LP/Gas articles from September 2006

LP/Gas archives from September 2006

Pushed to the minimum.(U.S. Census Bureau's report on Cleveland )(Viewpoint essay)
September 1, 2006... The screaming newspaper headline landed like an angry kick to my stomach, and the story details left my heart broken. For the second time in three years, my hometown of Cleveland was identified as the poorest big city in America based on...

In the know.(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... New Pricing Plan We asked 408 retail propane marketers across the United States the following questions about pricing plans and programs. We received responses from 56 companies. Here is what they had to say. Outcomes: Does the...

Propane master limited partnership comparison.(LP/GAS STOCK INDEX)(Statistical table)
September 1, 2006... Propane Master Limited Partnership Comparison Quarter Price Company Symbol Ended (8/14/06) AmeriGas APO June $29.60 Energy Transfer ETP...

Propane MLP price history.(LP/GAS STOCK INDEX)
September 1, 2006... Historic price index Propane stock price history calculated by averaging unweighted prices for AmeriGas, Ferrellgas, Heritage, Inergy, Star Gas and Suburban master limited partnerships. Sources: Public information and A.G. Edwards &...

Heating degree days by state.(WEATHER WATCH)(Table)
September 1, 2006... Heating degree days by state State July Deviation Last 12 Deviation from norm months from norm Alabama 0 0 2580 -259 Alaska 223 -7...

Upcoming events.(Calendar)
September 1, 2006... * Sept. 10-13 North Carolina Propane Gas Association annual convention at Myrtle Beach Marriott in Myrtle Beach, SC. For details, contact Jayne Simpkins at 919-787-8485 or jayne@ncpga.org. * Sept, 13-15 Nevada Propane Dealers Association...

Hide-and-seek safety games.(safety first)
September 1, 2006... An easy distraction and a slight of hand an hide anything. At 5 years old, I conned my babysitter into playing hide and seek the night before my birthday. While she hid, I snuck into the pantry and stole handfuls of angel food cake. The...

Systematically making good decisions.(BUSINESS MATTERS)
September 1, 2006... This is the seventh in a series on business topics inspired by the 20th century business management icon Peter Drucker. As an owner and/or manager of a retail propane business, you're required to e many daily decisions involving employees....

Jury rejects plaintiff's pipe dream.(LEGAL BRIEF)(Winchell's Gas Company)(fire accident due to gas leakage, pipeline done by Winchell's Gas Company)
September 1, 2006... In late July of this year, I had the opportunity to defend Winchell's Gas Company of Catskill, N.Y., in a lawsuit brought by an insurance company for a fire that destroyed their client's home in 1997. This case involved an explosion that...

What are your plans for Nov. 7--or earlier?(Business and Industry Political Action Committee)
September 1, 2006... For the procrastinators reading this article, it is time to make a decision about this year's congressional elections--and not just about which candidates you will support. This year, why not think more broadly about the statement you make...

To pre-buy, or not to pre-buy? Weakened cash flow, price uncertainty slows spring/summer pre-buy activities.(Statistical table)
September 1, 2006... A succession of mild winters, volatile pricing and tight cash flow has led some marketers to delay their propane purchases going into this year's heating season. "I'm sure they' re making individual decisions about pre-buys, but it hasn't...

Getting technical in the Windy City: the World LP Gas Forum, along with the first-ever Global Technology Conference, will educate and inform from Chicago.(World LP Gas Association)(National Propane Gas Association)(Propane Education and Research Council)
September 1, 2006... The 19th Forum of the World LP Gas Association (WLPGA), which will run October 17-20 at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel in Chicago, will concentrate on highlighting the increasing economic role that propane will play over the coming years, thanks...

FEMA reconsiders specs for emergency housing.(WASHINGTON, DC)(Federal Emergency Management Agency )(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The Federal Emergency Management Agency has retracted its electric-only specification for emergency housing. The National Propane Gas Association had questioned why propane had been excluded from specifications that were issued in September...

