State Audit of Propane Inspections
NCPGA Response (News and Observer)
Your recent article regarding unlevied fines certainly raised important concerns. However, it also highlights the fact that that the Agriculture Department's efforts at educating violators is very successful. The article points out that "nearly 10 percent...were repeat violations." This is encouraging since it means that more than 90% were not repeat violations!
The North Carolina Propane Gas Association and our member dealers are committed to the safe storage, transportation and use of propane; the industry should not be demonized due to the actions of a few. Propane dealers are local businesses who are part of their local communities and the safety of our own communities is of primary concern to them. They pay taxes which support our local governments and education, employ thousands of North Carolinians, and support local civic causes.
I was a little disturbed to hear the characterization by some of the dangers of propane gas. As with any combustible fuel we use to power our homes, vehicles, equipment, propane must be handled with the proper respect. In fact propane dealers in NC safely dispense over 500 million gallons of propane every year in NC. Nearly 5 million U.S. households safely rely on propane for home heating and 3 million use propane for residential water heating. The propane industry turns 100 years old in 2012 and is a mature industry with a stellar safety record.
North Carolina's propane dealers will strive to continue that record of safety through education and awareness. We look forward to supporting the efforts of the Agriculture Department's in continuing and improving the safety of our industry.
John Jessup
Executive Director
NCPGA
North Carolina's #1 Propane Advocate
The North Carolina Propane Gas Association was founded in 1957 in order to promote, protect and encourage the growth of the LP-Gas industry in the State of North Carolina. For the past 53 years this non-profit association has been working to protect the interest of our industry, our members and our consumers.
Sheriff Uses Drug Money for Propane Fueled Cruisers
Confiscated drug money is helping to clean up the community of Iredell County, North Carolina by putting propane-fueled law enforcement vehicles on the road.
Iredell County Sheriff Phillip Redmond recently had 13 Ford Crown Victoria cruisers converted to run on propane autogas using money confiscated from illegal drug activity.
“We put dirty money to good use by re-purposing seized assets from our drug interdiction program to match grant funding for the autogas conversions,” says Sheriff Redmond, pictured here preparing to fill up one of the converted cruisers at a propane autogas pump.
Nationwide network Alliance AutoGas provided the conversions and autogas fueling infrastructure. The autogas conversions are estimated to save the county about 40 percent in fuel costs, in addition to reduced maintenance expenses and the Sheriff’s Office is reportedly so pleased with the autogas vehicle performance, they are converting 13 additional vehicles this fall and hope to eventually run 50 fleet vehicles on autogas.
