Newsletter

Washington, D.C., May 4, 2023—Following the release of Senator Cynthia Lummis's (R-WY) new bill amending the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA) is pleased with the progress being built around PFAS remediation.

Andrea Simonin, CSP, got her start specifically in the terminals industry in December 2021 when she was hired as the Safety, Health, Environmental and Sustainability Director for Vopak Americas.

“That’s when I really started learning about terminal operations,” Simonin said. “Before joining Vopak, I worked for a consultant company for 15 years, supporting oil and gas clients where I did have some exposure to terminals on some occasions.”

Simonin enjoys that her job allows her to deal with a diverse team of employees who speak different languages and come from different countries.

“I really think you learn a lot and things work out better when you work with a diverse team,” she said. “I also love that I get to travel to so many different countries to support the terminals we have in the Americas, from north to south!”

Over the course of her career, Simonin says the biggest changes she’s seen are currently happening right now.

On April 17, ILTA attended a conference convened by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), International Association of Fire Fighters, and the United States Chamber of Commerce to discuss aqueous film forming foams (AFFF), commonly referred to as PFAS-based firefighting foams. Additional stakeholders in attendance included the firefighting communities, airports, petrochemical industries, farming stakeholders, chemical producers, and liquid storage and terminaling industry.

DoD shared its perspective on compliance with the AFFF transition, indicating extensions would be needed. Specifically, DoD said the military was unlikely to meet the target transition dates and would likely exercise two of the 1-year extensions under the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The primary reason for anticipating the needed extensions is the various Air Force facilities and vehicles and officials indicated that foam producers’ supplies are of concern, too, given the massive quantity needed by DoD to address foam needs for all DoD facilities.

ILTA President Dr. Kathryn Clay and VP of Marketing and Member Experience Leakhena Swett recently traveled to San Antonio to visit two of ILTA's terminal members, NuStar Energy and Howard Energy Terminal. Both ILTA staff members were eager to learn more about the companies' operations and have a listening session on how ILTA can better serve their members.

During the visit, Dr. Clay and Ms. Swett were warmly welcomed by the staff at both terminals, who took them on tours and shared insights into the challenges and successes of their operations. In addition, the ILTA representatives had an open and honest discussion with the members on how ILTA can be a better partner to them, listening to their feedback and suggestions.

The visit to San Antonio was an excellent opportunity for ILTA to strengthen its relationships with its members and gain insight into their challenges. By actively listening to the members, ILTA can better understand their needs and tailor its services to better support them. Dr. Clay and Ms. Swett expressed their gratitude to the members for their engagement and emphasized ILTA's commitment to supporting the industry.

As they departed San Antonio, Dr. Clay and Ms. Swett felt energized and motivated by the trip. They recognized that their representation of the members was making a significant impact. They looked forward to the future, eager to continue their work and strengthen relationships with their members. ILTA remains committed to providing value to its members and creating a community of like-minded professionals who can work together to overcome industry challenges.

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