Publication of hours of service rules delayed again.(WASHINGTON, DC)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's plans to publish two regulations that deal with hours-of-service issues have been delayed until next month. The proposed rule over the use of electronic onboard recorders is expected to be...

Study finds fuel costs impacting businesses.(BUFFALO GROVE, ILLINOIS)(International Profit Associates Small Business Research Board's report)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The rising cost of energy and fuel is the single-greatest issue impacting small businesses, according to the International Profit Associates Small Business Research Board. The increasing cost of materials is the second biggest issue,...

Crude price forecast up due to Alaska pipeline shutdown.(WASHINGTON, DC)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The U.S. Department of Energy's statistical branch has raised its prediction for the price of a barrel of oil. The agency now predicts that price per barrel will be $3 higher than what was forecast in July. The shutdown of BP's Alaskan...

Bobtail tax increase proposed for non-small businesses.(WASHINGTON, DC)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is proposing to increase the registration fee paid by transporters of hazardous materials who are classified as non-small businesses. The so-called...

DOT renews propane farm cart permit until 2010.(WASHINGTON, DC)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has granted the propane industry's request for renewal of the farm cart exemption until July 31, 2010. The measure allows the transportation of LPG in...

Cramer Decker enters propane business with McTier purchase.(SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA)
September 1, 2006... Cramer Decker Industries, a wholesaler of compressed gas and cryogenic and related products, has acquired portions of the McTier Supply Co. The purchase marks the company's entrance into the propane industry. McTier Supply, of Lake Forest,...

Ferrellgas acquires California competitor.(OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS)(Pacific Propane Services Inc)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Ferrellgas announces the acquisition of Pacific Propane Services Inc., of Escondido, Calif. Pacific Propane, founded in 1964, services more than 5,300 customers in the San Diego County area of southern California. This deal comes soon...

Truck crash fatalities drop despite rise in road deaths.(WASHINGTON, DC)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Truck-related highway crash deaths and injuries declined during 2005, even as the overall rate of U.S. roadway fatalities rose for the first time in 20 years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported in August that 5,212...

Hurricane state dwellers expecting electric outages.(WASHINGTON, DC)(Survey)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... A survey by the Propane Education & Research Council has found that 48 percent of adults who live in hurricane-prone states anticipate losing electricity for 24 hours or more during this hurricane season. One out every three adults surveyed...

Hurricane season will be busy, researchers warn.(WASHINGTON, DC)(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting another busy hurricane season, with 13 to 16 named storms and eight to 10 hurricanes this season. Four to six of these storms are anticipated to become at least a Category 3...

Worker ID program duplicates security checks, fees.(WASHINGTON, D.C.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... A proposed Transportation Worker Identification Credential program would duplicate security efforts and require unnecessary fees for workers who handle hazardous materials, according to the National Propane Gas Association. In written...

HOS revision still unsafe for drivers, public, group says.(WASHINGTON, D.C.)(hours of service)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... A revised hours-of-service rule proposed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is so similar to the initial rule that it should be thrown out, according to a group challenging the agency's truck-driving policy. The revision,...

Boston officials restricting hazmat through city limits.(BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Drivers carrying hazardous materials through Boston will find stricter enforcement of existing restrictions on the time of day those materials can be shipped and where they may be transported. Under the rules, hazardous materials must be...

Cabinet heater proposal considered.(WASHINGTON, D.C.)( use of cabinet heaters and composite cylinders)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The National Propane Gas Association says it is one step closer to winning the support of the National Fire Protection Association for the increased use of cabinet heaters and composite cylinders. Along with the Propane Education & Research...

Electronic onboard recorder rule to be released soon.(WASHINGTON, DC)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The new head of the federal Motor Carder Safety Administration said the agency would soon publish several overdue regulations, including rules governing the use of electronic onboard recorders. John Hill, who was sworn in as FMCSA's...

Propane industry volunteers needed for trade show.(CHICAGO, ILLINOIS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The Propane Education & Research Council is looking for propane industry volunteers to work at the ISH North American trade show set for Sept. 28-30 in Chicago. The show, which attracts nearly 12,000 representatives of the kitchen and bath...

