New Year’s Day is my favorite holiday. I like the holiday because it serves as an annual reminder to reflect on the previous year and to set goals for the year ahead. (As an added bonus, it’s also my wedding anniversary!) In keeping with the spirit of New Year’s Day, I want to share with you some of the highlights of ILTA’s work in 2019 and our exciting plans for 2020. 

This past year, we’ve been pleased to provide several new—and returning—benefits for the ILTA membership. We’re also proud of our growing voice as an advocate for issues that matter to the tanks and terminals industry in Washington D.C.

ILTA helped plan and sponsor an emergency response forum December 10-11 at the Petrochemical and Energy Technology Center at San Jacinto Community College in Pasadena, Texas.

Congress passed, and President Trump signed, bills allocating $1.4 trillion across the federal government for fiscal year 2020, averting a pre-holiday government shutdown.

ILTA is pleased to report that many port and inland waterways programs it had championed in 2019 are included in the fiscal 2020 budget. With a coalition of other trade associations, ILTA is working to make improvements to the nation’s harbors, ports and inland waterways a national priority.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced two additional steps in implementing its action plan for regulating per- and polyflouroalkyl substances. PFAS have recently become an emerging area of focus for environmental law and policy at both the state and federal level.

ILTA, working closely with the PFAS Coalition, successfully fended off demands by House Democrats to require the EPA to list two chemicals—PFOA and PFOS—as hazardous for the purposes of Superfund and to set drinking water limits for those and other PFAS chemicals. 

Several ILTA members joined ILTA’s Vice President of Legislative Affairs Andy Wright in Houston on December 17 for a meeting with Dave Wulf, the director of the Infrastructure Security Compliance Division at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In that position Mr. Wulf manages the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards program. Lona Saccomando, the CFOI coordinator in the same DHS office, also participated in the wide-ranging discussion.

The Port of Houston and a coalition of businesses recently launched a website, to mobilize supporters and explain the benefits of a project to expand and improve the Houston Ship Channel, noting that such a move would mean greater economic growth and a safer, more efficient waterway.

The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board in December issued a notice of proposed rulemaking outlining when an owner or operator is required to file a report of an accidental release and the required content for such a report. 

ILTA on December 6 submitted reply comments on the Surface Transportation Board’s proposal to modify its regulations regarding demurrage billing requirements. ILTA reaffirmed its previous comments submitted on November 6, strongly supporting the STB’s proposal as a significant and positive step forward.

ILTA and the American Chemistry Council submitted joint comments December 5 on EPA’s proposed National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Organic Liquids Distribution (Non-Gasoline) Residual Risk and Technology Review.

The Environmental Protection Agency sent to the Office of Management and Budget for final review the new Trump Administration rule that would replace the Obama-era Waters of the United States rule.

In a bipartisan vote of 70-15 on December 2, the Senate confirmed Dan Brouillette as the 15th U.S. Secretary of Energy. Secretary Brouillette previously served as Deputy Secretary of Energy under Former Secretary Rick Perry, who left office December 1. Secretary Brouillette was sworn into office on December 11 by President Trump.

 

ILTA recently welcomed a new terminal member, Lucknow-Highspire Terminals, of Middletown, Pennsylvania, and four new supplier members: Dooley Tackaberry; Eco Valves Ltd; Edgen Murray; and ISO Services.

ILTA member Contanda LLC, a provider of bulk liquid storage and logistics services in North America, announced on December 18 that institutional investors advised by JP Morgan Asset Management have completed the acquisition of the company from the EQT Infrastructure II fund.

Dev Zum, Dec 5, 2019
Energy Transfer LP announced it had completed its acquisition of SemGroup Corporation. The acquisition strengthens Energy Transfer's transportation and terminally capabilities along the Houston Shipping Channel, creating run-rate efficiencies of more than $170 million.

Business Wire News Release, Dec. 4, 2019
Chevron Phillips Chemical Company has donated $15 million to the Circulate Capital Ocean Fund, an investment fund dedicated to incubating and financing companies that preventing the flow of plastic pollution in South and Southeast Asia.

gmtoday, Dec. 10, 2019
Enbridge Energy's Superior, Wisconsin terminal has received an updated environment review from the state Department of Commerce, finding no serious threat to Lake Superior from a crude oil leak in its new Line 3 pipeline. The Line 3 carries Canadian crude from Alberta and was installed in 2018 to replace the aging original line built in the 1960s.

EIN NewsDesk, Dec. 12, 2019
Green Plains, Inc. announced it has completed the sale of its 50% joint venture interest in JGP Energy Partners LLC to Jefferson Energy Holdings, LLC for $29 million plus working capital.

 

ILTA President Kathryn Clay has been nominated for the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Global Tank Storage Awards. The Outstanding Achievement Award is voted on by the industry, beginning in January. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on March 10. Kathryn was nominated for making ILTA an even more dynamic organization in her first two years as president, including boosting ILTA’s visibility and influence in Washington.

ILTA released the results of it 2019 Terminal Employee Safety Survey in mid-December. Fifty-two companies participated in this year’s survey. Companies that participated in the survey received copies of the full report, which is not available to nonparticipants.

As you probably know by now, ILTA will host its 40th anniversary conference and trade show in June. We’d love to recognize industry veterans that have supported ILTA and the show for a long time. Have you attended all shows? Or more than 20? Have you been an active committee member for 20-plus years? Were you involved in the development of ILTA? If so, please nominate yourself or someone else as an ILTA Lifetime Supporter. Send in an application saying why you or someone you know should be considered an ILTA Lifetime Supporter to Cathy Landry, clandry@ilta.org. Please make sure to include your email address and phone number, and please quantify your years of participation or service, and in what roles. Please spread the word or nominate others!

Members of the ILTA EHS&S Committee: Take a moment to put our Spring Meeting on your calendars. The meeting will be held in New Orleans March 31 – April 1. Make plans to come in a day early to participate on behalf of the terminal industry in a community volunteer activity. ILTA expects to open registration for this meeting later in mid- to late January.