Government Regulation

March 20, 2020

The Chemical Industry is Essential

Even as states limit economic activity, the chemical industry is a key and essential industry and is demanded to keep operating.  Everchem is in PA and is an essential business and remains open to keep our customers supplied during this crisis, while putting in place protections for our employees.  So stay confident that your business will be supplied with the same level of service you are used to.  Logistics will probably get stressed during this crisis, so plan ahead!  If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with your Everchem representative.

 

As an example, here are the exempt chemical businesses in California:

CHEMICAL:

Workers supporting the chemical and industrial gas supply chains, including workers at chemical manufacturing plants, workers in laboratories, workers at distribution facilities, workers who transport basic raw chemical materials to the producers of industrial and consumer goods, including hand sanitizers, food and food additives, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and paper products. • Workers supporting the safe transportation of chemicals, including those supporting tank truck cleaning facilities and workers who manufacture packaging items • Workers supporting the production of protective cleaning and medical solutions, personal protective equipment, and packaging that prevents the contamination of food, water, medicine, among others essential products • Workers supporting the operation and maintenance of facilities (particularly those with high risk chemicals and/or sites that cannot be shut down) whose work cannot be done remotely and requires the presence of highly trained personnel to ensure safe operations, including plant contract workers who provide inspections • Workers who support the production and transportation of chlorine and alkali manufacturing, single-use plastics, and packaging that prevents the contamination or supports the continued manufacture of food, water, medicine, and other essential products, including glass container manufacturing.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-20/these-are-the-jobs-and-sector-exempted-from-californias-coronavirus-stay-home-order

 

March 20, 2020

The Chemical Industry is Essential

Even as states limit economic activity, the chemical industry is a key and essential industry and is demanded to keep operating.  Everchem is in PA and is an essential business and remains open to keep our customers supplied during this crisis, while putting in place protections for our employees.  So stay confident that your business will be supplied with the same level of service you are used to.  Logistics will probably get stressed during this crisis, so plan ahead!  If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with your Everchem representative.

 

As an example, here are the exempt chemical businesses in California:

CHEMICAL:

Workers supporting the chemical and industrial gas supply chains, including workers at chemical manufacturing plants, workers in laboratories, workers at distribution facilities, workers who transport basic raw chemical materials to the producers of industrial and consumer goods, including hand sanitizers, food and food additives, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and paper products. • Workers supporting the safe transportation of chemicals, including those supporting tank truck cleaning facilities and workers who manufacture packaging items • Workers supporting the production of protective cleaning and medical solutions, personal protective equipment, and packaging that prevents the contamination of food, water, medicine, among others essential products • Workers supporting the operation and maintenance of facilities (particularly those with high risk chemicals and/or sites that cannot be shut down) whose work cannot be done remotely and requires the presence of highly trained personnel to ensure safe operations, including plant contract workers who provide inspections • Workers who support the production and transportation of chlorine and alkali manufacturing, single-use plastics, and packaging that prevents the contamination or supports the continued manufacture of food, water, medicine, and other essential products, including glass container manufacturing.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-20/these-are-the-jobs-and-sector-exempted-from-californias-coronavirus-stay-home-order

 

March 20, 2020

NACD Statement on Potential State Mandated Closures

NACD Sends Letter To President Trump Regarding Chemical Industry Operations


National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) has sent a letter to President Donald Trump and all 50 U.S. governors urging them to keep chemical distribution operations open because of the industry’s crucial role in ensuring the well-being of both citizens and businesses across the country.

After the letter was issued, NACD President and CEO Eric R. Byer released the following statement:

“Chemical distributors play a vital role in the U.S. economy, delivering products to more than 750,000 customers across the country. Many of these customers are in industries critical to public health, such as food, personal care, pharmaceuticals, soaps and detergents, water treatment, and more. As cities and states across the nation respond to the COVID-19 crisis, it is imperative that chemical distributors are allowed to continue their important work to support their communities by delivering valuable products that keep the U.S. economy functioning and can help mitigate the worst impacts of this coronavirus.

“Without the chemical products and transportation services supplied by the distribution sector, supply chains will be severely strained and many manufacturers will be unable to run at full capacity in producing the goods so many people need to survive the COVID-19 crisis. Additionally, critical municipal infrastructure like water treatment plants, which many distributors supply necessary products to for their operations, could be negatively impacted if chemical distributors are forced to reduce their operations at exactly the moment the healthcare system braces for an increased number of cases.

