Propane fuels Clifford Oil expansion

By Kate AbbottPrint Story | Email Story
LENOX DALE — Clifford Oil is about to become the only local outlet for liquid propane storage in the Berkshires. Now that Berkshire Gas has sold out Berkshire Propane, Jeff Clifford said last week that he will be the only supplier of bulk propane in the Berkshires. He said he is increasing his fuel-oil storage facilities at 40 Willow Creek Road in Lenox Dale and starting a new propane business, Clifford Propane LLC. The Selectmen awarded Clifford a license to install a liquid propane bulk plant and expand his fuel-storage capacity at a public hearing March 24. “Jeff runs a first class operation. He keeps the place spotless,” said Selectman Terrence Field, who made the motion to approve Clifford’s license request. The Selectmen and Fire Department must both approve a license to store hazardous material like fuel, Clifford said. In order to avoid any conflict of interest with his brother, Lenox Fire Chief Daniel Clifford, he said he has worked directly with State Fire Marshal Dave Beaudin on the permitting process. Clifford Oil is at its capacity, and in months as cold as last January, it has strained at the seams, Clifford said. The storage tanks hold up to 30,000 gallons of fuel oil, and the company has shipped out 35,000 gallons in a single day at the peak of the winter cold, he said. He plans to increase his storage to 70,000 gallons of fuel oil and 10,000 gallons of low-sulfur diesel. He plans to put a new 40,000-gallon storage tank underground, which will pump into the 30,000-gallon aboveground tank, he said. In answer to Chairman Timothy Doherty’s environmental concerns, Clifford said the tank would be double-walled and electronically monitored to ensure against spills. It would also be protected by equipment such as an oil/water separator and catch basins. The federal Environmental Protection Agency and the state fire marshal inspect Clifford's equipment every year and have never found a problem with it, according to local officials. For his propane bulk plant, Clifford has licensing for 100,000 gallons, an amount he said is not as large as it might look on paper. That total covers both storage tanks and trucks on the property. He said he hopes to install two 30,000-gallon propane tanks and keep propane trucks and cylinders inside a chain-link fence on the property. He asked for a small amount of extra capacity, on Beaudin’s recommendation, to allow for growing room. He added that he had talked to all of his neighbors, who had no objection to his plans, and to the owners of Caligari’s Hardware, a nearby business that supplies propane for gas grills. Clifford does not plan to supply propane in such small amounts, and the Caligaris did not feel that he was stepping on their toes, he said. The Selectmen also granted Clifford permission to install the new underground tank 25 feet from the neighboring property, a town cemetery. Twenty-five feet is the federal standard for setbacks in industrial zones. Because that is a requirement of federal, not local zoning, the issue will not come before the Lenox Zoning Board, Town Manager Gregory Federspiel said. Federal authorities defer to the local licensing board, the Selectmen in this case. The board praised Clifford for running a tight business and for rigorously maintaining his equipment and his property. Clifford thanked them for allowing his increased capacity and new business venture. He said his 60,000 gallons of propane storage will allow him to offer a fixed rate, and his 40,000-gallon oil tank will ensure no one in Lenox goes cold the next time the temperature drops below zero.
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Lanesborough Fifth-Graders Win Snowplow Name Contest

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — One of the snowplows for Highway District 1 has a new name: "The Blizzard Boss."
 
The name comes from teacher Gina Wagner's fifth-grade class at Lanesborough Elementary School. 
 
The state Department of Transportation announced the winners of the fourth annual "Name A Snowplow" contest on Monday. 
 
The department received entries from public elementary and middle school classrooms across the commonwealth to name the 12 MassDOT snowplows that will be in service during the 2025/2026 winter season. 
 
The purpose of the contest is to celebrate the snow and ice season and to recognize the hard work and dedication shown by public works employees and contractors during winter operations. 
 
"Thank you to all of the students who participated. Your creativity allows us to highlight to all, the importance of the work performed by our workforce," said  interim MassDOT Secretary Phil Eng.  
 
"Our workforce takes pride as they clear snow and ice, keeping our roads safe during adverse weather events for all that need to travel. ?To our contest winners and participants, know that you have added some fun to the serious take of operating plows. ?I'm proud of the skill and dedication from our crews and thank the public of the shared responsibility to slow down, give plows space and put safety first every time there is a winter weather event."
 
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