In today's Crude Reality Bob van der Valk writes that while everybody wants clean air, California's callow enforcement of CARB's EVR mandate for "dripless" gas nozzles during an economic downturn is driving small gas stations into serious financial trouble. Read all about it.
Diminishing Returns
Years ago stations were required to change pumps and install those that did vapor capturing. And that was at great expense, but also did a lot for clean air and safety. Today's change again requires station owners to change pumps and in many cases to dig underground to install the rest of the system. That becomes a great expense. And for what? A mere 3% extra in capture.
Major oil companies have made a habit though the years of abandoning stations they didn't think profitable enough to keep up to code. And new stations would get the equipage upon construction. This method proved effective to them and they could afford it.
And what happened to those abandoned stations? If they weren't completely demolished made over into something new an entrepreneur would come along and try to make a go of it as an independent. And in many cases they could, but the cost of doing business was high. After all, where did they have to go to get product? Right! The very competitors that want their own stations to succeed.
Now, with the urging of the large oil companies, a new requirement is being put into play. A mere 3% increase in capture and it's the little guys who'll be hurt the most. What a way to put the squeeze on the competition. Why not wait until 100% is possible? Are we going to see another round of, well maybe, 1%? And then what?
This current requirement, while beneficial, is too costly and comes at the wrong time. If not completely rescinded it should be postponed and allow for a gradual conversion like the change of tanks was allowed a scant few years ago.