IN THIS ISSUE

• Save The Dates
• Upcoming Events -- Registration
• Raffle & Sponsorship Opportunities
• Propane Days 2024, Washington, D.C.
• CETP 2024 Propane Safety Training Classes
• Important Request for New Jersey Marketers
• EDGE Legislative Update
• *DUES NOTICE* -- Stay Current
• NPGA News -- Entry Level Driver Training Program
• PERC News -- Access the Environmental Toolkit
• Thank you to our Advertisers and Sponsors!
• Don't miss your Opportunity for Promotion!



Join us at Maggiano's in Hackensack, New Jersey for the NJPGA's 2024 Annual Board of Directors Meeting.

Don't miss your chance to engage with Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate for New Jersey Governor 2025, and Andrea Pavon of National PGA, who will bring us up to speed on the ACE Driver Training Program.

This is the perfect opportunity to network and stay informed. Register today and seize the moment!

Maggiano's Little Italy

70 Riverside Square Mall, Hackensack, NJ 07601

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

NJPGA Board of Directors Meeting / NJPERF Board of Trustees Meeting

with Special Guests...

  We look forward to seeing you there!

NEED OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATION?

Click below...

Sponsor the June 26th Board Meeting and enjoy these benefits which will ensure maximum visibility and recognition:

--One complimentary ticket to the event

--A prominent display of your company name and logo on the registration table at the event and all advertising correspondence to a niche reach of over 500 industry contacts

--Acknowledgment at the Board meeting

--Company Bio included in the Board Packet and read aloud by the NJPGA President

--The opportunity to address the attendees

Available @ $350

June 2nd through the 4th

Washington, DC

Hosted by NPGA

New Jersey's propane sector plays a critical role in the state's economy, contributing $659.2M in value. Engaging Congress in a conversation about energy choice, with our specific focus on propane, is paramount. This ensures recognition of propane's significance as a reliable, versatile, and clean energy source, essential for economic growth, energy security, and environmental sustainability.

That being said, we know NPGA is hosting Propane Days from June 2nd through June 4th. Let's jump at this opportunity. We want to be there.

We have to be there.

Scroll for details.

Propane Days includes NPGA's Annual and Board of Directors meetings, as well as the Marketers Section and Scholarship meetings, guest speakers, and the annual advocacy day.

NPGA’s annual advocacy day in Washington, DC, will include a federal legislative breakfast and briefing on the association’s top priorities and best practices for Congressional meetings, in-person meetings on Capitol Hill, and a Congressional Reception.

On Capitol Hill, NPGA members will advocate for the most pressing issues facing the propane industry, including the following:

• Energy Choice - Protecting consumer choice by preventing state and local governments from enacting gas bans.
• National Defense Authorization Act - Urging the Department of Defense to adopt propane-powered generators.
• Federal Appropriations - Seeking federal funding from the Department of Energy for propane research, development, and demonstration projects.
• Farm Bill - Promoting two asks that incentivize an increase in on-site propane storage for rural and agricultural facilities.
• Alternative Fuel Tax Credit - Asking for an extension of this tax credit, which encourages consumers to adopt propane vehicles and expires at the end of 2024.
• Federal Aviation Administration - Urging a long-term extension and continuing programs that incentivize the adoption of propane vehicles and generators at airport facilities.

The advocacy day will end with a reception on Capitol Hill in the Rayburn House Office Building, which will be attended by numerous Members of Congress, their staff, and industry partners.

If you have any questions about Propane Days contact Rhett Johnson, NPGA’s Senior Manager of Legislative Affairs.

If you are ready to meet with our New Jersey Representatives in D.C., contact Jacqueline Piazza.

Propane Safety Training 2024

Classes are in full swing and are available to you for certification! From May through September there is something for everyone!

Register today...

Propane Delivery, Combined Delivery (2.2/2.4)

Mon – Wed | May 13, 14 & 15, 8:30-4:30 PM

86 Vanderveer Road, Freehold, NJ 07728, Tarantin Industries

Exterior Vapor Distribution Systems (4.1)

Tues – Thurs | June 4, 5 & 6, 8:30-4:30 PM

180 Centennial Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854, F.W. Webb Co.

Placing Vapor Distribution Systems into Operation (4.2)

Mon – Wed | June 24, 25 & 26, 8:30-4:30 PM

86 Vanderveer Road, Freehold, NJ 07728, Tarantin Industries

Installing Appliances & Interior Vapor Distribution (4.3)

