Industry News

Our goal is to keep you updated on the latest energy industry news in Pennsylvania. Read the latest by clicking any of the links below. If you’d like to learn more about a particular subject, contact a dealer member near you.

Introducing the Eastern Pennsylvania Energy Association

May 8, 2023

Strength in numbers has brought together the Delaware Valley Energy Marketers Association (DVEMA), the Better Home Heat Council of Lehigh Valley (BHHCLV), and the Chester Country Fuel Dealers Association (CCFDA) to form a brand-new organization—we’re pleased to announce the Eastern Pennsylvania Energy Association (EPEA). By joining together these associations, our new collective membership serves more than 1/3 of the oil-heated homes in Pennsylvania. Our members are proud to provide reliable delivery and service to heating oil customers in Bucks County, Montgomery County, Philadelphia County, Delaware County, Chester County, Berks County, Lehigh County, Northampton County, and Carbon County in Eastern PA. […]

EPEA Golf Tournament

June 21, 2022

Thank you for joining us for the EPEA Golf Tournament! We hope you had a great time at the Commonwealth National Golf Club on Monday. And a big thank you to our sponsors! Buckeye Energy Services Liquid Measurement & Controls Moyer Indoor Outdoor Star Group E.O. Habhegger Savage Associates F.C. Haab Advanced Fuel Solutions Woosnam Consulting Westmor Industries, LLC Avco Supply Boston Environmental Rhoads Energy Corporation Angus Energy Shipley Energy USI Insurance Services Carlin Combustion Technology Cetane Associates Powderhorn Agency D.E. Duffey & Sons Venco Sales Cargas Systems Wehof Forms R.W. Beckett Corp. Al Armstrong & Son Harris […]

Climate Change Executive Orders

January 28, 2021

President Biden delivered an address on climate change and signed a series of ambitious executive orders on the matter. The President called climate change the “maximum threat” facing America and said the nation has waited too long to address the issue. He pointed to a Defense Department report that says climate change is a national security threat to two-thirds of U.S. operational strategic forces. He called for a unified national response but acknowledged the U.S. can’t stop global warming alone, and promised to put pressure on foreign countries to do their part. The President announced he will host an International […]

Fuel Storage Preventing Failure – ICM

August 14, 2020

Indoor Comfort Marketing – July/August 2020 “A properly installed and maintained storage tank is an extremely safe and efficient way to store power. A full 275-gallon tank holds over 34 million BTUs of potential heat in the fuel itself. This is equivalent to more than 11,000 kilowatts of electricity. All this energy is at the customer’s ready disposal day and night..” Read Publication

NEFI Regulatory Alert: DOL – Required Paid Leave Poster

March 27, 2020

You Must Post or Distribute this Paid Leave Notice If You Employ Fewer than 500 People 1. Where do I post this notice? Since most of my workforce is teleworking, where do i electronically “post” this notice? Each covered employer must post a notice of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) requirements in a conspicuous place on its premises. An employer may satisfy this requirement by emailing or direct mailing this notice to employees, or posting this notice on an employee information internal or external website. 2. I have to post this notice in other languages that my […]

Federal LIHEAP Supplemental Details

ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE. For an additional amount for ‘‘Low Income Home Energy Assistance’”, $900,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 2021, to prevent, prepare for, or respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally, for making payments under subsection (b) of section 2602 of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (42 10U.S.C. 8621 et seq.): Provided, That of the amount provided under this heading in this Act, $225,000,000 shall be allocated as though the total appropriation for such payments for fiscal year 2020 was less than $1,975,000,000: Provided further, That section 152607(b)(2)(B) of such Act […]

Finance Article in Uncertain Times

March 26, 2020

This is a very informative article provided by associate member Angus Energy. Very worthwhile read and a good reference on how to navigate the uncharted waters of this Pandemic. Thank You! Angus Finance – Special Article – Developing a Financial Battle Plan in Uncertain Times (March 2020)

Resources for COVID-19 Labor & Employment Questions

March 23, 2020

Information to Assist PPA Employers The PPA has received numerous inquiries on how COVID-19 will impact their employment policies. They have partnered with three organizations who are hosting upcoming webinars focused on small business employers. Information on how to register for these webinars can be found below. Earlier this week they created a Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources page on their website to provide important association, state, and federal resources for our membership to reference. The PPA will be collaborating with McNees Law moving forward to help provide clarity to their membership on the various changes that will be taking place with […]

