4 minute read
RECAP OF EMA'S WASHINGTON DC CONFERENCE & "Day on the Hill"
BY ROB UNDERWOOD, EMA PRESIDENT
EMA's 2024 D.C. Conference and Day on the Hill was one for the books! Former U.S. House Speaker Boehner's fireside chat was epic. I particularly enjoyed hearing the story about the time a member of Congress pinned Speaker Boehner up against the wall in the House Chamber and held a knife to his throat after Speaker Boehner told the member that earmarks were finished on Capitol Hill. It turns out that member, the late Don Young from Alaska, and Speaker Boehner became close friends with the Speaker, serving as the best man in Congressman Young's wedding. It's funny how things work on Capitol Hill. Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (CMR) (R-WA), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, gave the keynote speech during EMA Chairman Brad Bell's reception. Although CMR is retiring at the end of this year along with several other lawmakers (I get it), there's a chance that there will be an active lame-duck session, which could allow EMA to advance our legislative priorities as described below.
EMA has been working with Congress over the last several months to build support for biofuel infrastructure to expand the use outside the Midwest. No one in the industry wants the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to remove the 1 pounds per square inch (psi) reid vapor pressure (RVP) volatility waiver for E10 blends exclusively for the petitioning Midwestern states (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin). This move by the EPA would force the creation of a boutique fuel, limit gasoline supply to the region, and create unintended consequences for consumers. Congress is better off approving the year-round sale of E10 plus blends, which would circumvent the specific boutique fuel blend for the Midwest and increase funding for the existing Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) to ensure marketers can sell E15 blends safely and legally.
As EMA Members shared on Capitol Hill, the current HBIIP funding of $500 million is not enough for small business energy marketers to make necessary compatibility upgrades. The cost of hiring a grant writer ranges from $5,000 to $10,000, with no guarantee of receiving an HBIIP award. In addition to the cost of the grant writer, applicants are spending an average of 80+ work hours completing these applications. Congresswoman Miller Meeks (R-IA) recognized this concern and plans to introduce legislation soon that would maintain the current HBIIP program through an authorization request for an additional $500 million. Senators Ernst (R-IA), Fischer (R-IA), Ricketts (R-NE) and Klobuchar (D-MN) are also working on legislation to increase funding with the ultimate goal to pursue an appropriation play to secure funding in the future. Of course, EMA would like to see billions more for UST upgrades and we will continue to fight for additional funding in the future.
Meanwhile, the reauthorization of the National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA) remains a top heating fuel priority for EMA. As noted above, a five-year extension of NORA could hitch a ride on the Farm Bill before the end of this year. Additionally, Senators Durbin (D-IL) and Marshall (RKS) remain committed to receiving an up or down vote on their coveted bill to tackle excessive credit card interchange fees known as the Credit Card Competition Act (CCCAct).
Finally, DC Conference attendees were introduced to EMA's new Member Service Benefit with Wolters Kluwer BizFilings to help streamline beneficial ownership information (BOI) filing times. In December 2020, Congress passed the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that created a federal framework for reporting, storing, and disclosing Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) of "reporting companies." BizFilings' BOI reporting tool reduces filing times and errors through a streamlined, secure, and automated workflow. BizFilings will offer EMA member companies a 12 percent discount off BOI report filings. The discount can be accessed via a dedicated EMAmember landing page: www. wolterskluwer.com/en/know/boiema
