On October 5, President Trump issued an Executive Order directing Treasury to determine within five days whether federal law authorizes the deferral of certain diesel excise-tax payments. The order also directs Treasury to have the IRS announce whether it will impose specified penalties for dyed diesel sold for highway use or used on highways. If […]

Both the House and Senate met in Harrisburg last week, but the remaining calendar is tight. As of October 11, each chamber has five scheduled session days left this year: the House is scheduled to meet October 19–21 and November 9–10; the Senate, October 19–21 and November 17–18. With the current two-year session scheduled to […]

The National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA) released results from a field study evaluating 100% renewable liquid fuel blends in existing oil-fired heating systems. The 18-month study followed 121 boilers, furnaces and water heaters at 114 locations in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. The systems used blends of renewable diesel and biodiesel: either 80% renewable diesel and 20% […]

Elevated fuel prices, market backwardation, and customer concerns about energy affordability will make the 2026–2027 heating season challenging for both customers and the employees who serve them. Front-line staff may face higher call volumes, questions about automatic delivery, pricing objections, and frustrated callers. To help members prepare, PPA is offering Customer Service in Today’s Environment, […]

Last week, the PPA hosted 300+ members, industry leaders, and stakeholders in Lancaster, PA, for the 2026 Fall Energy Conference & Annual Meeting. The three-day event kicked off on September 29 with a golf outing and inaugural pickleball tournament co-hosted with Women in Energy and a welcome reception at Tellus 360. September 30 included seminars […]

The House and Senate have left town and will not return until after the midterm elections. Before adjourning, both chambers passed the Common Cents Act by voice vote. The bill would end production of the penny for general circulation and require cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest five cents. Totals ending in 1, […]

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has finalized a rule restoring the length of automatic emergency relief under 49 C.F.R. § 390.23(b) to 30 days. The rule reverses FMCSA’s October 2023 change, which shortened the period to 14 days. Relief is triggered by a regional emergency declaration issued by a Governor, the Governor’s authorized […]

USDA has released implementation guidance for the new Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) stocking requirements. The agency continues to maintain November 4, 2026, as the compliance deadline for affected SNAP-authorized retailers. Despite the recent letter sent by 12 Republican Senators to Secretary Rollins, the agency is still standing firm with the November 4th implementation date. […]

The Pennsylvania House and Senate return to session this week for their first full legislative week since passage of the state budget in early July. The following issues are circling the Capitol with upcoming deadlines and key topics for voters going into the midterm elections. Skill games face an October deadline. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court […]

On September 24, EPA proposed to relax the gasoline cargo tank vapor tightness certification requirements it adopted in 2024, responding to concerns raised by EMA. Specifically, EPA proposes to replace the 2024 limits with the graduated pressure-drop limits of 1.0 to 2.5 inches of water column, depending on cargo tank compartment size, that applied under […]

Last week, the Senate prioritized a bipartisan permitting reform deal, and senators are optimistic about its success. Republicans say they have agreed to Democratic asks, but Democrats are requesting additional time on the bill to prevent further attacks on renewable energy. Environment and Public Works ranking member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Senate Energy and Natural […]

PPA Political Action Committee Chairman Jason Flohr would like to recognize POMPAC and Energy Defense Fund contributions in August. August 2026 POMPAC Contributions The Pennsylvania Oil Marketer’s Political Action Committee (POMPAC) raises funds through personal contributions from industry stakeholders. The voluntary contributions to the POMPAC fund are used by the PPA to directly support political officials in […]

The PPA would like to highlight the following new members joining the association in August. Active Members Active Members are independent, branded, and non-branded petroleum marketers who sell gasoline, heating oil, diesel fuel, kerosene, and other petroleum products at both the wholesale and retail levels, including convenience stores. N/A in August  Associate Members Associate Members […]

The PPA Fall Energy Conference & Annual Meeting is next week! Join hundreds of PPA members and industry stakeholders on September 29–October 1 in Lancaster, PA. The deadline to pre-register online for the conference is September 24. The conference will feature timely sessions addressing the issues shaping Pennsylvania’s energy industry. Topics include global oil markets and […]

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a temporary hours-of-service waiver for qualifying motor carriers and drivers transporting gasoline and diesel fuel. The waiver took effect September 16 and remains in place through December 16, 2026. Issued in response to global supply disruptions and potential increases in fuel demand during the fall and […]

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has issued a final administrative determination concluding that the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA) and the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) preempt state common law tort claims concerning the marking, employee training, loading and unloading operations, and hazardous materials classification of gasoline transported by cargo tank motor vehicles […]

Pennsylvania’s updated statutory definition of E85 took effect on September 18, 2026. Senate Bill 1058, sponsored by Senator Judy Ward, updates the Vehicle Code’s definition of “alternative fuels” to recognize E85 as a gasoline-ethanol blend containing between 51% and 85% ethanol. The previous definition required the fuel to contain at least 85% alcohol, which no […]

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Common Cents Act on September 14. The legislation would provide a uniform federal framework allowing retailers to round cash transactions to the nearest five cents when exact change cannot be provided. Existing pennies would remain legal tender, and payments made by credit card, check, gift card or […]

PennDOT has opened two additional funding rounds under Pennsylvania’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Community Charging Program. The new opportunities make $11 million available for projects in central Pennsylvania and $32 million for projects in eastern Pennsylvania. The funding is intended to support publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations at locations such as retail businesses, […]

The PPA Fall Energy Conference & Annual Meeting is two weeks away! Join hundreds of PPA members and industry stakeholders on September 29–October 1 in Lancaster, PA! There is still time to pre-register online for the conference! The conference will feature timely sessions addressing the issues shaping Pennsylvania’s energy industry. Topics include global oil markets and the outlook for […]