§6405 Assessments

Summary

The Council must charge a small fee on odorized propane. The first fee cannot be more than one-tenth of 1 cent per gallon. Later fees must cover the Council’s costs but cannot exceed one-half cent per gallon unless a majority of voters in both the producer group and the retail marketer group approve in a referendum. The fee cannot go up by more than one-tenth of 1 cent per gallon in a single year. The owner when the propane is odorized, or when odorized propane is imported, must pay the fee based on how much is sold and put into the market. Fees are due to the Council monthly, by the 25th of the next month. Propane exported to another country is not charged. The Council can use a different collection method if it works better and can add late fees or interest for late payments. Money collected can only be invested in very safe places: U.S. government or agency bonds, state or local general obligation bonds, interest accounts or CDs at banks in the Federal Reserve System, or investments fully guaranteed by the U.S. The Council must also work with state propane education and research councils or similar groups. They can set up joint collection, a lower fee, or a rebate equal to 20% of the regular fee in that State. Rebates go only to state councils created by law or similar entities that meet the Council’s requirements for approved programs.