| News for and about the propane industry |  |
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- PERC promotes use of propane in farm equipment
 The Propane Education & Research Council was at the Commodity Classic trade show last week to promote the use of propane in agricultural equipment such as irrigation engines. Mark Leitman, PERC's director of business development and marketing, said the agriculture sector presents new opportunities for PERC to market the fuel. "In the ag sector, irrigation engines is a low-hanging fruit for us. It's easy to place the engines, easy to place the tanks, and it's easy for the propane marketers to deliver. So, we are really promoting propane as an engine fuel in that application," he said. AgWired.com
(3/4)     
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- NYC plan looks to energy upgrades to meet 2050 emissions goal
The "90 by 50" plan of the Urban Green Council in New York City seeks to reduce the area's carbon emissions by 90% by 2050 through energy retrofits on existing buildings, according to this article. These upgrades would include the use of better insulation, triple-paned windows, heat pumps and other techniques that minimize heat loss and save on energy use in residential and commercial buildings. The plan also recommends a greater emphasis on wastewater treatment and waste reduction. EarthTechling.com
(3/2)
- Construction spending drops 2.1% in January
A 2.1% drop in U.S. construction spending was recorded in January, bringing spending to an annual rate of $883.3 billion, according to the Commerce Department. The decrease -- in both public and private construction -- was the largest since July 2011 and indicates weak first-quarter economic growth. Reuters
(3/1)
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- Report: Keystone XL would have minimal impact on environment
The construction of TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline wouldn't accelerate oil sands development in Canada, according to a draft report from the State Department. The report, which was welcomed by industry groups and Republicans, is intended to spark a "public debate," said Kerri-Ann Jones, Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. "No matter how many times [the project] is reviewed, the result is the same: no significant environmental impact," said Marty Durbin, executive vice president of government affairs at the American Petroleum Institute. The Hill/E2 Wire blog
(3/1), Reuters
(3/1)
| Safety & Training | | |
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- Propane megatank debate should not divide Maine town
 The burning issue of whether to approve DCP Midstream's proposal to build a 14-story-high propane storage tank in Searsport, Maine, is "not worth a miniwar" and should not divide the town, the Bangor Daily News editorial board writes. "[T]he opposition did not help its cause recently when people let their anger overtake them and disrespected the planning board members by yelling at them, calling them names and alleging they are biased," according to the newspaper. Bangor Daily News (Maine) (free registration)
(3/5)
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Blizzard Safety Material Available from PERC
The Propane Education & Research Council has safety materials for winter storms. The free brochure Essential Propane Safety in High Snowfall Areas stresses "Keep vents clear. Appliance vents and chimney flues must always be clear of snow or ice. Some homes may have direct vents, which are close to the ground. Improper venting can cause carbon monoxide to become trapped in your home, causing serious illness or even death." A Winter Storm Preparedness module takes less than 10 minutes to complete, is available in English and Spanish, and can be e-mailed. View free brochures on storm preparedness and carbon monoxide safety.
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Free Mower Case Studies Available
The Propane Education & Research Council has posted on the Propane MaRC five free case studies of landscape contractors that are successfully using propane fuel. The brief studies show propane means savings and more efficient operations in states across the country. The studies can be downloaded as PDFs. Go to the MaRC.
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- Transparency is better than cool, says Qualtrics CEO
Transparency isn't just a cool-sounding bit of corporate jargon -- it's a way to ensure that all your workers are pulling in the same direction, Qualtrics founder Ryan Smith says. "We want to be transparent because we want to encourage our people to have all the information to keep them focused on what really matters -- our objectives and how they're going to contribute," Smith says. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)
(3/2)
| SmartQuote | | |
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 | Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus."
--Alexander Graham Bell,
Scottish-born American inventor
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The news summaries in PERC SmartBrief are based on original information from news organizations and are produced by SmartBrief Inc., an independent email newsletter publisher.
The Propane Education & Research Council is not responsible for the content of sites it does not own. Linking to a website does not constitute an endorsement by PERC of the
site or the information found there. Send questions and comments to SmartBrief at perc@smartbrief.com.
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| About PERC |
The Propane Education & Research Council promotes the safe, efficient use of odorized propane gas as a preferred energy resource. The Council was authorized by Congress
with the passage of the Propane Education and Research Act (PERA), October 11, 1996.
For a weekly roundup of PERC news by email,
subscribe to The PERC Update.
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| | Recent PERC SmartBrief Issues:
- Monday, March 04, 2013
- Friday, March 01, 2013
- Thursday, February 28, 2013
- Wednesday, February 27, 2013
- Tuesday, February 26, 2013
| | | Lead Editor: Bryan McBournie
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