Your privacy is important to the American Public Gas Association Research Foundation (APGARF). You have the right to understand how APGARF handles your personal identifiable information (PII) prior to providing it to APGARF through the APGARF Web site at www.apgarf.org.
To better protect your privacy, we provide this notice explaining our online information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used. To make this notice easy to find, we make it available in the footer of the APGARF website.
By using this site, you signify your assent to our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to the APGARF Privacy Policy, please do not use the APGARF website, www.apgarf.org. APGARF reserves the right, at our complete discretion, to change, modify, add, or remove portions of this policy at any time. Please check back periodically for any changes we may make to the policy. Your continued use of the APGARF website, www.apgarf.org, following the posting of changes to these terms will mean you accept those changes.
About Information APGARF Collects
When you visit our website you may provide us with two types of information: 1) personal information you knowingly choose to disclose that is collected on an individual basis and 2) website use information collected on an aggregate basis as you and others browse our website. This notice applies to all information collected or submitted on the APGARF website, www.apgarf.org. On some pages, you may make requests to contact APGA, participate in online surveys, or register to receive materials or services. Participation in these activities is completely voluntary. The types of user information collected at these pages may include:
As you browse APGA’s website, information may be automatically collected such as your
Cookies
Cookies are small text files of information sent to your browser from a website’s computers and stored on your computer. The APGARF website uses browser cookies for different purposes, including cookies that are strictly necessary for functionality such as facilitating a user’s log in process as well as ones used for supporting a better web experience and analytics to assess our websites’ performance. The APGARF website uses both first-party and third-party cookies for various purposes. First-party cookies are primarily necessary for the website to function properly and do not collect any personally identifiable data. The third-party cookies used on our website primarily help us understand how the website performs, track how you interact with it, keep our services secure, and enhance your overall user experience while improving the speed of your future interactions with our website. For example, the APGARF website uses Google Analytics to collect data about traffic via analytics cookies to help improve our website. This information is not personally identifying, and we do not sell, rent or disclose this information except where expressly set forth in this privacy policy. APGA’s email platform also uses Google Analytics cookies to track visits across our website from our emails to help us improve our communications to contributors. Learn more about Google Analytics’ privacy practices, and see a copy of Google’s privacy policy, at the following link: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en&ref_topic=2919631. You can also prevent your data from being collected by Google Analytics on the websites by downloading and installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on for your current web browser at the following link here.
Types of cookies we use
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Necessary. Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data
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Functional. Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features
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Analytics. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc
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Performance. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
You can modify your cookie settings anytime by clicking the cookie icon in the lower left-hand side of the website. This will allow you to revisit the cookie consent banner and update your preferences or withdraw your consent immediately. Most web browsers are set up to accept cookies; however, you may be able to adjust your browser to warn you before accepting certain cookies or to disable certain cookies by visiting your web browser’s documentation. Please note that if you block cookies or disable cookies, your use of certain features or functions on APGARF’s website or service may be limited, as well as disabling cookies for all websites you visit. Most browsers offer guidance on how to modify the browser’s settings to turn cookies off. You can also prevent your data from being collected by Google Analytics on the websites by downloading and installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on for your current web browser at the following link here.
Embedded Media
When you choose to start an embedded YouTube video on our website, it connects to YouTube’s servers. Please note that the embedded videos may not load if you choose to disable cookies. For more about Youtube's privacy policy please go to https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/privacy/
Email Information
In addition to providing the foregoing information to us, if you choose to correspond further with us through email, we may retain the content of your email messages together with your email address and our responses. We provide the same protections for these electronic communications that we employ in the maintenance of information received by mail and telephone.
How APGARF Uses Information
Broadly speaking, we use personal information for purposes of administering our business activities, providing contributorship service and making available other products and services to our contributors. Occasionally, we may also use the information we collect to notify you about important changes to our website, new services, and special offers we think you will find valuable.
APGARF uses non-identifying and aggregate information to improve the APGARF website and our contributor communications, for example to make sure our website visitors and contributors can find the content and services they are looking for easily. APGARF staff may view data that includes web traffic statistics, like number of page views, number of visitors, and time spent on each page. APGARF uses Google Analytics to collect data about traffic. For more about how APGARF uses cookies, please go to the Cookies section of the privacy policy. Learn more about Google Analytics’ privacy practices, and see a copy of Google’s privacy policy at the following link: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en&ref_topic=2919631. You can prevent your data from being collected by Google Analytics on the websites by downloading and installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on for your current web browser at the following link here.