Mon – Wed | July 29, 30 & 31, 8:30-4:30 PM

86 Vanderveer Road, Freehold, NJ 07728, Tarantin Industries

Basic Principles and Practices (1.0)

Thurs & Friday | August 22 & 23, 8:30.-4:30 PM

180 Centennial Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854, F.W. Webb Co.

Propane Delivery, Combined Delivery (2.2/2.4)

Tues – Thurs | Sept 24, 25 & 26, 8:30-4:30 PM

180 Centennial Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854, F.W. Webb Co.

*An Important Request for all New Jersey Marketers*

It’s Time to Complete the Annual Retail Sales Survey

Join the friendly race to see if New Jersey can get to 100% completion rate for the 2023 sales report first! Curious to see where we sit right now? Scroll down to check it out.

Importance & Need

The grant funds available to New Jersey Propane Education & Research Foundation (NJPERF) come from the annual sales report. Your participation is essential!

Benefits

Your reporting directly influences funding for state programs available such as appliance rebates, consumer messaging campaigns, training, and more.

Status

Let's make sure our mighty state of New Jersey completes at 100%

You may report directly on PERC’s website before May 15^th at propane.com/salesreport or by clicking the button above!

Only one person in your company is a dedicated reporter. If you don’t have access to the reporting or need to change who is responsible for this request, please send an email to salesreport@propane.com.

We're a bit behind our usual pace and need your help!

Complete your 2023 Sales Report today!

The New Jersey Propane Gas Association thanks you very much for your participation!

NPGA LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

by Eric DeGesero, EDGE Consulting

We are six months away from electing a President, the entire US House of Representatives, and one-third of the US Senate. The decisions made along the Potomac River in our nation’s capital are important and garner media coverage 24/7. Lost in the din of the never-ending news cycle are the decisions made along the Delaware River in our state’s capital. They are arguably more important and will put you out of business much faster than any timeframe Washington, D.C. can conjure up.

The bills that follow are pending in Trenton. All have been introduced for the first time in the past four months, except for "Green Amendment" which is a bigger threat than all the others.

·      Green Amendment: Amends NJ Constitution to guarantee all citizens a clean environment and climate. This means just what it says it means. And since the proposal is self-executing, there is no role for the Legislature. The NJ courts will determine what it all means. If enacted, this constitutional amendment would give anyone a cause of action to sue any business, government, or fellow citizen who combusts, discharges, or disrupts air, land, or water, regardless of if they have a permit or need a permit to engage in the activity. This is really anarchy masquerading as a constitutional amendment. SCR43 (Greenstein/Zwicker)

·      Smart Thermostats: New residential construction will require a smart thermostat.  S2556 (Smith/McKeon)

·      Healthy and Affordable Construction for Tomorrow Act: This bill prohibits the combustion of any “qualifying substance” which is any substance that emits 25 kg or more CO2 per 1 Million BTUs.

The bill applies to all new construction less than 7 stories high within 12 months of enactment and all new construction within 36 months. S3066 (Mukherji/Smith). A4214 (Karabinchak).

·      Low Carbon Transportation Fuel Standard: Requires gasoline and diesel to reduce carbon intensity 10% below 2019 baseline by 2030. The NJDEP will implement the low carbon fuel standard. FMANJ is engaged in discussions with the sponsor to include off-road uses of renewable diesel – heating, construction, agricultural, as being allowed to generate credits on an “opt-in” basis. If the diesel pool is renewable diesel, then these uses will be too and there is no reason not to allow them to generate opt-in credits. Environmentalists who want to put you out of business think putting you out of business is a good reason not to allow these uses to generate opt-in credits. S2425 (McKeon/Smith) A3645 (Calabrese/McCoy)

·      Clean Heat Standard: Requires heating fuel suppliers to purchase and retire clean heat credits or makes a corresponding alternative compliance payment. A clean heat credit shall be earned through the installation or delivery of a clean heat measure and will be measured in tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) of avoided annual greenhouse gas emissions. Among the clean heat measures are insulation, heat pumps, advanced wood heating systems, and sustainably sourced biofuels (no definition). In the first year of the bill heating fuel suppliers must retire credits equal to 5% of the GHG emissions represented by their heating fuel sales. This percentage increases to 20% by 2030, 50% by 2040, and 80% by 2050. This is an increasing percentage on a decreasing base of GJHG emissions. For heating fuel suppliers who don’t meet the reductions, they will pay an alternative compliance fee to be determined by the BPU and revised every two years. A3374 (Stanley/Mukherji/Reynolds Jackson)

·      Cap and Invest: Whereas the above Clean Heat Standard and LCFTS are focused on reducing CO2 emissions specifically from the transportation and thermal sectors, this is an NJ economywide cap and trade bill.

