This newsletter is sponsored by:
THE FUEL LINE August 21, 2008
Or call VFDA at 802-223-7750 and we will send you one.
Books 1, 2, 4.1, 4.2, 6 & 7
Howard Dean Center-Springfield, VT
September/October 2008
Book 1 Starts September 22
GET GAS CERTIFIED!!!!!!!
8 Hours of Plumbing Specialist Continuing Education for Vermont PS-1 & PS-2 License Holders
2 Vermont Oilheat CEU'S
September 18
FW WEBB Cold River Road Rutland
Wiring Hydronic Systems & Zones
1 Day Seminar
8 NORA CEUs
September 23
Vermont Fuel Education Center
250 Main Street Montpelier, VT
Advanced Fuel Systems
1 Day Seminar
NORA Certified for 8 CEUs
Instructor - George Lanthier September 24
FW WEBB 55 Etna Rd
West Lebanon, NH
1 Day Seminar
8 NORA CEUs
Instructor - George Lanthier September 25
Howard Dean Education Center
307 South Street Springfield, VT
VFDA Vermont Electrical Class "S"
Electrical License CEU Course VTF-12
8 NORA CEUs and 8 VT CEUs Electrical (A-1) Renewal
September 25 FW WEBB
3091 Cold River Rd Rutland, VT
October 3, 2008
Includes the required 2 hours of CO/Venting Instruction
SAVE THE DATES!
Monday, September 8
VFDA @ NEFI VISIONS
Survive & Thrive 2008
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
Thursday, September 11
Be sure to stop by VFDA's booth at the annual Granite Group Trade Show.
Click the big 'G' for more info.
Thursday, September 18
VFDA Fall Golf Tournament
Fundraiser for HEAT-PAC VFDA's Political Action Committee
Hope to see you out on the links!
From the August 20th Rutland Herald Story by Louis Porter
It might seem that record oil prices would benefit fuel dealers – after
all they sell the stuff. But in fact it may drive smaller operations
out of business. That is because they will have to pay the wholesalers
who deliver to them when they receive the oil – but have to wait weeks
(if they are lucky) to collect money from their own customers.
Meanwhile, they are in the same bind as some homeowners. Do they enter
into contracts to buy oil now – a parallel of the homeowner's pre-buy –
only to watch oil prices come down later and get stuck with the
difference? Or do they wait, and risk the price climbing even more? If
small local Vermont dealers go under, it will be more than just a
problem for themselves and their employees, according to state Sen.
Susan Bartlett. Those local dealers have, sometimes for years,
negotiated, helped and worked with families to keep them warm through
the winter, even if it means waiting a few weeks or months to get
paid. "These small dealers are the foundation of our system. They have
been unofficial bankers to folks in a variety of economic positions for
a lot of years. I really see them as the structure for the long-term
answer for the state," she said.
- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced recently record supplies of crude oil and gasoline. Meanwhile, demand averaged about 9.5 million barrels per day during the last four weeks – nearly two percent lower than the same period last year.
- A Washington Post analysis of data obtained from the Commodity and Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), shows that speculators control no less than 81 percent of the oil futures contracts traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) market. These are paper oil traders who never intend to pick up the product.
- In July when prices reached their record highs, a single firm--the Vitol Group-- controlled 11 percent of the NYMEX oil futures contracts. That is equivalent to 460 million barrels of crude – nearly a month’s worth of U.S. oil consumption.
- After a three week decline, prices shot up shortly after analysts with Goldman Sachs predicted crude will return towards $149 later this year. Goldman Sachs has some of the biggest long positions on NYMEX. We don’t know what they have on the unregulated dark markets.
Go to www.stopoilspeculators.com and send Congress a S.O.S.
VFDA Sends Letter to Assistant A-G
In Chittenden County, the expansion of the pipeline owned by Vermont Gas Systems has caused concern among fuel dealers. VFDA members report that in some cases the fill-pipe has not been removed and there is no notice from the customer that the oilheat tank is no longer in place. Under Vermont statute “any person who replaces or adapts a liquid fuel heating system so that the liquid fuel is no longer used shall block or otherwise disable the access for delivery of the unused liquid fuel.” The economic and environmental impacts of non-compliance are substantial. VFDA has contacted Vermont Gas managers who agreed to address this issue with heating technicians hired to do conversions. VFDA will also reach out to technicians to alert them of this important issue.
The U.S. EPA issued a letter several weeks ago to gasoline retailers warning that it is illegal to sell ethanol blends above E-10 for use in gasoline-only vehicles and engines. The EPA went on to explain that ethanol blends up to E-85 may be sold for use in flexible-fuel vehicles and engines. According to the EPA, the illegal sale of blends over E-10 to consumers with gasoline-only vehicles and engines exposes retailers, and possibly their suppliers, to significant civil penalties under the Clean Air Act.
The EPA letter recommended dispenser label warnings and other measures for blends over E-10 to prevent retailer liability for misfueling. However, the agency was silent on steps suppliers should take to prevent liability for misfueling that occurs on the retail level (liability is based on introducing an unregistered fuel into trade or commerce). A supplier may potentially be held liable for misfueling if the supplier knew or should have known that ethanol blends delivered to the retail site were being used to fuel gasoline-only vehicles and engines.
While it is not a federal requirement, PMAA is recommending to suppliers who wish to avoid potential liability for misfueling to place the following warning on all product transfer documents for ethanol blends over E-10 delivered to retail facilities: “Not for Use in Gasoline-only Vehicles and Engines.” Also, as a reminder, the U.S. DOT HAZMAT shipping paper entry requirements for ethanol blends recently changed. The following shipping entries must be used (followed by the quantity of fuel):
Click Here to RSVP Learn more at www.vermontfuel.com