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On January 6th Joe Kennedy issued a statement saying his program was suspended, on the 7th CITGO issued a statement saying it was back on. The Citizens Energy heating assistance program, run through Citgo Petroleum Corp provides 100 gallon vouchers to low income oilheat customers. The program is scheduled to be back online by January 19. To learn more CLICK HERE. Heating oil retailers who wish to provide the 100 gallons to their low income consumers need to register on that website. Consumers also need to apply the same way. Once a consumer is deemed eligible by Citizens Energy that consumer's oil vendor will be sent an authorization to make the 100 gallon delivery. For all of the major low income energy assistance programs including Operation Fuel, CEAP and so on click here.[Members Only] For more information contact Gene at gene@icpa.org or Chris at chris@icpa.org or call ICPA toll free at 1-866-521-ICPA
January
7th marked the first day the 2009 legislative session where
the General Assembly was tasked with closing a $350 million deficit by
July 1st and then tackling a $6 billion deficit for the
biennial budget. Governor Jodi Rell is urging legislators to
implement several cuts that include the commercial tank fund, oil
conservation fund, low income energy assistance program and the bio
grant program. These cuts represent a small portion of the
potential budgets cuts that will effect every department in The
Furnace Replacement and Furnace Upgrade/Repair Rebate Programs are
incentive programs for Every company doing system upgrades and replacements needs to get involved with this for their customers - a $500 rebate RETROACTIVE TO JULY 1, 2007 For more information click here! ICPA
Motor Fuels Chair Mike Devino of Mercury Fuel ( Rep.
Shapiro expressed opposition to the state interfering with contracts
between lessees and their suppliers, the need for the gouging laws to
be specific so marketers can comply with the law and the need to
examine banning zone pricing. Rep. Shapiro indicated that
protecting the sanctity of contractual agreements is a philosophical
belief that he has, but will needs further education on marketing
issues. ICPA has requested another meeting with the new Chair to
review heating oil issues. In addition to the new Chairman, the
General Law Committee will be comprised of several legislators who
have not been supportive of ICPA’s position on several issues.
Sen. Tom Colapietro (Senate Chair) of ICPA supporters like Sen. David Cappiello, Sen. Sam Caligiuri, Rep. Chris Stone, Rep. Len Greene and Sen. Paul Doyle have either retired or been assigned to other committees. This shake up emphasizes the need to meet with several of the new members of the committee. These changes pose the biggest challenge Jobbers have faced in the last 10 years. ICPA has scheduled meetings with members of the committee for the purpose of educating them on the importance of allowing the free market to work with as little interference as possible. ICPA released its 2009 state legislative and regulatory agenda last week after presentation to the ICPA the Board of Directors. Among the issues ICPA intends to pursue for members in the next session of the General Assembly are;
See the agenda here > http://www.icpa.org/icpa_board/2009 ICPA State Legislative Agenda.pdf For more information contact Chris at chris@icpa.org or call ICPA toll free at 1-866-521-ICPA We
are saddened to inform ICPA members of the passing of Robert C. Tracey
of New Haven. He
was born in He was
a good kind man who was a friend to all. He leaves to cherish his
memory his wife Mary Ann Plavnicky Tracey; his three children daughter
Jennifer (Ralph) Tracey-Carlo daughter Ellen (Randy), son Christopher
(Lule) Tracey; and his seven beloved grandchildren - Cassondra Alison
Lindsay Nicholas Sydney Andrew and Dimitri; his sister Sally (George)
Cahill; nephews a niece an other relatives and friends. He was
predeceased by his brother Erwin Tracey Jr. and a sister Violet M.
