NCWM Diesel Gallon Equivalent Call to Action

In January, the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) will convene in Daytona Beach, Florida for its Interim meeting. NCWM uses its Interim Meeting to designate items to be voted on at its annual meeting. NCWM is expected to once again consider a new standard for how to dispense CNG and LNG. As we previously have reported, industry has supported a new standard that allows CNG and LNG to be sold in diesel gallon equivalents (DGE). This standard would complement the current gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) standard that has been in place for 20 years.

At the January Interim Meeting, key committees will discuss the DGE proposal supported by NGVAmerica as well as an alternative proposal developed by the National Institutes on Standards and Technology (NIST). NCWM likely will pick one of the two measures to be voted on this July at the NCWM Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. Under the DGE proposal to be discussed, CNG would be sold in GGE or DGE units while LNG would only be sold in DGE units. A number of minor changes to last year’s proposal have been made to make it more appealing to state delegates. The NIST proposal requires that all new pumps starting in 2016 must only use mass for method of sale and that starting in 2017 all pumps including existing ones at stations would have to use mass as the method of sale. The NIST proposal would not only not allow use of the DGE unit for sales but also would do away with use of the GGE unit at retail stations. The proposal would be very costly for fuel retailers who have existing pumps as they will have to make software changes to pumps and make changes to the lettering on pumps.

We are once again asking members to show their support for the continued use of the GGE standard and for the adoption of the DGE standard. Members are urged to write key regulatory officials in states where they operate. Communications should be addressed to the State Director (a link to the State Directors is provided below). You should also copy the NCWM Executive Director, Don Onwiler and any state regulatory officials that sit on the influential Laws and Regulations Committee and the Specifications and Tolerances Committee, which have jurisdiction over this issue. NGVAmerica has prepared a draft letter for members to use as a template for communicating with their state weights and measure officials.

It is critical that state directors and committee members hear from our industry. If you can attend the meeting and speak up during the open session period that would be very helpful. Information on the Interim Meeting is included below.

State Directors: http://www.ncwm.net/resource/state-directors-all
L&R Committee Members: http://www.ncwm.net/committees/laws-regulations
S&T Committee Members: http://www.ncwm.net/committees/specs-tolerances
Interim Mtg. Details (Jan. 18–21): http://www.ncwm.net/meetings

In addition to working with NCWM to secure adoption of the DGE standard, we are continuing to work with members companies and other associations to secure enactment of state legislation that recognizes the DGE standard and preserves use of the GGE standard.