(November 21, 2017) — Blackline Partners LLC (Montecito, Calif.), a mid- stream logistics and infrastructure provider for the North American energy markets, and TPG Sixth Street Partners (TSSP; San Francisco), a global credit and credit-related investment firm, have formed Blackline Midstream, a growth-oriented joint venture that will acquire and develop oil and gas midstream infrastructure assets. The joint venture has acquired Sea-3 Inc., owner of a New England propane storage and distribution terminal in Newington, N.H., from Trammo Inc. (Houston). Trammo’s team, previously dedicated to Sea-3 operations, has joined Blackline Midstream and will operate from the joint venture’s Houston office. Noted is that Sea-3 has an approved upgrade project for Newington that will significantly increase rail unloading capacity at the terminal, providing it access to...

(November 20, 2017) — The Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC) reports that DART’s 20th annual “Stuff the Bus” Thanksgiving Food Drive collected 17.9 tons (35,832 pounds) of food. The week-long food drive took place from November 6 to November 11 at Walmart in Milford, Acme in Dover, Acme in Fairfax Shopping Center, Rodney Square in Wilmington and Acme in Newark; and new this year was the Acme in Rehoboth and the Middletown Acme. The Food Bank of Delaware will distribute the donated food through its Hunger Relief Partners to Delaware residents in need of food assistance. John Sisson, DTC’s Chief Executive Officer, stated “This year we celebrated the 20th anniversary of “Stuff the Bus” and it was our goal to make this the biggest event to...

(November 13, 2017) — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has updated the Hours Of Service (HOS) section of their website to include a pre-recorded webinar titled “Hours of Service: How Familiar Are You?” The HOS regulations address the number of hours that a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driver may be on the road and the number of hours a CMV driver may be on duty before a required period of rest, along with the minimum amount of time that must be reserved for rest and the total number of hours a driver may be on duty in a "work-week." In this pre-recorded webinar, FMCSA's subject matter expert Tom Yager, Chief of the Driver and Carrier Operations Division and Peter Chandler, Lead Transportation Specialist...

In preparation for the holiday shopping season, the National Propane Gas Foundation (NPGF) will give away $100 to one lucky industry employee who signs up for the AmazonSmile program, benefiting the NPGF Scholarship Fund. That lucky winner could be you! To enter, here is all you have to do: Go to smile.amazon.com. Sign-in using your existing Amazon account / Create an Amazon account. Select ‘NPGF Scholarship’ as your charity of choice. Forward your confirmation email from Amazon (Subject: “Welcome to AmazonSmile!) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Every confirmation email that is received will be entered into a drawing for a free $100 Amazon gift e-card. A winner will be selected at random on Tuesday,...

Washington, DC (November 8, 2017) — Today, the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) received notification that the compliance deadline for crane operator certification in OSHA’s Crane & Derricks Rule will be delayed until November 10, 2018. OSHA will be posting it to the Construction Standards webpage. NPGA continues to pursue regulatory and legislative avenues for a propane industry exemption. NPGA members can continue to utilize PERC’s mobile crane training module to satisfy the General Industry Standards requirements for crane operators. Click here to download a copy of the final rule announcing the delay. It is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on November 9, 2017. Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with...

(Oak Ridge, TN) November 7, 2017 – Cooling homes and small office spaces could become less costly and more efficient with new early stage technology developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Researchers designed a window air conditioning unit that uses propane as the refrigerant, cooling the air with 17 percent higher efficiency than the best ENERGY STAR® commercial units. “Propane offers superior thermodynamic properties and creates 700 percent less pollution than standard refrigerants,” said ORNL’s Brian Fricke. “We developed a system that takes advantage of these qualities and reduces global warming potential.” The team’s early-stage technology includes a novel heat exchanger, compressor, and controls that require less propane than similar units used overseas. The team’s laboratory evaluations demonstrate the prototype unit is the first...

(October 30, 2017) — The Sacramento Bee is reporting that an under-cover sting operation has led to bribery charges against two additional California Department of Motor Vehicles employees. The six-year probe by the FBI, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and other federal agencies has resulted in charges against eight individuals so far and the revocation of hundreds of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) around the state. The latest employees to be charged were named in documents unsealed this month in federal court in Sacramento. The government is alleging they took bribes from Southern California truck driving school owners to alter DMV records to show applicants passed written and driving tests, allowing them to obtain CDLs. The defendants were identified as Lisa Terraciano, 51, who is...