits for pro20
pane used as a motor fuel (autogas), propane autogas vehicles,
and propane autogas refueling
equipment. By cosponsoring the
Propane GAS Act, Members of
the U.S. Senate and U.S. House
of Representatives will show
their support for not only for a
burgeoning propane autogas market, but also for domestic energy
security, American jobs, and a
cleaner environment.
Autogas tax incentives were
created in 2005 to stimulate a
propane vehicle market in order
to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign
oil and environmental impacts
associated with gasoline and diesel fuel use. Since then, the tax
credits have been extended mostly year-to-year, creating market
uncertainty which discourages
private sector investment cost-effective, clean, domestic autogas
vehicles and infrastructure. The
Propane GAS Act offers market
certainty. The legislation would
give fleet operations and private
investors the kind of long-term
tax incentives necessary to make
vehicle and infrastructure investments and will solidify propane
autogas as a viable and competitive alternative transportation
fuel.
All NPGA member companies
and their staff are encouraged to
take part in this grassroots push
to help support the autogas market. To get involved, please go
to www.npga.org/propanegasactgrassroots for more information
and step-by-step instructions on
contacting Congress.
Propane companies are also
encouraged to engage their auNC Propane Gas Association
togas customers in grassroots efforts to support the Propane GAS
Act. Congress will hear loud and
clear from the propane industry,
but they also need the perspective
that autogas users and fleets bring
to the debate. NPGA’s industry
partner, Autogas for America
has set up an autogas consumer
oriented grassroots webpage at
http://autogasforamerica.org/
join-us/carry-the-flag.
Please
consider driving your autogas clients to this site, so that they can
participate in the overall grassroots effort. Ë
For additional information on the
Propane GAS Act or this grassroots program, please contact
Brian Caudill at 202-466-7200.
Board Approves
NPGA Submittal of
DOT Proposal on
Changes to Bobtail
Requalification
Requirements
At its Board of Directors meeting, NPGA approved an action
that would allow NPGA staff to
develop a proposal for submittal
to DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) that would extend the requalification period for
bobtails from 5 years to 10 years.
Specifically, the proposal would
rely on results of a research study
performed for NPGA by Battelle
and would apply to bobtails less
continued on page 22
November 2011
November 2011
NC Propane Gas Association
21
than 3500 gallons water capacity,
made of NQT steel in dedicated
propane service.
The effect of this action, were
it to be approved by PHMSA,
would be a huge cost savings to
the industry, an increase in operational efficiency, and an increase
in safety from the standpoint of
the stresses typically incurred on
the cargo tank from the hydrostatic pressure test every 5 years.
Through our Technology,
Standards and Safety (TS&S)
Committee, NPGA originally
contracted with Battelle to determine if a technical justification could be made to extend the
requalification period and, if so,
to perform the research to meet
this end. The study was completed in three phases with the key
phases involving assessment of
stresses on the cargo tank due to
both static and dynamic loading.
We are pleased to report that
the results of the study do support
a requalification period extension
from 5 yrs to 10 yrs. This extension would apply to tanks made
of SA-612 steel, which is a newer
steel used in tank manufacturing.
It would also apply to older steels
currently in use such as SA-202
and/or SA-455, provided they
meet certain provisions as specified in the Battelle final report.
These parameters will be part of
our overall submittal to PHMSA
along with the final reports from
all three phases of the research
project. Ë
22
NC Propane Gas Association
“Board Approves” cont. from
page 20
TS&S Proposals
Approved by Board
At the NPGA Board of Directors meeting, in Kansas City,
MO, six proposals developed by
the Technology, Standards and
Safety (TS&S) Committee were
considered for approval. After
some discussion on the content
of the proposals, all six were approved. Here are short synopses
of those proposals:
•Docket Tar-1579 directs
NPGA staff to write a letter to
the Z21/83 Committee on gas
appliances. The letter would request that information be added
to several appliances standards
continued on next page
November 2011
(e.g. water heaters, boilers) that is
similar to what is contained in the
gas furnace construction and performance standard, Z21.47. That
information would be used to assist installers when appliances
are installed at elevations greater
than 2,000 feet above sea level.
•Docket Tdc-1732 is a proposal to change NFPA 58 to permit the use of a fire extinguisher
charged with 10 pounds of extinguishing agent, which is typically
installed at convenience stores. In
many cases, the extinguisher installed within the store can satisfy
this requirement if it is within 50
feet.
•Docket Tdc-1744 is a proposal to the National Fuel Gas Code
that will introduce new material
to the nonmandatory Annex D on
conducting leak checks of piping
systems. This material will provide information for conducting
leak checks on systems that utilize multiple second stage regulators or line gas pressure regulators.
•Docket Tvfc-1746 contains a
proposal that will be submitted to
NFPA 58 and which revises paragraph 6.4.5.2 to eliminate vegetation from being considered a hazard to propane containers.
•Docket Tef-1759 proposes
a change to NFPA 58 to clarify
that even though some ASME
engine fuel containers may be
filled without utilizing the fixed
maximum liquid level gauge, the
gauge itself must still be installed
on the container.
November 2011
NC Propane Gas Association
TS&S Proposals cont. from
previous page
•Docket Tvfc-1761 contains a
proposal to the International Fire
Code. This proposal will harmonize the requirements between
that code and NFPA 58 with respect to the separation distance
requirements between container
installations and the nearest property line.
The TS&S Committee continues its work to process even more
proposals that will be submitted
to the NPGA Executive Committee for approval by the November 25, 2011 deadline for NFPA
58. For more information, please
contact Bruce Swiecicki. Ë
23
North Carolina Propane Gas Association
5109 Hollyridge Dr.
Raleigh, NC 27612