OPMCA Connection
Keeping You Informed!


OPMCA Connection keeps you informed and current on regulations from all state and national agencies as well as laws pertaining to the petroleum marketing/c-store industry.
OPMCA STAFF

Candace McGinnis
Executive Director  

Hannah May
Director of Member Services  

OPMCA  
6420 N. Santa Fe, Suite B
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
Phone: (405) 842-6625 
(800) 256-5013 
Fax: (405) 842-9562
2020-2021 Board of Directors

Kurtis Hutchinson, Chairman 
 Hutchinson Oil Company

Jerry Davidson
Pete's Corporation

Teresa Hollenbeck
Red Rock Distributing Company

John Netherton
Danielson Fuel Services

Jason Flinn
Flowers Oil Company

Rob Toth
Coffeyville Resource
Thank you to those that joined us last week for the 2020 Virtual OPMCA Round Table Meetings! While we may of had a few technical difficulties, we hope you still found the information to be beneficial! If you missed the meeting last week, we are working to get the recorded presentation on our website. Thank you for your patience as we navigate the new virtual meeting world!
Click Here to View all EMA Coronavirus Related Resources for Petroleum Marketers Including all Regulatory Reports
Friday, Oct. 30, 2020
  • In-Person Early Voting Began Yesterday

  • PMAA Name Change

  • EPA Issues Final Fuels Regulatory Program

  • Urge Congress to Include Reasonable Liability Protections in Next COVID-19 Relief Package

  • NACS Crack the Code Experience

  • Federated Insurance Complimentary Webinars

  • Federated Insurance October Educational Articles
In-Person Early Voting Began Yesterday
In-person absentee ("early") voting began yesterday, October 29th. Early voting is available in the county where you are registered to vote. Voting times are as follows:
 

·     October 29 - 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
·     October 30 - 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
·     October 31 - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
 

You can find a list of the early voting locations by county here. Also, if you have already voted in the November 3 General Election via absentee mail-in ballot, please use the OK Voter Portal to track your absentee ballot status here.
 

View a sample ballot here.
PMAA Name Change
Petroleum Marketers Association of America (PMAA) is now The Energy Marketers of America (EMA)!


Energy Marketers of America Name Change Reflects Growing Portfolio of Liquid Fuels Industry

Trade association’s portfolio includes affordable, environmentally friendly fuels such as renewable diesel and biodiesel.


The Energy Marketers of America (EMA) announced Tuesday a new era for the trade association previously known as the Petroleum Marketers Association of America. The name change is reflective of the group’s growing portfolio of affordable, efficient, and environmentally friendly liquid fuels and other alternative energy sources that are helping to reduce emissions while propelling Americans forward.

Liquid fuels have played a critical role in lowering emissions over the past half century, and through innovation and technological advancement, they will continue to reduce emissions further in the coming decades. Investments in cleaner liquid fuels helped reduce U.S. air emissions by 73 percent from 1970 to 2016, even as total miles driven nearly tripled. Innovative technologies will ensure liquid fuels are part of a lower-emission future for decades to come.

“Liquid fuels are and will continue to be a crucial driver of economic growth in this county and a catalyst for affordable transportation,” EMA President Rob Underwood said. “EMA spans 47 states, our members own and operate 60,000 fuel stations across the country, and they supply heating fuel to more than 5 million American homes and businesses. The small businesses they represent provide thousands of jobs and help Americans get where they need to go as well as keep them warm during the winter.”

While much progress has already been made, EMA believes that addressing improvements in fuel efficiency and the carbon value of the fuel will yield significant gains for the environment. Policies and funding to reduce carbon emissions should be spread over all carbon sources and be applied to all fuels and energy sources equally. Research and funding for reductions in carbon emissions associated with liquid fuels should be treated with the same urgency as afforded to electrification, particularly since about 98% of vehicles sold in 2019 still rely on liquid fuels. Additionally, EMA supports policies and programs which allows the oilheat industry to provide more efficient and reliable heat and hot water to American consumers.

“Lawmakers should consider a technology neutral approach when it comes to promoting policies that reduce emissions,” Underwood said. “The most cost-effective way to reduce emissions from transportation is to support technologies that do so for the vast majority of vehicles on the road.”


