Happy Halloween!

In this edition of the Monday Morning Messenger, the association shares the recently released Tier II training schedule. Training classes from the TCEQ start as early as next week. In-person and online classes are available for anyone in your company that wants to be trained on how to file Tier II reports.

Additionally, for anyone at your company or your fleet or forklift clients that will be claiming the retroactive alternative fuel tax credit for the first (3) quarters of 2022, TPGA shares an online educational event that will help you or your customers file for the tax credit in our second story of the morning.

In the third story of the morning, TPGA introduces you to three new, very impressive NPGA new hires as NPGA expands its code and regulatory team. These individuals will be a tremendous additional resource to TPGA and you as NPGA members.

Last week, TPGA announced the opening of the $35M TCEQ Texas Natural Gas Vehicle Grant Program, which has provided generous grants to propane delivery companies and other fleets. Now the $75M Rebate Grants Program has just opened, too. This week, we compare the two programs and give guidance on which one should you and your fleet clients apply for?

Don't forget to check out our Quick Links section for links to the Winter Weekly, Propane Service Corporation store, most recent TPGA Regulatory Alert, and to the Texas Appliance Rebate Program.

In this issue

• In Brief
• Tier II Trainings
• Tax Credit Webinar
• New NPGA Experts
• $75M vs. $35M Grants
• Quick Links

November 3-4, 2022

NPGA Fall Benchmarking Council Meeting

November 7, 2022

PERC Learning Center

Administrator Reporting

November 8, 2022

Election Day

November 8 2022

- February 2, 2023

Tier II Training

November 8-9, 2022

PERC Council Meeting

November 10, 2022

Texas Propane Magazine

Ad Deadline

November 10, 2022

Webinar on How to Claim Retroactive Fuel Tax Credits

November 29, 2022

Propane Living

Winter Deadline

November 30, 2022

PERC Tech School

Grant Deadline

December 2, 2022

Duty to Warn Deadline

The Tier II Chemical Reporting Program is hosting free training classes to assist filers with preparing for their Annual Tier II reports. Texas Tier II reports are required to be filed annually by March 1st to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for locations storing chemicals and hazardous materials, including those storing 2,380 gallons (10,000 lbs.) or more of propane.

TCEQ will be hosting both online and a limited number of in-person training this year that will be conducted from November through early February.

The in-person training will be located in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio and will have limited seating availability. Registration will be first come, first serve.

2022-2023 Annual Training Classes

Online Refresher Training Class: This class is useful for those that have used the Tier II Reporting application before and are only interested in a shortened version of the training that will put emphasis on what has changed since last reporting season.

• November 8th, 2022- Teams Webinar (10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)
• November 10th, 2022- Teams Webinar (1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
• November 15th, 2022- Teams Webinar (10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)
• November 17th, 2022- Teams Webinar (1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
• December 7th, 2022- Teams Webinar (10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)
• December 14th, 2022- Teams Webinar (1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
• January 10th, 2023- Teams Webinar (10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)
• January 12th, 2023- Teams Webinar (1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
• January 24th, 2023- Teams Webinar (10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)
• January 31st, 2023- Teams Webinar (1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.)



Online Full Training Class: This class will cover the full Tier II reporting process in Texas, including program history and instructions on how to submit a Tier II report through STEERS.

• January 5th, 2023- Teams Webinar (10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
• January 11th, 2023- Teams Webinar (10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
• January 17th, 2023- Teams Webinar (10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
• January 18th, 2023- Teams Webinar (10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
• January 19th, 2023- Teams Webinar (10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
• January 25th, 2023- Teams Webinar (10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
• January 26th, 2023- Teams Webinar (10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
• February 1st, 2023- Teams Webinar (10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
• February 2nd, 2023- Teams Webinar (10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)

In-Person Trainings: These in-person trainings have limited seating capacity and will cover the same material as the full-day training.

• December 6th, 2022- American Red Cross, 2700 Southwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77098
• December 8th, 2022- Dallas County Training Center, 2121 Panoramic Cir., Dallas, TX 75212
• December 13th, 2022- Audie Murphy Auditorium, Camp Mabry, 2200 W. 35th, Austin, TX
• December 13th, 2022- SAFD Tech Serv, 602 Dunton St., San Antonio, TX 78226

LSCFA Chairwoman Heather Ball will walk attendees through how to claim these retroactive tax credits.

Texas fleets will also share their success stories on claiming the credits.

Meet some of the newest regulatory and technical experts that the National Propane Gas Association has added to their team. These new team members will be a valuable resource to members as well as in the code, standard and regulatory-making process.

