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ALMOST 18 YEARS OF NO GLOBAL WARMING
The Daily Caller is reporting “the numbers are in and the
verdict is that there has been no global warming for 17
years and 11 months, according to satellite data. Satellite
data prepared by Lord Christopher Monckton shows there has
been no warming trend from October 1996 through August 2014
— 215 months. To put this in perspective, kids graduating
from high school this year have not lived through any global
warming in their lifetimes. According to Monckton — the
third Viscount Monckton of Brenchley and a former policy
adviser to U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher — the rate
of warming has been half of what climate scientists
initially predicted in the early 1990s. The United Nations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) first
predicted in 1990 that global temperatures would rise at a
rate of 2.8 degrees Celsius per century. But the temperature
rise since the IPCC’s prediction has only been at a rate of
1.4 degrees Celsius per century.”
EIA’S 2014 GASOLINE USE FORECAST RELEASED
On Wednesday, the Energy Information
Administration’s (EIA) latest Short-Term Energy Outlook
(STEO) expects 2014 gasoline consumption to be 135.2 billion
gallons. This includes the volumes of ethanol contained in
all gasoline-ethanol blends including both E10 and higher
blends. STEO forecasts future gasoline consumption by
analyzing a number of factors including gasoline prices,
economic and employment trends, weather, demographics,
changes in consumer behavior patterns and new data on actual
consumption. EPA uses STEO data to determine RFS blending
volumes each year.
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy
said last week that the long-delayed 2014 RFS blending
volume requirements final rule will be higher than what was
proposed in late 2013 in which she indicated the ethanol
numbers will go up to reflect the increase in gasoline sales
volume. However, she did not indicate the exact amount. This
week’s EIA STEO report all but assures a future slight
increase in the final 2014 RFS corn-based ethanol blending
numbers.
The 2014 RFS proposed rule has been sent to
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for final review.
It is unclear when EPA will issue the final rule.
HOUSE HEARING EXAMINES DOMESTIC OIL SHIPPING CAPACITY
This week, the
House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on
Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing to
examine the current status of the American domestic maritime
industry, specifically, its shipping companies, ship
construction, repair yards and its workforce. Testifying
before the Committee were Mark Tabbutt, chairman of Saltchuk
Resources; Niels Johnsen, chairman and CEO of the
International Shipholding Corporation; Don Marcus, president
of Masters, Mates and Pilots; and Matthew Paxton, president
of the Shipbuilders Council of America.
Mr. Tabbutt
highlighted the rapid growth of shale oil across much of the
U.S. which has driven record levels of new vessel
construction at American shipyards. Tabbutt said there are
22 new large tankers and articulated tug-barges under
contract which will add approximately 6.4 million barrels of
new capacity while inland barges reached an all-time high
with 336 new vessels delivered, totaling more than 8.2
million barrels of capacity. Mr. Paxton echoed those
comments saying that industry is currently building out 19
large petroleum product carriers with 341 tank barges
delivered in 2013, up over 250 in 2012.
While this is
welcome news, U.S. shipping rates continue to remain higher
compared to foreign-flag rates. Additionally, there still is
not enough U.S. shipping capacity to alleviate the Gulf
Coast oil supply glut due to the 94-year-old Jones Act which
only allows U.S. flagged and manned vessels to ship crude
and refined product between U.S. ports. The Congressional
Research Service (CRS) reported recently that the majority
of U.S. refineries are located near navigable waters to take
advantage of both oil imports and exports. However, for
refineries switching from imported to domestic crude oil,
the advantage diminishes considerably due to the Jones Act.
The CRS Report also said that Texas oil is moving to
refineries in Eastern Canada and bypassing U.S. Mid-Atlantic
refineries due to the higher cost of Jones Act compliant
ships.
PMAA supports efforts to reform the Jones Act
to alleviate the Gulf Coast supply glut which will bring
cheaper motor fuels and heating oil prices to consumers.
FMCSA TO STUDY LINK BETWEEN CDL DRIVER PAY AND UNSAFE DRIVING HABITS
The U.S. DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
(FMCSA) is undertaking a new study on CDL driver
compensation and unsafe driving habits. The primary purpose
of the study is to analyze the possible unintended safety
consequences of the various methods of driver compensation.
Compensation methods that will be scrutinized include
salary, hourly, truckload and per mile.
In addition
to the primary purpose of the study, a number of other
potential variables that may lead to unsafe driving will be
assessed. These variables include: type of commercial motor
vehicle operation (long-haul, short-haul, or line-haul);
size of carrier (very small, small, medium or large);
whether for-hire, private, or owner operated and whether the
carrier can be characterized as a truckload, less-
than-truckload, regional, tanker, or other type of carrier;
average length of haul, primary commodities carried; number
of regular full-time drivers the carrier employs; average
driving experience, in years, of drivers working for the
companies included in the sample. The data collected in the
study will be used to determine if these variables also
contribute to unintended safety consequences. Unintended
safety consequences include driver out-of- service rates,
vehicle out-of-service rates, and crash rates.
The
study will be conducted using an online questionnaire.
Randomly selected motor carriers will be notified by letter
from the FMCSA that explains the study and elicits their
participation. Participation is voluntary. Participants will
receive an email directing them to a Web site to complete
the online questionnaire. FMCSA says the study will assist
motor carriers in making informed decisions regarding driver
compensation as it relates to safe driving performance.