EPA Issues Final Fuels Regulatory Program
The EPA issued a final Fuels Regulatory Streamlining rulemaking which provides significant revisions to the existing gasoline, diesel, and other fuels programs. These revisions affect EMA member companies from the marketers through the refineries including manufacturers and suppliers of ethanol and additives. The existing fuel regulations were an amalgamation of separate programs implemented over the past 40 years resulting in over 1000 pages of complex, outdated and redundant regulations. The revisions delete expired provisions, eliminate redundant provisions and remove unnecessary and out-of-dated provisions in the existing 40 CFR Part 80 fuel quality regulations and replaces Part 80 with a new set of regulations in 40 CFR Part 1090.

These changes are intended to streamline the fuels regulatory process and improve compliance and reduce compliance costs, however, they do not reduce the compliance requirements of the existing fuel standards. The final rule:


  • Removes outdated and duplicative gasoline and diesel fuel regulations and consolidates regulations for EPA’s various fuel programs into a set of rules.
  • Simplifies the summertime RVP requirements by establishing a summer RVP per-gallon cap of 7.4 psi across regions.
  • Reduces the need for recertification of winter gasoline by allowing all winter gasoline to be used in RFG areas without recertification.
  • Consolidates the four existing fuel quality survey programs into a single national in-use fuel quality survey.
  • Simplifies the downstream recertification of distillates, removal of outdated provisions in the ULSD regulations and elimination of the prohibition against the presence of red dye in motor vehicle diesel fuel and additional heating fuel requirements.


The final rule is effective January 2021. Overall, EMA has expressed support for streaming the fuels regulations and believes these changes will increase compliance with EPA fuel regulations while significantly reducing the compliance burden they impose on small business energy marketers. Click here to read EMA’s comments from June 2020.


Urge Congress to Include Reasonable Liability Protections in Next COVID-19 Relief Package
The Energy Marketers of America (EMA) urges you to reach out to Congress in support of important legislation to expand liability protections for businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic known as the “Safe to Work Act” (S. 4317). The bill is retroactive to December 2019 and provides reasonable liability protection against COVID-19 lawsuits through October 2024 for businesses who have made good faith efforts to comply with government guidance. The legislation does not protect bad actors in cases where there is willful misconduct or gross negligence to the safety of an individual. The legislation provides preemption from state laws unless state laws provide greater liability protection.

It is important for everyone to reach out to their lawmakers urging them to include S. 4317 in the next COVID-19 relief package. Click here to do so.


NACS Crack the Code Experience: November 2 - December 4, 2020
Click here to register through the Energy Marketers of America unique URL Code. There is no additional charge for our members who are not NACS members…it’s one price for all!


Crack the Code Experience (and Quick Links)


A five-week digital experience and curated marketplace that connect convenience retail buyers and sellers from around the globe. You'll have 24/7 access to forward-looking ideas and insights, innovative new-to-channel products, and strategic connections -- all at your own pace.


  1. View 50+ Educations Sessions >
  2. Explore Hundreds of Virtual Booths / Showrooms >
  3. 5 Critical, Spotlight Themes >
  4. Interactive Cool New Products >
  5. Fun Engaging Activities & Nightly Networking >
  6. 24/7 Online Access > View Schedule
Federated Insurance Complimentary Webinars
Making mySHIELD Yours
 
Tuesday, November 10, 2020 (1 PM CT)
30 minutes | Complimentary | Advance registration required

 
mySHIELD is your personalized online destination for resources to help support your business. Learn to use this intuitive portal to enhance your company’s loss-prevention strategy and access tools to:
 

• Order, send, and manage certificates of insurance
• Manage vehicle and driver lists
• Grant employees mySHIELD access
• Report claims online
• View and pay invoices


WHO SHOULD ATTEND
  • Owners/Officers
  • Operations Management
  • Risk Managers
  • HR Professionals


WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
  • How to get the most out of mySHIELD
  • How to access industry-specific training and resources
  • Impactful resources through vendor partners such as JJ Keller, Enquiron, BLR and more
  • Helpful tips for navigating the portal
  • Where to find help when needed
Cost-Effective Solutions for
Mid-Pandemic Workplace Controversies
 

Tuesday, November 17, 2020 (12:00 PM CT)
60 minutes | Complimentary | Advance registration required
 

In this webinar, we will identify seven types of challenges and recurring problems that employers face today, and we will discuss cost-effective solutions your organization can implement to reduce risk while preparing for year-end and for 2021. We’ll offer practical tips and resources, and will answer questions at the end of this webinar.


WHO SHOULD ATTEND
  • HR Professionals
  • Risk Managers
  • Managers
  • Supervisors
Federated Insurance October Educational Articles
tackles subjects related to workplace safety


provides a human resources-related question and answer from independent legal professionals


discusses concepts related to life and disability income insurance