QuestionPro Survey - Legislative & Regulatory Action Center Survey

Which of the following best describes you? (Choose all that apply)

My company is a member of the New England Fuel Institute

My company is a member of the local/state fuel dealer association

I am an employee of a trade group or non-profit

Not sure

Which of the following best describes your company? (Choose one)

Retail Company

Wholesaler/Supplier

HVAC/Technical Service only

My company offers goods/services to industry

Other

Which of the following products does your company offer? (Choose all that apply)

Heating Oil/Fuel Oil

Propane/LPG

Kerosene

Heavy Oils

Lubricants

Motor Fuels

Jet Fuels

Racing Fuels

Ethanol

Biodiesel

BioHeat®

Other Bio-blended Heating Oil

HVAC/Technical Service

Plumbing/Electrical

Jobber/Transporter

Oilheat Equipment Sales & Installation

Propane Equipment Sales & Installation

Gas Equipment Sales & Installation

Solar Equipment Sales & Installation

Geothermal Sales & Installation

Home Energy Auditing

Other

Where does your company do business? (Choose all that apply)

Canada

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

West Virginia

Vermont

Virginia

Outside the Northeast:

Top Industry Issues – please click on FIVE (5) that are of most concern to you:

Adequate lines of credit with bank/supplier

Healthcare costs for employees

Competition from utilities

Bad press/media coverage of industry

Consumer education and outreach

Availability of bio-blended heating oil

Positioning industry as “green” and enviro-friendly

Interchange fees on credit card transactions

Availability of CDL and HAZMAT-certified drivers

Price volatility and uncertainty in the commodity markets

Public acceptance of global warming theory and implications for industry

Fixed Price Contracts & Tortious interference

Other

National Legislative Issues - please click on FIVE (5) that are of most concern to you:

Adequate Federal LIHEAP funding

Transparency and stability in the futures markets

Maintaining Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve

Availability of Small Business Loans

National Cap & Trade Program

National Carbon Tax

Strengthen & reauthorize NORA

Card Check or bill to make unionization easier

Federal tax credits for home heating equipment

Measures to incentivize biofuel production, blending and use

Opening ANWR and off-shore to oil exploration and recovery

Oppose price-gouging legislation

Repealing the estate tax or “death tax”

Federal loan program for home efficiency upgrades

Adequate Federal Weatherization Assistance Funding

Increased taxes for businesses

Lower taxes for small businesses

Other

I feel that NEFI’s work on industry issues and legislation is:

Excellent

Adequate

Needs improvement

Unimportant

No opinion

Comments:

Which of the following is true for you regarding NEFI’s work on industry issues and legislation, including legislative alerts, action alerts and content in NEON? (Choose all that apply)

Valuable and has helped me stay informed

It is evidence that NEFI is in-front on key issues

Does not convince me that NEFI is being effective

It covers many issues that I don’t feel matter to my business

Within the past year I have sent a letter to my representatives in Congress at NEFI’s request

I don’t find it valuable at all

Comments:

Have you met with your members of Congress to discuss important industry issues within the past year? (Check all that apply)

Met with my members of the U.S. Congress locally through an association/trade group

Met with my members of the U.S. Congress locally without the help of an association/trade group

Met with my members of the U.S. Congress in Washington, DC through an association/trade group

Met with my members of the U.S. Congress in Washington, DC without the help of an association/trade group

I have participated in a “March on Washington” or “Day on the Hill” event in Washington, DC

I have never participated in a “March on Washington” event in Washington DC but I am willing to

I have never participated in a “March on Washington” event because I don’t feel it is relevant

Other:

National Regulatory Issues – please click on FIVE (5) that are of most concern to you:

Preventing increased compliance costs/fees

Climate Change/Greenhouse Gas Regulation

Transition to lower sulfur heating oil

Renewable fuels standards

National motor fuel temperature compensation mandate

Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) compliance

Required diesel exhaust fluids (DEFs) for MY2010 and newer engines

Transition to lower sulfur on- and off-road diesel fuel

Compliance with TWIC requirements for water terminal access

Regulatory relief for small businesses

HAZMAT Transportation and DOT requirements

Other:

Which of the following is true for you regarding NEFI’s regulatory compliance information, including compliance alerts, bulletins and content in NEON? (Choose all that apply)

Valuable and has helped my business

Informative but has not helped my business

I find it confusing and not in layman’s terms

It does not cover all of my regulatory/compliance needs

I don’t find it valuable at all

It does not apply to my business

Comments:

NEFI Offerings – I feel NEFI should provide new/increased assistance and resources on the following – please choose your top FIVE (5)

IRS regulations and the federal tax code

Federal employment law

Underground Storage Tanks (UST) regulations

Contract law in regards to fixed price/prepay

Occupational Safety & Health Admin. (OSHA) requirements

Propane-related regulations

Adding biofuels/BioHeat® to your company’s offerings

Adding Solar to your company’s offerings

Adding Geothermal to your company’s offerings

Adding Home Energy Auditing to your company’s services

Available grants from Department of Energy or other sources

Available SBA loans and other small business benefits

Other

Customer Service - Have you ever contacted the NEFI Action Center? If so, how helpful did you find the staff? (Choose all that apply)

They were very helpful and promptly addressed my questions or concerns

I had to wait longer than was acceptable

I had trouble reaching someone on staff

The staff was professional

The staff was unprofessional

The staff was not able to assist me or didn’t understand the issue

The staff referred me to another organization/company

I have never contacted the NEFI Action Center

Comments:

NEFI Action Center Website – www.nefiactioncenter.com offers a variety of resources and information for NEFI members and industry leaders. Which of the following is true for you? (Choose all that apply)

I have accessed the site and find it useful and informative overall

I have tried to access the site but find it difficult to navigate

I have accessed the Regulatory section for compliance information and it is useful

I have accessed the Regulatory section for compliance information but it needs work

The site is in need of more up-to-date content

I find the legislative action center and ability to send communications to Congress valuable

I find the RSS feeds valuable

I do not use the site and don’t really find it of any value to me or my business

I have never accessed the website

Comments:

NEFI Action Center Fund – Did you know that NEFI’s work on top industry, legislative and regulatory issues is largely funded not by membership dues, but rather by direct contributions to the Action Center fund? Which of the following applies to you: (Choose one)

My company has contributed to the NEFI Action Center fund and will do so in 2009

My company has contributed in the past but may not be able to in 2009

My company has not contributed in the past but will do so in 2009

My company has not contributed and will not be able to contribute because of hardship

My company does not contribute because we don’t find NEFI’s work valuable or relevant

Comments:

Please contact dave@nefi.com if you have any questions regarding this survey.