The bill requires “major emitters” of CO2 to cap emissions, otherwise they must purchase credits to offset their CO2 emissions. Major emitters are those who emit 25,000 metric tons of CO2/yr. or more.

Source: https://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/co2_vol_mass.php Using default of metric ton = 2,205 pounds. 

According to the USEIA propane emits 12.68 lb. CO2/gallon and a metric ton equals 2,205 pounds. So, 174 gallons of propane emits 1 metric ton of CO2 (2,205/12.68 = 174). Therefore, a propane marketer who sells approximately 4.35 million gallons of propane a year is a major emitter (174 g x 25,000).

Emissions are only counted once, so the sale of a gallon of propane from one major emitter, a refiner, to another major emitter, a propane marketer, does not generate additional compliance requirements.

In an effort to mitigate the cost burden on electric and natural gas ratepayer the bill requires the NJDEP distribute allowances to gas and electric utilities equal to 100% of their emissions in the first four years of the program, then 97% for the next four years, then 94% for the following four years. After that the determination will be made by the NJDEP. FMA is speaking with the sponsor’s staff May 14^th to discuss the equal inclusion of credits for all fuel suppliers so costs will be mitigated on other customers too.

Combustion of biofuels is exempt from reporting.

A4278 is sponsored by Assemblyman Herb Conaway (D-Burlington). 

*2023-2024 DUES NOTICE*

Dues invoices for 2023-2024 were emailed in November 2023 with a link for online payment or pay by check. A dues reminder was sent April 1st. If you have not received your invoice, please contact headquarters at 609-890-6094 to stay current as a member of the New Jersey Propane Gas Association.

Your dues cover July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. You can update your contact information by clicking this link HERE.

IMPORTANT: In compliance with the Association’s By-Laws, Article VI, Section 2 (c), “Dues shall become due on the first day of January of each year. Any member who is in arrears on April 1 of that year shall have membership services suspended. Members in arrears as of May 1 shall be dropped from membership.”

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Your involvement and support of the NJPGA are valued and essential to ensure the continuation of our safe and competitive propane marketplace. It cannot be stressed enough that our Association is only as strong as our Members’ participation.

We hope you have found that your membership in the NJPGA is a valuable business asset. As always, the NJPGA continues its longstanding commitment to strengthening, promoting, and protecting the interests of the propane industry in New Jersey.

Through our lobbyist, NJPGA monitors all legislative committees and Senate and Assembly Board lists for any bill that could have a negative or positive impact on the propane industry and then acts in the best interest of the industry. This includes supporting and promoting positive legislation and opposing and securing amendments to protect our industry against troublesome legislation, especially regarding the current Electrification and Decarbonization proposals.

The NJPGA would like to thank Members who actively engage and urge Members who monitor Association activities to become active participants in guiding forward the LP Gas industry in New Jersey.

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Those involved in any capacity within the Propane Industry are encouraged to become a member. You can find details of membership HERE.

We must have a collective voice in New Jersey. Your voice is Propane-Powered! Use it.

NPGA News

Administrative Compliance Experts™: Steering Driver Training

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires all new CDL- and HME-applicants to successfully complete theory and behind-the-wheel training before they can take a state’s CDL or HME exams. The requirement is called Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT).

NPGA’s Administrative Compliance Experts™ – known as ACE, is designed to assist companies in navigating ELDT’s red tape.

Can ACE help? Through ACE, the more than 30 steps required under the ELDT mandate can become 5 simple steps from start to finish.

1. Sign up online
2. Complete Online Knowledge Training
3. Complete Onsite Behind The Wheel Training
4. Submit to NPGA
5. Take CDL Test

NPGA, as an FMCSA Registered Training Provider, can complete submission of all required materials to FMSCA on your behalf. Using NPGA’s ACE services shields you from FMCSA audit and ushers your new drivers through the education and training requirements. And ACE is available to the entire on-road community, not just the propane industry.

ACE is a fee-based administrative service provided by NPGA and separate from the ELDT training program.

PERC News

Share the Environmental Benefits of Propane

Propane is an important part of the energy conversation and the industry plays a critical role in sharing our message. Prepare yourself for these important discussions by exploring PERC's Environmental Toolkit. This collection of templates, fact-sheets and talking points highlights all the environmental benefits of propane and will ensure you're confident in joining the environmental conversation whenever the opportunity arises.  

NJPGA | 609-890-6094 | jpiazza@njpga.org | www.njpga.org

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