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April 17, 2012 – 10:42 am | No Comment

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Articles tagged with: EPA

Letter to the Editor — Dinneen: E15 is Well-Tested
June 6, 2013 – 4:07 pm | No Comment

by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) I’m writing in response to the guest opinion piece that ran on May 18 by Stephen Buck. It was addressed to Congresswoman Bustos and entitled “Stop Using E15 Fuel Until Further …

EPA to Issue Ethanol Use Targets This Summer
June 6, 2013 – 4:01 pm | No Comment

by Ayesha Rascoe (Reuters)  The Environmental Protection Agency plans to announce targets for U.S. ethanol use in 2013 and 2014 this summer, an EPA official told lawmakers on Wednesday, even as critics of the program …

EPA Review of RFS Pathway Petitions (Comments on Illinois Study)
June 6, 2013 – 3:38 pm | No Comment

by David Glass (DGlassAssociates)  A new study was published last week by two researchers at the University of Illinois Energy Biosciences Institute, James S.N. McCubbins and A. Bryan Endres, regarding the length of time the Environmental Protection Agency …

Proposed Rule Defines Corn Fiber Ethanol, Butanol as Advanced
May 28, 2013 – 5:20 pm | No Comment

by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  A new proposed rulemaking from the U.S. EPA includes several possible modifications to the renewable fuel standard program, including categorizing as advanced biofuels ethanol produced from corn fiber and …

EPA Announces Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: RFS Pathways II and Technical Amendments to the RFS2 Standards
May 23, 2013 – 1:33 pm | No Comment

(Environmental Protection Agency)  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a proposed rulemaking for modifications to the Renewable Fuel Standard program, E15 misfueling mitigation regulations, ultra low
sulfur diesel survey requirements as well as other technical …

Obama’s Environment, Energy Team Nears Completion with Votes
May 20, 2013 – 12:20 pm | No Comment

by Valerie Volcovici (Reuters)  President Barack Obama’s energy and environment team took two steps forward on Thursday after the U.S. Senate confirmed Ernest Moniz as energy secretary and a committee cleared Gina McCarthy to get a …

Sugar for Food, Fuel and Power: The ISO Datagro Sugar & Ethanol Conference in New York City
May 16, 2013 – 7:58 pm | No Comment

by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA)  What used to be known as “The New York Sugar Conference” has become “The ISO and Datagro Sugar & Ethanol Conference” with a record-setting number of attendees (350 from …

High Compression Ratios and Ethanol Blends Combine to Make a Super-efficient Car
May 10, 2013 – 4:18 pm | No Comment

by RP Siegel (Industry Market Trends Green & Clean Journal/ThomasNet.com)  Four years ago, American LeMans kicked off its first green racing season. The program, which requires teams to use alternative fuels such as ethanol blends (E10 or …

Up to $9 Million Available from EPA for 2013 Diesel Emission Reduction Grants
May 9, 2013 – 1:48 pm | No Comment

(US Environmental Protection Agency)  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the availability of up to $9 million through the National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program (DERA) for Fiscal Year 2013 for new projects …

Obama Choice to Head EPA Vows to Work Closer with Ag Community
May 8, 2013 – 5:42 pm | No Comment

Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register)  President Obama’s choice to head the Environmental Protection Agency, Gina McCarthy, vowed to take a more active role in working with the agriculture community.
During her confirmation hearing before the Senate …

FEATURE: Biojet Backers See US RINs Eligibility as Vital to Long-Term Viability
May 7, 2013 – 1:50 pm | No Comment

by Herman Wang and Matthew Kolhman (Platts)  Aviation biofuel’s newly minted ability to generate tradable US renewables credits, known as RINs, may be key to the industry’s economics, according to market watchers.
“The availability of RINs is …

Squeezing More From Ethanol
May 6, 2013 – 2:57 pm | No Comment

by Matthew L. Wald (The New York Times)  Faced with a crop of lemons — too much ethanol, a population of cars not tuned to burn it effectively and a driving public leery of the …

EPA Methane Report Further Divides Fracking Camps
May 6, 2013 – 10:41 am | No Comment

(National Public Radio/Associated Press)  The Environmental Protection Agency has dramatically lowered its estimate of how much of a potent heat-trapping gas leaks during natural gas production, in a shift with major implications for a debate …

Divisions Appear To Grow Among Biofuels Groups Over EPA Fuels Policies
May 3, 2013 – 5:40 pm | No Comment

(Clean Energy Report)  An initial split between some biofuels groups over EPA’s 2013 renewable fuel standard’s (RFS) production targets appears to be expanding divisions over other agency fuel policies.
Advanced biofuels producers are opposing EPA’s Tier …

EPA Holds Hearings to Gather Public Comments on Vehicle and Gasoline Standards
April 23, 2013 – 3:53 pm | No Comment
EPA Holds Hearings to Gather Public Comments on Vehicle and Gasoline Standards

(Environmental Protection Agency)  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold two public hearings in April on the Tier 3 proposed rulemaking aimed at addressing the impacts of motor vehicles on air quality and public …

Long List of Lobbies Oppose Renewable-Fuels Standard
April 19, 2013 – 3:19 pm | No Comment

by Amy Harder (National Journal)  It’s hard to rival the diversity and sheer number of groups and companies with a vested interest in the renewable-fuels standard, from food and livestock businesses to those in the …

AFPM Welcomes EPA Move to Address Biodiesel Fraud but Greater Fix is Needed
April 19, 2013 – 3:04 pm | No Comment

(Wall Street Journal/The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers)  The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) and American Petroleum Institute (API) filed comments in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed biofuel Quality Assurance Program.
“EPA’s …

BIO Comments on EPA’s 2013 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Rules
April 12, 2013 – 1:50 pm | No Comment

