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
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/466105
help Americans in need. To serve more eligible households, funding should be restored to at least $4.7 billion." "At the $4.7 billion level, states can plan better, leverage other funding and pro-actively help even when there are weather extremes," added Monique Lovato, executive director of NEUAC. Reductions since 2010 have prevent- ed 1.4 million households a year from accessing LIHEAP. This budget request further diminishes an already chroni- cally-underfunded program. Although the budget seeks level funding, states must nonetheless plan for a further 6 percent reduction due to new proposed rules. More than 35 million U.S. house- holds meet LIHEAP's federal eligibil- ity criteria, but in 2013 just 6.7 mil- lion were helped. The loss of access to LIHEAP can devastate vulnerable households, especially populations pri- oritized by LIHEAP, such as the elder- ly, handicapped and young children, said Rich. He also noted, "LIHEAP provides critical support to vulnerable Americans; but underfunding LIHEAP abandons too many people when they need assistance most." Although the 2016 Budget seeks to improve the LIHEAP program, the request's practical effect means fewer resources will likely reach families in need. NEUAC urges Congress to restore LIHEAP to at least $4.7 billion, to concentrate funds in base grants, and reject efforts that syphon appropri- ated funds from LIHEAP's core energy- assistance mission. EPA FinAlizEs UPdAtEs to Air stAndArds For FUtUrE Wood HEAtErs The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is finalizing standards to limit the amount of pollution that wood heaters, which will be manufactured and sold in the future, can emit. These standards, which were last updated in 1988, reflect the significantly improved technology that is now available to make a range of models cleaner burning and more efficient. The final rule will be phased in over a five-year period, giv- ing manufacturers time to adapt their product lines to develop the best next- generation models to meet these new standards. The final rule does not affect current heaters already in use in homes today. It also does not replace state or local requirements governing wood heater use. Instead, it ensures that con- sumers buying wood heaters anywhere in the United States in the future will be able to choose from cleaner-burning models. Wood heaters, which are used around the clock in some areas, can increase particle pollution, sometimes called soot, to levels that pose serious health concerns claims EPA. Particle pollu- tion is linked to a wide range of serious health effects, including heart attacks, strokes and asthma attacks. People with heart, vascular or lung disease, older adults and children are the most at risk from particle pollution exposure. Smoke from wood heaters also includes volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide and air toxics. Emissions from new models will be reduced by roughly two-thirds, improv- ing air quality and providing between $3.4 and $7.6 billion in public health benefits according to EPA. In response to the rule's release, Jennifer Hedrick, executive director of the pellet fuel institute stated: "PFI has significant concerns that the current EPA language—allowing for U.S. pellet producers to choose among multiple standards programs—will cause more confusion than clarity among manufac- turers, retailers and consumers as they try to grasp what the different programs and fuel standards mean. "We are surprised that EPA did not choose the PFI Standards Program as the sole program for U.S. pellet man- ufacturers, despite the fact that the Pellet Fuels Institute has maintained a fuel standard for over ten years and strengthened its testing requirements in more recent years at the specific direc- tive of EPA." Calendar of Events MAY, 2015 PMAA Washington Conference and Day on the Hill May 6-8 Washington Marriott at Metro Center Washington, D.C. AREE Tradeshow May 12-14 Trump Taj Mahal Atlantic City, NJ 973-467-1400 info@areetradeshow.com OESP Convention and Trade Show May 17-21 Hershey Lodge & Convention Center Hershey, PA JUNE, 2015 NEFI Energy Expo DCU Center Worcester, MA 617-924-1000 christine@nefi.com JULY, 2015 PPA Summer Conference July 5-7, 2015 Grand Hotel & Spa Ocean City, MD Contact: Robert H. Willis 717-939-1781 rwillis@paetroleum.org SEPTEMBER, 2015 PPA 2015 Fall Energy Conference and Annual Meeting September 28-30 Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa Bedford, PA Contact: Robert H. Willis 717-939-1781 rwillis@papetroleum.org DATELiNE BReAkiNG NeWS 4 MArCH 2015 | FUEl oil nEWs | www.fueloilnews.com "At the $4.7 billion level, states can plan better, leverage other funding and pro-actively help even when there are weather extremes." — Monique Lovato, executive director of NEUAC.