Angus/ PriMedia/ Consumer Focus/ AFS Online Educations Webinars

March 19, 2020

Educational Webinar Series Overcome Adversity With Education! As we all know, COVID-19 has required our industry to cancel many events. This includes the planned series of educational seminars presented by Angus Energy, PriMedia, Consumer Focus and AFS. THE GOOD NEWS is that all the associations above have come together to jointly sponsor an ONLINE Education Webinar Series as an alternative We understand that your time is valuable, so we transformed our multi-day sessions into, six individual 45- minute webinars scheduled over the dates listed below. Please register for ANY OR ALL of the Webinars! Let’s not let these times stop us from sharing knowledge and […]

FMCSA Expands Emergency Declaration for Coronavirus Relief Efforts to Include Fuel Deliveries

On March 18, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued an expanded national emergency declaration to provide hours-of-service and other regulatory relief to commercial vehicle drivers transporting emergency relief in response to the nationwide coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. In keeping with NEFI’s request from earlier this week, the expanded declaration includes relief for fuel delivery. FMCSA’s declaration grants regulatory relief for commercial motor vehicle operations providing direct assistance in support of emergency relief efforts intended to meet immediate needs for: Medical supplies and equipment related to the testing, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. Supplies and equipment necessary for community safety, sanitation, and […]

Angus Energy Seminars Postponed

March 16, 2020

Due to COVID-19 and the CDC’s recommendations the Angus Energy Seminars will be postponed to future dates. We take the safety and health of our attendees and presenters seriously. With the facts as we know them today, we will move the seminars to the future when we know more and can have a greater sense of the health risk.

Kenneth T. Hagman

January 29, 2020

Ken Hagman who started working at E. O. Habhegger in 1967 and became president in 1976 passed away in January after a brief battle with Bulbar ALS. He is survived by Caroline, his wife of 52 years, his daughter Kimberly Duke (Scott), his son Chris (Theresa) and his five grandchildren, Alexa, Andrew, Kylie, Madelyn and Matthew. Greater Philadelphia Community of Hope: Kenneth T. Hagman – The ALS Association

NEFI Announces New Advanced Education Programs

January 20, 2020

Updated Management and Executive Courses Address Leading Companies to a Successful Net-Zero Carbon Future (SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass., January 21, 2020) After a successful launch in 2019, NEFI Advanced Education is pleased to announce that it will again offer the Management Development and Energy Leaders programs for 2020. These sessions have been updated to reflect current market conditions and help industry leaders steer their companies to a successful “Net-Zero Carbon by 2050” future — a goal the Northeast heating fuel industry embraced with the September 16, 2019 Providence Resolution. NEFI Advanced Education programs are open to all heating and energy professionals in […]

FMSCA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Website Now Working

January 9, 2020

PMAA Regulatory Alert PMAA Contact: Mark S. Morgan, Regulatory Counsel mmorgan@pmaa.org PMAA received the following update today on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) driver drug and alcohol Clearinghouse online portal: By yesterday afternoon a series of fixes and upgrades were completed. The servers are running smoothly and there has not been any downtime today. The registration and reporting functions are working well, with 11,000+ registrants today at this point. The portal authentication function for the Clearinghouse was restored today. If a carrier is having issues with their portal account (locked out, password issues etc.) they may still register […]

New FMCSA requirements go into effect January 6th, 2020

December 31, 2019

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s new requirements for a Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse go into effect on January 6, 2020. On and after that date, all companies that use drivers who have a Commercial Driver’s License or a Commercial Learner’s Permit must do four things: Register with the FMCSA to use the Clearinghouse. Registration is now available on the Clearinghouse website portal by clicking here. Upload information to the Clearinghouse on any drug or alcohol violations occurring on or after January 6, 2020 by any CDL driver that your company uses. (Note: Violations that occurred prior to January 6, […]

Heating Oil Industry Applauds Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension

December 26, 2019

Federal Tax Credit Will Help Advance Higher Blends of Bioheat® Fuel In an important move that will help the heating oil industry achieve its goals of higher blends of renewable fuel and significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), President Trump signed into law a year-end spending bill (H.R.1865) that includes a five-year extension of the federal biodiesel tax credit. Heating oil associations and their members are applauding renewal of the biodiesel tax credit and expired tax provisions, known as “tax extenders.” The proposal enjoyed support from members of Congress in all nine Northeast states and strong bipartisan support from […]

