On May 17 – 19, APMA attended a successful in-person Energy Marketers of America DC Conference and “Day on the Hill.” Shawn Frate with Jackson Energy, incoming EMA Director, and Amanda Gray, Executive Director, represented Arizona.
APMA met with Senator Mark Kelly, Congresswoman Debbie Lesko, Congressman Tom O’Halleran, Congressman David Schweikert and staff for Congressman Andy Biggs on May 18. APMA also participated in a call with Senator Kyrsten Sinema the week prior.
The top priority was securing support on efforts to alleviate the truck driver shortage through a letter from Congressman Troy Balderson (R-OH) to Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Additional issues highlighted included the proposed FDA menthol ban and excessive credit card swipe fees.
EMA’s fly-in was featured in Politico Influence, a well-read newsletter in Washington, which reported:
“The Energy Marketers of America (formerly known as the Petroleum Marketers Association of America), which represents energy marketers of motor and heating fuel products, is holding its first in-person fly-in since 2019. More than 200 energy marketers representing 47 state associations are set to meet with lawmakers and staff to address truck driver shortages and fuel prices. Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) addressed the group during its opening session on Tuesday.”
On May 19, the House passed H.R. 7688, the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act by along mostly a party line vote of 217-207. Four Democrats opposed the bill. Earlier that week, EMA sent a letter to Capitol Hill opposing the bill, arguing that the bill failed to take into consideration the impact on fuel markets of the Russia-Ukraine, truck driver shortage, lack of refining capacity, and excessive credit card swipe fees. The good news is that this is a messaging bill that has no chance of becoming law as it will fail in the Senate.
As reported in The Hill, Congresswoman Lesko did not think much of the bill’s attempt to blame shift high gas prices, “First they blamed it on COVID, then they blamed it on Putin… and now they’re blaming it on mom and pop gas stations who are often just struggling to get by.”
Democrats continue searching for ways to lower fuel prices. The Department of the Interior announced yesterday it would produce a Proposed Plan for oil and gas development in the Gulf of Mexico by June 30, 2022, at the urging of Sen. Kelly and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV).
Sen. Kelly spoke with Interior Secretary Deb Haaland about the announcement during a hearing in the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and encouraged Haaland to expedite the release of a finalized plan.
“These five year programs, Madame Secretary, are important because they designate which areas are open to development, and they send a signal to the market and to investors that the federal government has a framework in place for approving future projects,” said Kelly in the hearing.
In the EMA west region meeting, attendees heard from nine other states about top issues and legislative updates. Motor Fuels Committee heard presentations from Motiva on their operations and Jim Rocco on Fuels Institute and NFPA EV setback regulations.