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 | APRIL 2016 3 DATELINE BREAKING NEWS NORA EMBARKS ON $1 MILLION CONSUMER OUTREACH PROGRAM An internet and social media cam- paign are designed to bring a half- million visitors to its consumer website, said the National Oilheat Research Alliance. The decade from 2004 through 2014 was one of the most challenging ever for the oilheat industry, the Alliance noted. Warm winters, high and vola- tile fuel prices and strong political and environmental movements against hydrocarbon fuels all converged to make a difficult time for both heating oil suppliers and consumers. Fortunately, the industry has been rewarded with a collapse in fuel prices– currently the lowest crude prices in 11 years, the Alliance said in a state- ment. Additionally, numerous state and regional associations working with NORA have begun working on a transi- tion to low-carbon and renewable fuels. The current campaign is designed to make sure oilheat customers are aware of the positive changes so they will know their loyalty to oilheat has been rewarded, the Alliance said. Through its board of directors and executive com- mittee, the Alliance allocated nearly $1 million to ensure consumers understand the value of oilheat. A digital media outreach plan is expected to result in nearly 100 million impressions and more than 500,000 visits to NORA's website, OilheatAmerica.com. The campaign fea- tures a message that "although the last decade was difficult, staying with oilheat was a good choice." NORA's digital campaign launched i n m i d - J a n u a r y a n d i s r u n n i n g t o April, focusing on oilheat custom- ers using internet search as a primary outreach vehicle. This will be supple- mented by messaging on home-centric internet sites that homeowners often visit. Additionally, NORA is using social networks, such as Facebook to reach consumers. Allison Heaney, president of Skaggs Walsh and chair of NORA, is a leader o f t h i s e f f o r t a s c h a i r o f N O R A ' s Budget Committee. "While oilheat has steadily improved in efficiency and performance and while a movement to Bioheat is essential to our future, it is just as important that our customers know of these improve- ments," Heaney said. "NORA is a key tool that we must use to get that message to our customers." BERKS-SCHUYLKILL OIL HEAT ASSOCIATION DONATES $4,500 TO SALVATION ARMY T h e B e r k s - S c h u y l k i l l O i l H e a t Association donated $4,500 to both the Berks and Schuylkill County Salvation Army on Feb. 18 with each corps receiv- ing half of the total donation. Since 2006, the BSOHA annual charitable donation has directly helped the heating needs of local residents with a total contribution of $50,540. Kevin Polito and Mary Metzger of the Pottsville Corps; Tony Calafaty, Reading Corps; and Tajuana Destin, Reading Corps of the Salvation Army were on hand to accept the presentation from BSOHA President Kevin Steele of H.B. Steele & Son, Inc., Orwigsburg, and BSOHA sec- retary/treasurer, Ted Harris of Boston Environmental, Portsmouth, N.H. "We were very pleased to make this donation to the Salvation Army. I am very happy with the charity of our mem- bership and their willingness to help those less fortunate," said Kevin Steele, president of BSOHA. Donations for the annual fundraiser were received from the following mem- ber companies of BSOHA: AMERIgreen, Angus Energy, Boston Environmental, B u c k e y e E n e r g y S e r v i c e s , C a r r o l l Independent Fuel, LLC, Earl R. Martin Inc., Elite Fuel Services LLC, Gulf Oil, H.B. Steele & Son Inc., Jack Rich Inc. and R.F. Ohl. As an organization of independent heating oil distributors and dealers and associated industries, the Berks- FEATURED NEWS DATELINE • NORA Embarks on $1 Million Consumer Outreach Program • Berks-Schuylkill Oil Heat Association Donates $4,500 to Salvation Army • AEC: Gas Export Decision Stirs Debate over Massachusetts Pipeline FUELS/EIA – pg 14 • Pennsylvania Dep Offers Grants to Support Alternative Fuel Projects • Tremcar Offers Services to All Tank Trademarks • Smartlogix, IoT Provider of Petroleum Management, Inventory and Transportation Logistics, Is Now Skybitz Petroleum Logistics • Greg Chartrand Retires From Tremcar BUSINESS OPERATIONS – pg 18 • EEE Welcomes Bioheat as Premier Sponsor • U.S. Solar Market Sets New Record • Survey: Nearly 50% of Small Businesses Operate Without a Website HVAC/HYDRONICS – pg 26 • Bacharach Sets New Service Policy Designed to Expedite Repairs • Field Controls Unveils New Automated Cooling System • Aquamotion Taps G3 Energy Marketing as Rep for Western Pa., WVa., Ohio & Ky. • Spirax Sarco Releases 2016 Steam Course Guide • CEMA-Affiliated Entech Branch Opens in Stamford