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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4 MAY 2016 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www.fueloilnews.com DATELINE BREAKING NEWS go a long way to making sure the indus- try continues its growth, and don't leave consumers stalled along the way." B r e n t E r i c k s o n , e x e c u t i v e v i c e p r e s i d e n t o f B I O ' s I n d u s t r i a l & Environmental Section, added, "For sev- eral years now, policy uncertainty at the federal level has undercut investment in cellulosic and advanced biofuels even while pioneering companies proved the technology and started up the first commercial-scale production facilities. It will take several more years for com- panies to plan, finance and build the next wave of advanced biofuel facilities. Stable policy in the form of a multiyear extension of these advanced biofuel tax credits is necessary to help companies secure capital for these projects." Anne Steckel, vice president of fed- eral affairs at the National Biodiesel Board, said, "Biodiesel producers across the country are ready to expand pro- duction and hire new workers, but they can't do it when they don't know what their tax liability will be in nine months. We need to end this cycle of on-again, off-again incentives and replace it with stable, long-term policy for clean fuels that encourages economic growth and innovation." NORA CONSUMER EDUCATION OUTREACH EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS An aggressive internet-focused con- sumer outreach program extolling the virtues of heating with Bioheat® (heating oil blended with renewable bio- diesel) has performed even better than anticipated, said the National Oilheat Research Alliance, based in Alexandria, Va. The association allocated nearly $1 million to explain to consumers the value of oilheating through a digital media outreach plan expected to lead to nearly 100 million impressions and more than 500,000 visits to NORA's website OilheatAmerica.com. T h e d i g i t a l c a m p a i g n b e g a n i n January and included search engine m a r k e t i n g , s o c i a l m e d i a m a r k e t - ing and internet display advertising. Display advertising reached consumers in twenty-three states and the District of Columbia, making twelve million impressions and garnering a click- through rate of 0.10%, the association reported. Among the states and the District, New York State led the way with 2.4 million impressions. Search Engine Marketing impressions numbered 600,000, more than double the goal, NORA said. The click-through rate was almost three times the expectation, the association said. The campaign continued through April. For more information about NORA and its programs or services, call 703- 340-1660 or visit the web site, www. NORAweb.org. AEC: U.S. SENATORS DON'T WANT NATURAL GAS PIPELINE New York's two U.S. senators came out against the proposed Northeast Energy Direct natural gas pipeline, urging federal regulators to reject it, according to an article in the Albany Times Union. In a joint letter to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Norman Bay, Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand urged rejection of the pipeline for environmental, health and safety reasons, the article states. The 400- mile pipeline would connect the natural gas hydrofracking fields of Pennsylvania to Boston, and pass through southern Albany and Rensselaer counties. Said Gillibrand, "Potential impacts to the communities and their residents along the proposed route far outweigh any stated benefit. It remains unclear if (state) rate payers will ever benefit from this proposal, but what is clear, the health, safety and quality of life of hundreds of New Yorkers could forever be altered." P i p e l i n e o p p o n e n t N a s s a u Supervisor David Fleming told the Times Union, "The firm support of our Washington representatives is a crucial component in stopping this ill- conceived project which will impair the health, safety and economic develop- ment of our communities." The pipeline proposal includes a 41,000-horsepower compressor station in Nassau, the article states. Town offi- cials have tried to bar the compressor station on local zoning issues. Critics have also charged that the natural gas pipeline projects are being built to help natural gas producers get their fracked natural gas to the east coast for export, and that rate payers are being unfairly asked to subsidize the projects. l F O N CALENDAR OF EVENTS MAY 2016 SIGMA Spring Convention May 10-13 Hyatt Gainey Ranch Scottsdale, AZ Tel: 703-709-7000. Eastern Energy Expo May 22-26 Foxwoods Resort Casino Mashantucket, CT Web: www.easternenergyexpo.com JUNE 2016 Maine Energy Marketers Association 62nd Annual Convention June 26-28, 2016 Spruce Point Inn Boothbay Harbor, ME Tel: 207-729-5298 Web: www.MaineEnergyMarketers.com JULY 2016 PPA Summer Conference July 10-12 Grand Hotel & Spa Ocean City, MD Contact: Robert H. Willis Tel: 717-939-1781 Email: rwillis@paetroleum.org Web: www.papetroleum.org