Tracey. He will also be greatly missed by the devoted staff of
CFTC COMMISSIONER: WE COULD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB “We could have done better. We could have been aggressive advocates for closing dark energy markets-particularly after we witnessed how consumers were impacted by the activity in the natural gas markets in 2006. We could have given exchanges timely guidance on governance rules that we promised in the first quarter of this year. We could have been quicker to see the problems of look-alike contracts traded on domestic and foreign exchanges-the Enron and London Loopholes-if you will. We could have done more and reacted better in looking at silver and gold trading. We also could have done better by looking at the role of new speculators-particularly non-traditional, non-commercial long traders-in the commodity markets. With gas prices over $4 a gallon this past summer, the CFTC’s position that the markets were operating appropriately strained credibility, at best. We could have dealt better in handling with the issue of market prices vis-à-vis swaps dealers. We could have conducted the interagency task force looking at oil trading in a different fashion-perhaps one that didn’t invite an Inspector General’s investigation.” Those are some of the comments of the Bart Chilton, a Commissioner on the Commodities Futures Trading Commission in a speech he delivered in December. Chilton argues that the era a deregulation that began in earnest with the 2000 Commodities Futures Modernization Act failed, and that federal oversight of commodities markets is not a threat to the free market system but an agent to assure that system operates without the manipulation seen since 2000. The entire text of Chilton's speech can be read by clicking HERE. [ICPA] NYT EDITORIAL QUESTIONS GENSLER “The choice of Gary Gensler to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which regulates futures contracts, is more troubling. Mr. Gensler, a former investment banker from Goldman Sachs, one the biggest brokers of commodities, was an assistant Treasury secretary under President Bill Clinton. In 2000, he oversaw the drafting of legislation that exempted derivatives from oversight by the federal commodity regulator, including the viral credit default swaps that have amplified the current crisis. Swaps and other derivatives must be regulated. The country needs an exchange where they are openly traded and subject to the full range of regulatory scrutiny. Ultimately, new laws for trading derivatives must be enacted by Congress, but the input of the main regulator of the commodity exchange will be important in writing and implementing the laws. Where does Mr. Gensler stand? How do his close ties to Wall Street affect his choices, his sense of what is right and what is needed?” Click here for the entire NYT editorial. [ICPA] 60 MINUTES PIECE ON SPECULATION This Sunday, CBS
News’ 60 Minutes program will air an investigative piece on
financial speculation in the energy commodities markets and its role
in the record-breaking run-up in energy prices experienced last year.
NEFI’s Immediate past Chairman of the Board http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/08/60minutes/main4707770.shtml
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4708028n
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4708861n
UL PROVIDES QUALIFIED B5 APPROVAL A
technical review by Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL) has found no
adverse safety issues from using biodiesel blends up to B-5 in
consumer product equipment designed to run on unblended heating oil or
diesel fuel. However, UL found such use may lead to problems with
equipment performance. It is on this latter score, where UL questions
equipment performance, that the "qualified" approval provides
room for immediate difficulty to some marketers and their downstream
efforts to market the fuel. Obviously, operational and maintenance
issues are paramount to retailers and consumers enthusiasm for the new
product. NEFI Compliance Bulletin may be read here. UPDATES TO THE FEDERAL FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT LAW - FOR EMPLOYERS OF 50 OR MORE EMPLOYEES On November 14, 2008, the U.S. Department of Labor issued new Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) regulations. The new regulations provide direction concerning “qualifying exigency” and “service member” leaves which were added to the FMLA as a result of amendments in January 2008, and also provide significant clarification in a number of other areas. The new regulations are effective January 16, 2009. Please click HERE for an outline of the changes in this federal law. 2009 FEDERAL MOTOR FUEL EXCISE TAX RATES This updated list of federal tax rates is effective January 1, 2009. Petroleum marketers who collect and remit federal motor fuel excise taxes must use these rates where applicable. To access this list click HERE. For more information contact Gene at gene@icpa.org or call ICPA toll free at 1-866-521-ICPA
Answering
Services - MAP Communications ICPA
members know that finding a high quality, reliable answering service
isn't easy. ICPA's Member Services Committee has made the search
simpler as it did the heavy lifting and has endorsed a national
service based in Contact: Don Thaler, V.P. of Sales 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 430, New York, New York 10170 Phone Toll Free 1-800-280-4206 e-mail dthaler@mapcommunications.com website: http://www.mapcommunications.com/ For more information contact David Chu at chu@icpa.org or call ICPA toll free at 1-866-521-ICPA
*At $310 per ton, delivered, premium pellets with less than 5% moisture content
For more information contact Gene at gene@icpa.org or call ICPA toll free at 1-866-521-ICPA
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