As with every American presidential election cycle, private industry waits with bated breath to see how the next four years will impact the national economy. In 2024, the bulk liquid terminals industry finds itself at a critical crossroads on several key policy matters affecting liquid logistics up and down the supply chain. Regardless of who is in the White House next January, the terminals industry will look for meaningful and bipartisan solutions on these topics.

Over the last decade, there has been a rise in drone usage at bulk liquid terminal facilities throughout the U.S. and the world.  Of course, with new technology comes both advantages and disadvantages as terminals continue to grapple with the changing physical security landscape at their facilities.

From clothing to cookware, flame retardant per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals have become ubiquitous in our daily lives. For bulk liquid terminals specifically, PFAS compounds are used in aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) or film-forming fluoroprotein foams (FFFP) foams because of their exceptional ability to create a stable and effective firefighting foam, particularly for extinguishing liquid fuel fires, such as those involving gasoline, jet fuel, or oil.

Due to their near-indestructability and persistence in local environments where they are used, however, states and the federal government are increasingly focusing on the environmental and public health consequences from the use of PFAS-based products. In March 2024, the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee held a hearing on, “Examining PFAS as a Hazardous Substance.” One month later in April, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to harmful PFAS, while also finalizing a rule to designate two widely used PFAS – PFOA and PFOS – as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund.

Dr. Kathryn Clay, who is president of the International Liquid Terminals Association and holds a PhD in Physics from University of Michigan, knows a little bit about the world energy picture. Recently she spoke about the current and future outlook for fuels during a panel at the U.S. Energy Association’s Fifth Annual Advanced Energy Forum.

While liquid terminals may operate behind the scenes, they play a vital role in the world energy supply chain and are critical to getting fuels, agricultural products and other bulk liquid commodities where they need to be and when they need to be there. Kathryn told the audience that the U.S. could be a significant exporter of hydrogen produced from renewables if we can get permitting right.

Last week, the International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA) filed comments with the Environmental Protection Agency on a proposal to regulate PFAS-containing aqueous-film forming foam (AFFF) under the under the nation’s Superfund law (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation & Liability Act of 1980).