“NACD and our member companies stand ready to work with our partners in industry and government to support communities across the nation in their efforts to combat the growing threat of COVID-19. Therefore, we urge President Trump and every governor across the country to include the chemical distribution industry in their crisis response plans, ensuring that goods vital to facilitating that response are able to make it to the people who need them the most and help stem the tide of this rapidly spreading illness.”

https://www.cleanlink.com/news/article/NACD-Sends-Letter-To-President-Trump-Regarding-Chemical-Industry-Operations–25302

March 20, 2020

NACD Statement on Potential State Mandated Closures

NACD Sends Letter To President Trump Regarding Chemical Industry Operations


National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) has sent a letter to President Donald Trump and all 50 U.S. governors urging them to keep chemical distribution operations open because of the industry’s crucial role in ensuring the well-being of both citizens and businesses across the country.

After the letter was issued, NACD President and CEO Eric R. Byer released the following statement:

“Chemical distributors play a vital role in the U.S. economy, delivering products to more than 750,000 customers across the country. Many of these customers are in industries critical to public health, such as food, personal care, pharmaceuticals, soaps and detergents, water treatment, and more. As cities and states across the nation respond to the COVID-19 crisis, it is imperative that chemical distributors are allowed to continue their important work to support their communities by delivering valuable products that keep the U.S. economy functioning and can help mitigate the worst impacts of this coronavirus.

“Without the chemical products and transportation services supplied by the distribution sector, supply chains will be severely strained and many manufacturers will be unable to run at full capacity in producing the goods so many people need to survive the COVID-19 crisis. Additionally, critical municipal infrastructure like water treatment plants, which many distributors supply necessary products to for their operations, could be negatively impacted if chemical distributors are forced to reduce their operations at exactly the moment the healthcare system braces for an increased number of cases.

“NACD and our member companies stand ready to work with our partners in industry and government to support communities across the nation in their efforts to combat the growing threat of COVID-19. Therefore, we urge President Trump and every governor across the country to include the chemical distribution industry in their crisis response plans, ensuring that goods vital to facilitating that response are able to make it to the people who need them the most and help stem the tide of this rapidly spreading illness.”

https://www.cleanlink.com/news/article/NACD-Sends-Letter-To-President-Trump-Regarding-Chemical-Industry-Operations–25302

March 17, 2020

Tax Day Postponed

US Postpones April 15 Tax Deadline By 90 Days

In news that will delight millions of Americans – at least those who end up owing Uncle Sam a tax bill instead of getting a refund – the US government will postpone the April 15 tax-payment deadline for tens of millions of taxpayers by 90 days, giving Americans roughly 3 months pay their 2019 income-tax bills in an unprecedented move.

The IRS, under the authority of President Trump’s national-emergency declaration, will waive interest and penalties as well, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said at the White House Tuesday. The delay will be available to people who owe $1 million or less and corporations that owe $10 million or less.

The extension was granted to give taxpayers a financial cushion as households and businesses cope with the sudden crash in economic activity caused by the coronavirus outbreak which has brought the US economy to a halt. The move could provide households with hundreds of billions of dollars in temporary liquidity, Mnuchin said last week in previewing the government’s actions.

“We are going to use all the tools we have,” Mr. Mnuchin said on Tuesday. “And what tools we don’t have, we’re going to go to Congress.”

Meanwhile, those who are owed money from Uncle Sam will get it as the IRS will continue to process tax refunds, and Mnuchin urged people who can file their tax returns to do so. Many taxpayers who expect refunds file soon after the IRS opens filing in late January. That is particularly true for low-income households that benefit from the earned-income tax credit, which gives them cash.

About three-quarters of households typically receive refunds, and the IRS will still process returns and send out cash. However, people who file closer to the deadline typically owe money and are waiting to pay. They will benefit the most from Tuesday’s announcement, as will businesses that are worried about their cash flow.

While Mnuchin said last week that the tax deadline would be delayed for all but the superrich, his Tuesday announcement was the first explanation of the length of the delay and how it might work. The tax agency hasn’t yet released full details about how the delay will work.

According to official IRS data, as of March 6, the IRS had received 68 million individual income-tax returns, and since this is less than half of the returns that the IRS normally gets, it means that tens of millions of people can benefit from the relaxed deadlines.

Even if the IRS wanted to process all the tax filings it wouldn’t be able to do so: the tax agency adjusted its own operations during the outbreak, shifting many employees to remote work, according to a message that Commissioner Charles Rettig sent to workers late Friday. In addition, Rettig limited travel, gave employees the option of avoiding face-to-face contacts with taxpayers and stopped those in-person contacts in heavily affected areas such as New York and Seattle.

 

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/us-postpones-april-15-tax-deadline-90-days