APGARF uses return e-mail addresses to answer the e-mail sent directly to APGARF staff. If e-mail is received from an APGARF contributor, APGARF staff may add the individual’s e-mail address to the APGARF database if the association does not currently have one entered for the individual. This information helps APGARF improve electronic communication among APGARF contributors, staff, and other interested parties.
You may choose to make requests, participate in online surveys, and register to receive materials or services. Information you submit on the APGARF website will not be used for any other purpose. APGARF provides you with the opportunity to specifically choose the communications you wish to receive from APGA.
APGARF never discloses, rents, or sells PII provided to us online except where outlined in the privacy policy.
Notice of New Services and Changes
Occasionally, we may also use the information we collect to notify you about important changes to our website or new services and special offers we think you will find valuable. As an APGARF contributor, you will be given the opportunity to notify us of your desire not to receive these notifications by clicking on a link at the bottom of the e-mail to unsubscribe when you receive such an offer.
How Do We Secure Information Transmissions?
When you enter payment information such as a personal credit card information on our Web site, the payment is processed on a secure software platform which APGARF has licensed that encrypts the full credit card information and the full credit card information is not saved in APGA’s contributor database.
Email that you may send to us may not be secure unless we advise you that security measures will be in place prior to your transmitting the information. For that reason, we ask that you do not send confidential information such as Social Security or account numbers to us through an unsecured email.
How Do We Protect Your Information?
Information Security
We utilize encryption/security software to safeguard the confidentiality of personal information we collect from unauthorized access or disclosure and accidental loss, alteration, or destruction. Although APGARF takes measures to safeguard against unauthorized disclosures of information, we cannot guarantee the complete elimination of security risks to PII.
Evaluation of Information Protection Practices
Periodically, our operations and business practices are reviewed for compliance with corporate policies and procedures governing the security, confidentiality and quality of our information.
Employee Access, Training and Expectations
Our association values, ethical standards, policies, and practices are committed to the protection of APGARF contributor information. In general, our business practices limit employee access to confidential information and limit the use and disclosure of such information to authorized persons, processes, and transactions.
How Can You Access and Correct Your Information?
You can make changes to your PII if you have a user account through the APGARF website by logging into your account. Email preferences can also be modified by logging into your account and going to your ACCOUNT>Personal Info tab. You may request access to your personally identifiable information that we collect online and maintain in our database by e-mailing us.
Do We Disclose Information to Outside Parties?
We respect your privacy and only disclose information when APGARF partners with a third party for a service or product that is beneficial for APGARF contributors. We will only share information that is absolutely necessary for the delivery of the service/program (e.g., payment processing, host our online communities, deliver digital contributor publications, etc.) and the third party vendor is required to restrict the use of such information solely for the purpose for which the service/program is intended.
What About Legally Compelled Disclosure of Information?
We may disclose information when legally compelled to do so- in other words, when we, in good faith, believe that the law requires it or for the protection of our legal rights.
What About Other Web Sites Linked to Our Web Site?
We are not responsible for the practices employed by websites linked to or from our website, nor the information or content contained therein. Often links to other websites are provided solely as pointers to information on topics that may be useful to the users of our website. Please recontributor that when you use a link to go from our website to another website, our Privacy Policy is no longer in effect. Your browsing and interaction on any other website, including websites that have a link on our website, is subject to that website’s own rules and policies. Please read over those rules and policies before proceeding.
How You Can Control The Use Of Your Information
APGARF provides you with choice and control over the collection and use of your PII. To correct, delete, or update any PII on the APGARF website or in your contributorship profile, you may do so online if you have a user account or you may opt to notify us by e-mail to the following address: privacy@apga.org or write to: APGARF, 201 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Suite C-4 Washington, DC 20002. At any time, you may also request a copy of the PII gathered through the APGARF website.
Data Subject Rights
Data subjects in certain jurisdictions may have certain rights under applicable data protection law(s) related to data collection and usage of your PII. Where we are processing your PII, subject to applicable law(s), you may have rights including, but not limited to, the following: request access, modification, or erasure of your PII; request restriction of processing; object to processing; and data portability. To request information or seek action pursuant to these rights, please send an email to privacy@apga.org with the specific request and regulation. APGARF reserves the right to seek additional information to respond to a request or, if permissible, charge a fee in regard to a request.
Personal Information About Children
The APGARF website and related online services are not intended for children under 16. APGARF does not knowingly collect or use information from children under the age of 16 without the consent of a parent or guardian. If APGARF becomes aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 16 without parental or guardian consent, we will remove that information as permitted by law.
Your Consent
By using our website you consent to our collection and use of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy. If we change our privacy policies and procedures, we will post those changes on our website to keep you aware of what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances we may disclose it.