REG Blending Partner Becomes Boston’s Official Heating Oil Provider

December 17, 2019

Broco Oil to provide biodiesel-blended heating oil for city’s municipal buildings HAVERHILL, MA (December 17, 2019) — Family owned, veteran operated fuel company Broco Oil has been contracted to provide heating oil for use in Boston’s city-owned buildings, including firehouses, police stations and other municipal facilities. Broco Oil’s ’s heating oil is a B20 Bioheat® fuel blend containing 20 percent biodiesel, a renewable liquid fuel that significantly reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared with petroleum-based diesel fuel and heating oil. Through a partnership announced in May 2019, Broco Oil purchases its biodiesel from Renewable Energy Group (REG). The fuel is […]

PPA Road Travel Restrictions Policy Webinar Now Online; Help Evaluate Information

December 16, 2019

The November 26 PA Travel Restriction and Ban webinar is now available online to view at any time. Click Here to watch. The PA Business Emergency Operations Center held the webinar to review the final draft of the Vehicle Trail Restriction and Ban affecting commercial vehicles during inclement weather. Click Here for a copy of the policy. Next Item: Source North America Corporation generously supports PMAA’s work in our Nation’s Capital. Contacts: Sherri Stone; Rob Underwood; Mark Morgan Congressional Leadership Strike Deal on Tax Extenders/Government Spending Package Biodiesel Credit is In and EV Credit is Out! Tobacco21 in Spending Bill December 17, 2019 […]

National Oilheat Research Alliance Asking Your Help On Biodiesel Blends In Heating Oil Survey

The National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA) is asking for your opinion on biodiesel blends in heating oil in a new survey. The deadline for completing the survey is December 23. The use of biodiesel blends in heating oil continues to increase and as we move towards a low-carbon future, biodiesel blends are currently the best way to offer a low-carbon liquid fuel. To ensure that our fuels perform at acceptable levels, NORA is investing in research on fuel quality issues. However, the best source of information on how the fuel behaves in the field will come from you. This survey […]

Reminder: Overtime Rule Goes into Effect on January 1

December 13, 2019

Final Rule Issued on Calculating ‘Regular Rate’ of Pay PMAA would like to remind everyone that the new overtime rule goes into effect on January 1. Earlier this year, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued its long-awaited final rulemaking on employee overtime pay. The final rule updates earnings thresholds that must be reached to exempt executive, administrative or professional employees from the Fair Labor Standards Act’s minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. The new DOL rule raises the annual earnings threshold that triggers overtime pay (time and a half) for an employee working beyond 40 hours per week from $23,660 […]

PA Climate Related Costs Estimated at $261 Million

November 25, 2019

Climate change and the severe weather events becoming increasingly common because of it pose a threat not only to the quality of life of taxpayers but also their wallets, state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said in a new report. Pennsylvania racked up an estimated $261 million statewide in climate-related costs in 2018, according to DePasquale’s report. Pennsylvania is the fourth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases with “very few plans to help us improve that ranking,” DePasquale said. Nearly 90 percent of Pennsylvania’s greenhouses gases can be traced to electricity, transportation and the industrial and agricultural sectors. Click here to read the full […]

City Council Supports Clean Use for PES Refinery Site

November 22, 2019

City Council took a stand Thursday on the future of the Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery. The 1,300-acre complex is for sale in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington after the catastrophic fire and explosion five months ago that led the company to file for Chapter 11. In a resolution introduced and passed unanimously Thursday, Council expressed “strong interest and enthusiastic support” for proposals that are in tune with Philadelphia’s climate goals to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050, based on 2006 levels. Click here to read the full story via WHYY.

NextGen Leadership Planning Session to Be Held December 3

November 18, 2019

NextGen, a NEFI initiative aimed at connecting and inspiring young energy industry professionals, is holding a Leadership Planning Session on December 3, 2019 in Framingham, MA. The NextGen group will be comprised of young business owners and executives, as well as future owners and executives. The goal of the initiative is to enhance young energy leaders’ skills, knowledge, and networking capabilities so that they can better reach their individual and collective goals. NEFI has invited all Northeast and Mid-Atlantic energy professionals who are interested in the initiative to discuss their objectives, vision and priorities at the December 3 Leadership Planning […]