ENERGY
Propane Safety Tips
Mid-County Energy is your local supplier of propane for home heating, agricultural use, and commercial use. Here are a few tips for use and storage:
Storage:
• Propane cylinders should be stored outdoors in a well-ventilated area away from flammable material.
• They should be kept on a flat, hard surface. Improper placement can damage the container and make the cylinder unusable.
• Some cylinders need to be stored vertically, while others can be stored horizontally. Either way, the safety relief valve should be above the liquid level.
Fuel cleanup fee in effect
The petroleum tank cleanup fee is in effect in Minnesota from October 2015 through January 2016, according to the Minnesota Department of Revenue. The fee is 2 cents per gallon($ 20 per 1,000 gallons) on all petroleum products received by licensed fuel distributors in Minnesota.
This is a temporary fee that is imposed for a four-month period whenever the fund balance goes under $ 4 million. The fund may be used for administration of the cleanup program, training, certification, rule-making, corrective action performance audits, assessment and removal of abandoned underground storage units, and other similar uses.
For details, see Minnesota Statute 115C. 08“ Petroleum Tank Fund.”
Back to B5
With colder weather approaching, Minnesota’ s biodiesel blend requirement will once again be lowered from B10 to B5.
According to Minnesota law, 10 percent biodiesel is required to be blended with # 2 diesel fuel from April 1 to Sept. 30. The blend is lowered to B5 for October through March.
The statute for requiring at least 2 percent biodiesel( B2) was passed in 2002 and implemented in 2005. Implementation of the B5 and B10 requirements was delayed until July 2014 due to a need for better blending, infrastructure and enforcement of regulatory protocol.
In May 2018, the mandate will move to B20 for the summer months. Before requiring the B20 blend, state officials must ensure that there is adequate blending infrastructure, among other measures.
Mid-county only uses high quality soybean based biodiesel in our fuels.
Usage:
• Turn propane tanks off when not in use.
• Check for leaks on new tanks.
• Transport tanks in a vertical position secured properly.
Winter Heating
Costs
If you or someone you care for needs help in paying for their winter heating costs, there is help available through the Minnesota Energy Assistance Program. To get further information and apply, contact the agency serving your county. Grants are“ first come,” so apply as soon as possible.
SCOTT & CARVER COUNTY Scott-Carver-Dakota- Community Action( 651) 322-3550- Shakopee, MN HENNEPIN COUNTY Community Action Partnership of Suburban Hennepin County( 952) 930-3541- St. Louis Park, MN MCLEOD COUNTY Heartland Community Action Agency( 320) 235-0850 or 1-800-992-1710- Wilmar, MN SIBLEY COUNTY Minnesota Valley Action Council( 507) 345-6822 or 1-800-767-7139 ext. 433- Mankato, MN WRIGHT COUNTY Wright County Community Action( 320) 963-6500( clients can call collect)- Maple Lake, MN
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