Dr. Thomas Manuel Ortiz joins NPGA as the Director of Codes & Standards. Tom is a seasoned petroleum and NGL engineer, having worked for ExxonMobil, Halliburton, and other energy companies in the private sector. His public sector experience includes work with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Los Alamos National Laboratory, and, most recently, as a petroleum engineer with the Texas General Land Office. 

Dr. Ortiz holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue and an MBA from Texas A&M. 

Tom is based in Austin, TX, and will report to Bruce Swiecicki, Vice President & Chief Technical Officer of Regulatory & Technical Services, working with code & standard-making bodies, TS & S, and other related activities.

Benjamin Nussdorf joined NPGA as General Counsel and Vice President of Regulatory & Industry Affairs. 

Ben has spent 15 years as an attorney in the liquid fuels sector at federal agencies in Washington, DC. He started at the Department of Interior (DOI), including serving as a senior policy analyst for fossil energy, renewable energy, and hydraulic fracturing regulations. He then spent 7 years as a senior regulatory advisor in the Office of Oil & Natural Gas within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Most recently, he served in the Office of General Counsel at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Mr. Nussdorf also teaches oil and gas law as an adjunct professor at three DC area law schools and has substantial knowledge in the area of pipeline supply and logistics.

Ben is based in DC, and he will oversee all legal and regulatory affairs at NPGA as well as industry affairs such as supply & logistics and the ACE program.  

Kate Gaziano has joined NPGA as Director of Regulatory Affairs and Associate General Counsel.  

Prior to joining NPGA, Kate was a regulatory attorney with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, one of DC’s most sophisticated global law firms. Prior to joining Akin Gump, she served as a law clerk to Judge Edith Jones—appointed by President Reagan—on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in Houston, TX. She has also worked in the Office of Chief Counsel at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Bill of Rights Institute. Kate is a graduate, summa cum laude, of the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University and the University of Virginia. Kate is based in DC and will represent the propane industry on a broad portfolio of federal regulatory matters. 

Two popular grants funding propane-powered vehicles are now open. Both have ample funding, and both are first come, first serve, but which one is the best?

The $75 million TCEQ Rebate Grants Program opened last week and allows those in these eligible counties to purchase or replace diesel on-road and diesel non-road equipment with new propane and other alternative fuel vehicles and equipment, with an application deadline of December 19, 2022.

Applicants that apply for vehicles or equipment are also eligible to reply for onsite refueling: $100,000 plus $100,000 for each on-road vehicle or non-road piece of equipment up to $600,000.

Rebate Grants Replacement Examples:

·        MY 2003 or older diesel bobtail replaced by MY 2023 propane bobtail (33,000 GVWR): $110,000

·        MY 2003 or older diesel forklift replaced by MY 2023 propane forklift (25-49 hp): $47,238

·        MY 2003 or older diesel school bus replaced by MY 2023 propane school bus (33,000 GVWR): $133,694

Rebate Grants Without Replacement Examples:

·        New purchase of propane MY 2023 propane bobtail (33,000 GVWR): $30,000

·        MY 2023 propane school bus (33,000 GVWR): $50,000

For school bus replacements, the Rebate Grant Program is more favorable than the TNGVGP if they are replacing an old diesel bus.

But the $35M Texas Natural Gas Vehicle Grant Program (TNGVGP) that opened earlier this month and was covered in last week's Messenger is going to be the way for propane marketers who are replacing diesel bobtails with propane bobtails to go. 

Click here for TNGVGP-eligible counties

TNGVGP Replacement Example:

·        MY 2003 or older diesel bobtail replaced by MY 2023 propane bobtail (33,000 GVWR): $215,170

·        MY 2003 or older diesel school bus replaced by MY 2023 propane school bus (33,000 GVWR): $58,275

The TNGVGP deadline is March 31, 2022.

But if propane marketers want to install refueling infrastructure, the Rebate Grant Program is the only option currently open. Fleets must purchase new vehicles under the Rebate Grant Program in order to apply for refueling infrastructure. 

For questions or grant writing assistance, please contact ProCOT at (800)325-7427 or by email at info@propanecounciloftexas.org. 

OCTOBER 26, 2022

WINTER WEEKLY PROPANE

PRICE & SUPPLY UPDATE

U.S., GULF & TEXAS

PROPANE SERVICE CORP IS YOUR ONE-STOP SHOP

FOR A VARIETY OF

PROPANE BILL STUFFERS

OCTOBER 28, 2022

TPGA REGULATORY UPDATE

FIRE SAFETY ANALYSIS

IMPORTANT UPDATE

PROPANE FURNACE, BOILER & WATER HEATER REBATES ARE AVAILABLE

TO YOUR CUSTOMERS