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BiobutaneTM Approved for 21J Reimbursement

      As of September 1, 2001, costs and expenses associated with biobutane services implemented to remediate petroleum spills at Massachusetts petroleum dispensing facilities and marinas are eligible for reimbursement under the Massachusetts Underground Storage Tank Petroleum Product Cleanup Fund. The Fund was established in 1991 by Massachusetts General Law Chapter 21J as a Unit within the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. The Fund is financed by an annual $200 per tank registration fee and a 1Ž2 cent per gallon fee on delivery of petroleum products to USTıs. The Fund provides partial reimbursement to owners or operators of UST systems for costs, expenses and other obligations incurred as a result of releases of petroleum products from USTıs. The Fund also allows for reimbursement for any claims for bodily injury, property damage, and damage to natural resources which are assessed against an owner or operator of an UST.

Reimbursement is subject to a deductible and correlates with the number of UST systems at the owner or operatorıs sites. Eligibility for reimbursement is also dependent upon criteria including the nature of the release, a facilityıs full compliance with all applicable laws at the time of the occurrence, record of fee payment by the owner or operator, and the facilityıs operation after April 2, 1991.

The inclusion of BiobutaneTM as a qualifying technology is supported by the successful technology demonstration for Sunoco, Inc. in Massachusetts. Since GBI has achieved this new 21J status, many Massachusetts petroleum dispensing facilities have chosen GBIıs innovative technologies to cleanup petroleum contamination over conventional technologies also covered by the Fund, such as air sparging/soil vapor extraction and groundwater pump and treat systems.

Facility owners and operators who wish to perform a feasibility study prior to full system installation will find that such studies also qualify for reimbursement from the Fund. Information on the 21J Fund can be found online at http://www.dor.state.ma.us/ust/ust_home.htm.

GBI Obtains First Eurasian Patent.

   Eurasian Patent No. 001672, "Bioremediation of Pollutants with Butane Utilizing Bacteria," was recently issued by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the international organization dedicated to helping ensure that the rights of creators and owners of intellectual property are protected worldwide. This international protection provides a stable environment for the marketing of intellectual property products and international trade. The number of member States belonging to WIPO now stands at 177, over 90 per cent of the world's countries. The Eurasian region covers several countries, including the Russian Federation. These States adhere to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which implements the concept of a single international patent application which has legal effect in the countries which are bound by the treaty and which are designated by the applicant. Thus, the PCT system consolidates and streamlines patenting procedures and reduces costs of protecting intellectual property internationally. Information on the WIPO and PCT can be found online at http://www.wipo.int.