Robertshaw recalls commercial cooking valves for fire hazard.(WEST PLAINS, MISSOURI)
September 1, 2006... Robertshaw Controls Co. is recalling about 7,800 FS Flame Switches and FM Automatic Safety Valves in commercial cooking appliances. The controls that are being recalled can remain on after the pilot light is extinguished and pose a risk of...

PERC Homebuilder Award submissions sought.(WASHINGTON, DC)
September 1, 2006... Nominations are being solicited for the 2007 PROPANE Exceptional Energy Homebuilder Awards competition sponsored by the Propane Education & Research Council. Propane marketers who nominate the winning builders will receive a complimentary...

Video from HGTVpro.com promotes underground tanks.(Propane Education & Research Council )(HGTVpro.com )(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) and HGTVpro.com have produced a three-minute video that highlights the use of underground tanks. The video demonstrates the installation of an underground tank and features interviews with...

New emissions rules expected to drive up rail costs.(Environmental Protection Agency )
September 1, 2006... Stricter federal emissions standards proposed for railroad locomotives would drive up the cost of rail equipment, rail and diesel representatives say. The Environmental Protection Agency later this year is expected to propose new...

Direct-vent fireplaces.(PRODUCTS)(Heat & Glo)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Heat & Glo has updated the fireplace series that set the industry standard for direct-vent gas fireplaces. Featuring the latest in hearth technology and design, the new 6000 Series enhances the homeowner's hearth experience and provides greater...

Pliers.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... Klein Tool's new Journeyman 9-inch ironworkers pliers are designed for heavy-duty cutting, and the single-grip design provides added comfort without compromising control. It has a slim design, so it can fit conveniently into a tool pouch....

Pressure sensor.(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Sensor Systems Solutions Inc. has announced its improved Wet/Wet Differential Pressure Sensor Model 5300. The unit is available in five standard pres sure range configurations (5, 15, 30, 100 and 300), and it's available for OEM...

GPS system.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... Digital Craft LLC's onthegoGPS has the capability to store the location of a vehicle on a removable MMC (multi-media card). Its small size makes it discrete and private. It works much like a digital camera. Pull the memory stick from the unit,...

Injection system.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... Jasper Alternate Fuels announced that Prins Americas has received EPA 49 state Certificate of Conformity for their bi-fuel LPG VSI Vapor Sequential Injection system for the 2006, 5.4 L Ford F150 2- and 4-WD; the 2006 5.4 L Lincoln Navigator 2-...

Detector.(PRODUCTS)(MSA Industrial Corp.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... MSA's ALTAIR Pro Single-Gas Detector, with replaceable sensor and battery, measures toxic gas concentrations or percent oxygen, displaying data on a large, clear, backlit LCD. Featuring superior dust and water protection, the detector has...

Mechanical valve interlocks.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... Smith Flow Control's new QL and GL mechanical valve interlocks ensure potentially hazardous valve operations are performed in the correct sequence, eliminating the possibility of operator error or deliberate sabotage. They can be integrated...

Expansion joints.(PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Holz Rubber Company has introduced the addition of severe-duty fabric expansion joints to its line of elastomer products. RM-Holz Fabric Expansion Joints are specially engineered to help solve common air and gas handling problems, such as...

Wireless data logger.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... Dickson Wireless Data Loggers for temperature and humidity monitoring offer flexibility in monitoring technology without any wiring constraints. Top features include an easy and affordable method of creating a monitoring network from your...

Requiem for Pinnacle Conference.(LET'S TALK)
September 1, 2006... LP Gas Magazine Editor Pat Hyland's Viewpoint column (Pinnacle No More) in the July issue rang quite a few bells with this veteran of 25 years of propane industry trade shows and annual meetings. All the more so as I was one of the principals...

Gas pains.(Cartoon)
September 1, 2006... WORLD LP GAS FORUM CURRENCY EXCHANGE CYLINDED EXCHANGE [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]