Government Affairs Brief

The International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA) appreciates the opportunity to provide comments on the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB’s) proposal to modify its regulations regarding demurrage billing requirements. The International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA) represents more than 85 companies operating liquid terminals in all 50 U.S. states and in 37 countries. Our members’ facilities form a critical link in the transportation of a wide range of liquid commodities, including crude oil, refined products, chemicals, renewable fuels, fertilizers, vegetable oils and other food grade materials.
 

The board of directors of the International Liquid Terminals Association today elected Clifford R. “Kip” Middendorf for a one-year term as the chairman of the board, effective through October 2020. Middendorf is vice president and managing director of Wolf Lakes Terminals.

I am writing on behalf of the Members of the International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA) to encourage you to vote affirmatively for H.R. 2440, the Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) legislation that will be considered by the full House of Representatives under Suspension of the Rules on Monday, October 28. This critical bipartisan legislation has the support of both of Committee on Transportation Chairman Peter DeFazio and Ranking Member Sam Graves, along with Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment Chairwoman Grace Napolitano and Ranking Member Bruce Westerman.

Kathryn Clay, president of the International Liquid Terminals Association, today welcomed the Surface Transportation Board’s October 7 proposed rule to address unfair demurrage billing practices but cautioned that the proposal may not go far enough in practice to solve the problems faced by some in the terminal industry.

The International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA) is pleased to provide these comments in support of EPA’s action that will allow a major source to reclassify to an area source at any time by limiting its potential to emit (PTE) hazardous air pollutants (HAP) to below the major-source thresholds. As EPA has explained in the notice, the Clean Air Act (CAA) does not require that a source remain a major HAP source once designated as such. This action will potentially incentivize source operators of major HAP facilities to reduce their HAP PTE and thereby allow them to redesignate to an area source and reduce their regulatory burden.