www.fueloilnews.com | FUEL OIL NEWS | march 2014 17
"Everything has been in a phase down.
I've been trying to get programs finished
and closed up and now, like the tin man,
we have to put oil in the joints and get it
moving fast again," Huber said. "It's a lot
of work and a lot of planning we have to
do, and now that people are paying the fee
again we have to try to get results out the
door as quickly as we can so they feel their
money is justified."
From a funding standpoint, the orga-
nization still maintains some reserves to
hold it over until the new funding starts
coming in at the end of July. It will mean
temporarily borrowing some money cur-
rently set aside for the states, to focus on
reactivating the core programs. The certi-
fication programs feature prominently in
the upcoming NORA agenda.
"We've had a meeting with the ser-
vice managers," said Huber. "We've had
a Silver Certification Program and a Gold
Certification Program, and the silver has
been very strong. There has been some talk
that we need to improve our gold program.
We're working to reinvigorate that pro-
gram to make it much more tech oriented.
The goal, eventually, is a master techni-
cian program focused on particular subject
areas. So we are working to that end with
the National Association of Oil and Energy
Service Professionals to develop six courses
between four and eight hours, that you'd
use with the gold program. "
Huber also noted that research and
development is going to be a much bigger
part of the NORA budget than it was in
the earlier years. "We need to develop very
strong partnerships with the Department
of Energy and other groups that will con-
tribute to our research, and work with Dr.
Tom Butcher and Brookhaven to make
sure we have a very strong research pro-
gram. Again, we've been busy finishing up
projects so we now have to look at what
has occurred in the last four to five years
in Germany and Canada and the gas side
of the business to go from there and get a
step ahead."
NORA will also be active at the range of
industry meetings, gathering feedback to
help direct its actions as it moves forward.
And, all is not quiet now on the legisla-
tive front.
"So, we have NORA authorized for five
years, and like a member of Congress when
he or she is elected in the House you imme-
diately start running again," Gilligan said.
"We are already going to start talking about
trying to get some extensions and some
amendments in any energy bill that moves
next year or the year after."
l FON
Fuels
