The home heating oil industry has a long and proud history, and Fuel Oil News has been there supporting it since 1935. It is an industry that has faced many challenges during that time. In its 77th year, Fuel Oil News is doing more than just holding
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www.fueloilnews.com | FUEL OIL NEWS | NOVEMBER 2016 3 DATELINE BREAKING NEWS NEW YORK CITY PASSES BILL TO BOOST BIODIESEL IN FUEL OIL; MAYOR EXPECTED TO SIGN The New York City Council passed legisla- tion that would raise the biodiesel level in heating oil sold within the city to 20% by 2034. The current level of biodiesel in heat- ing oil sold in the city is 2%. The bill was passed by the City Council, confirmed the office of Councilman Costa Constantinide. The councilman is the chair of the council's Committee on Environmental Protection. The bill passed by a 47-3 vote, and is expected to be signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio, according to a press release issued Sept. 28 by the National Biodiesel Board. The bill will increase the amount of bio- diesel in heating oil in the city to 5% by Oct. 1, 2017; to 10% in 2025; to 15% in 2030; and to 20% in 2034, the Biodiesel Board said. "New York City is once again setting an example for the rest of the Northeast to follow by ensuring consumers are pro- vided with the nation's cleanest heating oil," Donnell Rehagen, chief operating offi- cer of the National Biodiesel Board, said in the press release. "Not only does biodiesel dramatically reduce carbon emissions, it reduces other harmful pollutants as well as smog, making New York's air healthier to breathe." A variety of organizations supported the legislation, including the heating oil industry, labor organizations, and envi- ronmental stakeholders, the Biodiesel Board said. " T h e N e w Y o r k O i l H e a t i n g Association has played a vital and vocal role in advocating for the increased use of Bioheat fuel," said Rocco Lacertosa, CEO of the New York Heating Oil Association. "We applaud the City Council for pass- ing legislation that will reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality in New York City and we commend our partners in the environmental and labor com- munity for their dedication to this issue. Heating oil in New York City is already, by far, the cleanest heating oil sold any- where in the United States." Lacertosa said the legislation "is a necessary next step to promote a more sustainable fuel that will reduce our contribution to cli- mate change while enhancing green job creation, encouraging energy indepen- dence and supporting local businesses." It is estimated that the increase from a 2% biodiesel blend to a 5% blend in the city would reduce emissions equivalent to tak- ing 45,000 cars off the road, the Biodiesel Board said. Increasing the biodiesel con- tent to 20% would be the equivalent of removing more than a quarter-million cars, according to the NBB. Made from a mix of resources such as soybean oil, recycled cooking oil and animal fats, biodiesel is a renewable, clean-burning diesel replacement fuel, the Biodiesel Board said. It is the first commer- cial-scale fuel to meet the EPA's definition of an "Advanced Biofuel"—meaning the EPA has determined that biodiesel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50% when compared with petroleum die- sel, the NBB said. With nearly 200 member companies, the National Biodiesel Board represents the biodiesel and renewable diesel industry. ENERGTEK TO ACQUIRE HOP ENERGY FOR $65 MILLION Energtek Inc., New York, N.Y., a com- pany specializing in adsorbed natural gas technology, said that it will acquire HOP Energy Holdings, Inc., White Plains, N.Y., for a cash purchase price of $65 million. HOP is a full-service energy com- pany, serving about 80,000 commercial and residential customers, Energtek said in a statement announcing the acqui- sition. Energtek plans to use HOP as a platform to deploy its mobile natural gas technology to further its strategic goal of making natural gas available to previ- ously unserved areas at affordable prices, according to the statement. Energtek develops and applies mobile energy transportation solutions for small, mid-size and large industrial, residential and agricultural consumers and fleets of FEATURED NEWS DATELINE • New York City Passes Bill to Boost Biodiesel in Fuel Oil; Mayor Expected to Sign • Energtek to Acquire HOP Energy for $65 million • Incoming ATA Chairman Touts Need for Highway Investment • Correction: Messer Petroleum Equipment FUELS/EIA – pg 10 • NATSO Applauds Biodiesel Blenders' Tax Credit Legislation • U.S. Land Rig Count to Grow by Nearly a Third in 2017: Platts RigData Three-Year Forecast • EIA: Propane Drove Growth in Exports in First Half of 2016 BUSINESS OPERATIONS – pg 17 • Peter Cullen Joins Slant/Fin Corp. as New England Regional Sales Manager • FMCSA at Work on New Diabetes Regulation for Drivers • ATRI and Mayo Clinic Launch Survey to Examine Driver Medical Exam Process • Growmark to Purchase Suncor's Share of UPI • Registration Open for Work Truck Show in Indianapolis • ATA Supports Limiting Truck Speeds, but Not as DOT Proposes HVAC/HYDRONICS – pg 25 • Cargas Energy's 8th Annual Customer Conference Draws More Than 250 Attendees • AHR Expo Innovation Award Winners • Entech Advanced Energy Training at Connecticut Energy Marketers Association Headquarters • Product: EZ-Jekt AC&R Leak Detection Kit