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MOC recently met with state fuel assistance officials
and LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance
Program) advocates and told the group that the
LIHEAP program must be modified to accommodate
the dynamic changes in the Oilheat industry. MOC’s
Michael Ferrante said the Margin-Over-Rack program
must be changed and that other “leveraging”
mechanisms must be offered as options for Oilheat
dealers such as a discount-off-retail. MOC told the
group it will lobby for these changes for the 2007-
2008 program.
Meanwhile, state officials report that of the 136,000
households receiving fuel assistance in 2006, 40,000
were Oilheat customers. The state’s Heating Repair &
Replacement Program (Heartwap) tallied 8000 clean
and tunes, 4800 repairs, and over 1600 heating
system replacements including 1000 Oilheat systems.
Also, some MOC members have complained about
letters sent by some Community Action Program
(CAP) agencies requesting that dealers add National
Grid and KeySpan as “additional insureds” on general
liability policies held by dealers. In checking with
state officials and insurance experts associated with
the Oilheat industry, MOC has been assured that this
process is quite routine and is necessary
for “contract” work by dealers, specifically the
replacement of heating systems in low income
homes.
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MOC is offering the industry an array of training and
marketing opportunities in 2007. Click on the link
below for a list of dates for oil burner code training,
NORA/MOC tank training with NAOSHM, and Realtor
outreach seminars. MOC will also be scheduling
regional dealer meetings to be announced soon.
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MOC is poised to submit a Request for Proposal to
the Coalition of Northeast Governors (CONEG) to
conduct an 11 state bioheat consumer education
program for the Oilheat industry. “CONEG is eager to
have the industry embrace bioheating in a five year
window, and we believe that MOC is the right
candidate to lead this project so that the industry
begins to see the consumer benefits of bioheat in a
reasonable time frame,” said MOC’s Michael Ferrante.
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MOC has submitted its 2007 request for funding from
the National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA). The
grant proposals include money for a comprehensive
Oilheat radio and internet advertising campaign in
Massachusetts to promote NORA’s message “Today’s
Oilheat – Intelligent Warmth”; and money for
extensive industry training programs for technicians
and business owners. The training includes NORA’s
tank training seminars and the Silver & Gold
certification program, and training on the state’s oil
burner code. In addition, MOC has requested funds
for technician scholarships, Realtor and home
inspector outreach, and home show exhibits.
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MOC has already lined up some key equipment
vendors to help showcase Oilheating at the huge
New England Home Show at the Seaport World Trade
Center from February 24 through March 4. MOC will
feature systems from Weil-Mclain, Smith, Buderus
and Energy Kinetics, as well as a Roth Tank, Therma-
Flow water heaters and energy efficiency equipment
from Emerson Swan. Jomar Distributors and CAPCO
Energy Supply are playing a key role in helping to get
most of the equipment to the show hall. As in years
past, the booth space is funded using a grant from
NORA. This year, MOC has twice the space of
previous years in a prime location and has purchased
several weeks of radio advertising to promote
Oilheat. MOC will be working with WROR-105 FM and
Globe handyman Peter Hotton to add even more
exposure.
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Newly-elected Governor Deval Patrick appears to be
following through on his pledge to make energy a top
priority for his administration, and MOC has started
to schedule meetings with the governor’s staff and
legislative leaders. Patrick recently announced that
Massachusetts will rejoin the seven-state Regional
Greenhouse Gas Initiative and most likely begin
charging power plants permit fees to help lower
greenhouse gas emissions. In terms of legislative
activity, over 6,000 bills have been filed for both the
House and Senate this year and MOC will begin to
ascertain which measures impact Oilheat and energy.
It is important to note that over the past couple of
years, only about a dozen pieces of legislation
related to Oilheat matters. This year a bill crafted by
House Speaker Sal DiMasi may carry tremendous
weight. It will focus on major energy policy matters
including renewable energy and a possible shake-up
at the state’s Division of Energy Resources and the
Department of Telecommunications and Energy.
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Against the objections of petroleum associations
across the country, the U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT) is moving ahead with the
Transportation and Worker Identity Card (TWIC)
rule. The rule applies to maritime facilities defined as
any structure or facility of any kind located in, on,
under, or adjacent to any waters subject to the
jurisdiction of the U.S. and used, operated, or
maintained by a public or private entity, including any
contiguous or adjoining property under common
ownership or operation. Therefore, any marketer
who delivers or loads fuel in ports will be subject to
the new rule and drivers will be required to have a
visual identity badge with a biometric identification.
The rule starts in 60 days and the fee for a TWIC will
range from $95-$150
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MOC’s 2007 Membership Directory is headed for the
printer and will be sent to members by mid-February.
Once again, MOC wants to thank all of the
companies that generously supported the publication
with advertising. A list of MOC’s advertisers will be
published in the next Desktop Councilor.
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Shane Sweet, the head of the Vermont Fuel Dealers
Association (VFDA), has been named as Jack
Sullivan’s replacement at the New England Fuel
Institute (NEFI) effective April 1, 2007. Shane leaves
VFDA after 14 years with the association. Jack
announced his retirement in October 2006 and will
leave NEFI this March. “I truly look forward to
working with Shane as he assumes his new
responsibilities at NEFI,” said MOC President Michael
Ferrante. “We have worked together for many years
on numerous industry issues and I believe he has all
the skills to lead our regional association.”
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As previously reported by MOC and Oil & Energy
Magazine, thanks to MOC and NORA, Oilheating
technology was featured this month on the highly-
acclaimed PBS TV series “This Old House.” Utilizing
NORA funds, MOC subsidized the labor costs for
installing a new heating system in the featured home
in East Boston. MOC member Simione Oil did the
installation work. MOC member Commonwealth Tank
was also instrumental in the project. They subsidized
the removal of an old heating oil storage tank and
the installation of new Roth tanks. For more on the
project please visit the following link.
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email:
zahra@massoilheat.org
phone:
781-237-0730
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