The results of the study will be available to the public
in 2015 and will be published on the FMCSA publications and
reports Web site:
www.fmcsa.dot.gov. No risks to individuals are
anticipated as a result of the study.
BUY TICKETS FOR A CHANCE TO OWN AN iPAD AIR
PMAA Small Business Committee (SBC) PAC Co-Chairs Gerry Ramm
and Michael Fields wish to thank this year’s PMAA Fall
Conference award donor, Kevin Thoma of the Minnesota
Petroleum Marketers Association, for an iPad Air for the
raffle.
The PAC raffle will be held on October 7 during the PMAA Las
Vegas conference. Advance purchase tickets are available
until October 1, 2014. Ticket sales will continue at PMAA’s
conference in Vegas until the drawing on October 7. You do
not need to be present to win.
You have to hold iPad Air to believe it. It’s just 7.5
millimeters thin and weighs just one pound. The stunning
Retina display sits inside thinner bezels, so all you see is
your content. And an incredible amount of power lies inside
the sleek enclosure. So you can do so much more. With so
much less.
The proceeds of the raffle will benefit the PMAA SBC PAC.
The money distributed to the PAC is used to benefit federal
legislators who support the industry and have a solid record
on key industry legislative issues.
Tickets are $20 each or, better still, six for $100! Tickets
must be paid for with personal funds – in full - by credit
card, cash or check (checks should be made out to the PMAA
Small Business Committee). To purchase tickets until October
1, contact PMAA’s Sabrina
Pitcher at 703-351-8000.
FINAL CALL: NACS SHOW 2014 SET FOR OCTOBER 7-10
The NACS Show
being held from October 7 to 10 at the Las Vegas Convention.
With more than 70 education sessions, over 1,000 exhibitors
and any number of social events at this year’s NACS Show,
it’s guaranteed to be a busy week in Las Vegas! To help
attendees get the most out of their investment, NACS offers
valuable tools to enhance the Show experience, both in
advance and on the ground. The NACS Show MyShow Planner is
an online and mobile tool, designed to help attendees
explore all that the Show has to offer. Just
log in and indicate which educational sessions you’d
like to attend, exhibiting companies you’d like to visit or
products you want to see — all before you arrive in Las
Vegas.
In addition to online registration and
housing, the
NACS Show website features the latest information about
exhibitors, housing, speakers, educational sessions and
networking events. Please note that the NACS Show
registration is separate from the PMAA Meeting Registration.
PMAA will hold its Fall
Meeting in conjunction with the NACS Show on October 6-7 at
Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. The PMAA meeting will
begin with a Board Orientation for new Directors
mid-afternoon on October 6 followed by a Board Briefing. A
welcome reception with NACS to State Association Leaders
will follow. On the morning of October 7, there will be a
Buffet Breakfast followed by Region and Committee Meetings.
The PMAA Board of Directors meeting is scheduled after
PMAA’s Distinguished Service Award Luncheon honoring Craig
Eerkes. Please view the
Conference Schedule for PMAA’s Fall Meeting.
If you have not registered to attend the meeting, we
would encourage you to do so now to expedite your time
during the conference! Please complete the
appropriate Registration forms
here at your earliest convenience. Hotel reservation
information can be found
here. Changes and reservations can be made up
until the start of the show and are based on availability.
We look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas!
PMAA PARTNER SPOTLIGHT FEATURING: MERIDIAN ASSOCIATES, INC.
What Keeps Some Marketers From More Profit? by Betsi
Bixby
Every petroleum marketer I know,
regardless of size of company, number of employees, or
industry sectors, wants more profit!
Making a few million a year? You want
more! Struggling in the thousands, you want more! Seeing
some red ink occasionally, you definitely want more! As I’ve
worked with companies over more than two decades, getting
them “unstuck” from whatever current level of profit they
were achieving, I’ve noticed five profit barriers that must
be removed to break through to new record profits.
Please read Betsi’s article in its entirety
here. To learn more about PMAA’s Platinum Partner,
Meridian Associates, please
visit
or contact them at 800.728.9008.
PMAA MEMBER SERVICES SPOTLIGHT FEATURING: STAPLES ADVANTAGE®
The
PMAA / Staples Advantage program
brings many benefits to all PMAA members. Not only
does Staples have great prices on office supplies and
technology items, but we also offer a wide variety of
products and services to help you consolidate vendors,
streamline processes and cut down on ordering costs.
Weekly Specials: Fantastic savings on furniture, technology, office supplies and more!
Be sure to check back weekly!
Facility Solutions:
When the whole building is counting on you to keep everything running
smoothly, you can count on Staples® Facility Solutions. Our
facility experts are here so you can expect the unexpected and
make it through the day.
Breakroom Solutions:
It's easy to make your breakroom or kitchen a place where people feel happy,
energized and comfortable. Count on Staples Advantage® to
tailor water and coffee delivery programs as well as furniture
solutions especially for your office.
To find out more about making Staples
your one source for all of your business needs or to check for
further discounts or a custom program when ordering large
ticket technology, furniture, bulk purchases and custom
printing, please contact PMAA’s National Inside Account
Consultant
Albina Oboimova or 888.224.3784 extension 4117. You can also call Staples Customer
Service at 877.826.7755 or
Order@StaplesAdvantage.com
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