(Biotechnology Industry Organization) The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) recently submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the proposed Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives: 2013 Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS).
The comments emphasized that continued stable …

New EPA Fuel, Emission Standards A Benefit for Ethanol
April 9, 2013 – 6:17 pm | No Comment

(Farm Futures)  National Corn Growers Association says more stringent emissions standards create a place for ethanol’s higher octane levels to shine
…The tier 3 standards increase the level of stringency with which vehicle emissions are regulated …

Ethanol Industry Seeks Toned-Down Renewable Fuel Goals
April 9, 2013 – 12:49 pm | No Comment

by Ben Goad (The Hill E2Wire)  A key industry group is urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ratchet back this year’s volume requirements for biofuel production, arguing the proposed standards are unrealistic.
In formal comments submitted Monday, …

EPA Tier 3 Rules Lower Sulfur Content, Assume E15 to Replace E10
April 8, 2013 – 5:19 pm | No Comment

by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  The U.S. EPA has proposed Tier 3 emission standards for cars and gasoline. The new goals for lower sulfur content got the attention in the first days after …

EPA Informs Court of Plan to Reconsider Cellulosic Ethanol Requirement for 2011
April 8, 2013 – 1:38 pm | No Comment

by Andrew Childers  (Bloomberg BNA)  The Environmental Protection Agency will voluntarily reconsider the cellulosic ethanol blending requirement for 2011, the agency told a federal appellate court in an April 3 motion (American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers v. …

Bio-diesel Fuel Company Owner Sentenced to 188 Months in Federal Prison for Crimes Connected to Illegal Fuels Scheme / Jeffrey Gunselman also fined $175,000 and ordered to pay nearly $55 million in restitution
March 29, 2013 – 7:07 pm | No Comment

(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)  Jeffrey David Gunselman, 30, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 188 months in federal prison, fined $175,000 and ordered to pay more than $54.9 million in …

EPA Proposes Achievable Cleaner Fuels and Cars Standard, Slashing Air Pollution and Providing Extensive Health Benefits
March 29, 2013 – 7:02 pm | No Comment

(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)  Based on extensive input from auto manufacturers, refiners, and states, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed sensible standards for cars and gasoline that will significantly reduce harmful pollution, prevent …

Automakers Ask Supreme Court to Take up Ethanol Challenge
March 27, 2013 – 10:55 am | No Comment

by David Shephardson (Detroit News)  Major automakers asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a challenge to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to approve a higher blend of ethanol for vehicles from 2001 and newer.
The …

RFS: #1 on Big Oil Hitlist for a Reason
March 26, 2013 – 1:42 pm | No Comment

by Brooke Coleman (National Journal/Advanced Ethanol Council)  First, let’s assess what we know to be true …

RFS2 is just five years old. We are about one-third of the way through a 15-year commitment to diversify …

Senators Ask McCarthy to Outline Response to RIN Price Increase
March 25, 2013 – 4:49 pm | No Comment

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  Sens. David Vitter, R-La., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, have sent a letter to U.S. EPA administrator nominee Gina McCarthy, asking her to outline “how she will protect American citizens …

How Much More Domestic Corn Ethanol and Imported Sugar Ethanol Should EPA Require in 2013?
March 23, 2013 – 1:56 pm | No Comment

(Environmental and Energy Study Institute)  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking comments from stakeholders on the EPA’s proposed Renewable Fuel Standards for 2013. The proposed final standards would require the blending of more domestic …

Colonial Pipeline to Ship Biodiesel on Georgia Line by End-March
March 20, 2013 – 12:53 pm | No Comment

(Platts)  Colonial Pipeline will begin shipping biodiesel blends on its pipeline to central and southern Georgia by the end of the month, the company said Monday, calling it a first for the nation’s largest volume …

U.S. Biofuels & Ethanol Mandate: More Vulnerable Than Ever Now?
March 18, 2013 – 11:33 am | No Comment

by John Voelcker (Green Car Reports)  …Now two bills recently introduced into Congress seek to delay or ban altogether the sale of E15 gasoline, which contains 15 percent ethanol rather than the 10-percent maximum standard …

Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 Through 2012
March 15, 2013 – 10:32 am | No Comment

(Environmental Protection Agency)  EPA’s annual report that tracks the fuel economy of vehicles sold in the United States is signaling a significant 1.4 mile per gallon (mpg) increase for 2012 cars and trucks – along …

Camelina on the Move: Global Clean Energy Holdings Acquires Sustainable Oils
March 15, 2013 – 10:07 am | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Global Clean Energy Holdings announced that it has acquired Sustainable Oils, a leader in Camelina genetics and production. The acquisition includes 100% ownership interest of Sustainable Oils and the …

EPA Zeros Out 2012 Cellulosic RVO – Recognizes Phantom Fuels
March 12, 2013 – 7:50 pm | No Comment

(PR NewsWire/American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers)  American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) President Charles T. Drevna issued the following statement following the withdrawal of its Petition for Waiver of the 2012 Cellulosic Biofuel Volumetric Requirements:
“We appreciate the …

Des Moines Company Keeps Tabs on Biofuel Production, Sales
March 12, 2013 – 7:10 pm | No Comment

by Dan Piller (Des Moines Register)  EcoEngineers tapped by EPA to help audit RFS compliance.
In a small office in the East Village of Des Moines, a handful of engineers and statisticians are hard at work …

For Montana Biofuel, It’s Not Easy Being Green
March 12, 2013 – 6:30 pm | No Comment

by Tom Lutey (Billings Gazette)  When it was first promoted as a biofuel source perfect for the Montana plains, camelina looked to many like a weed. Seven tough years later, its persistence is being tested.
Acres planted …

Gasoline Quality Greatly Affects Fuel Systems; Not Ethanol Content
March 12, 2013 – 2:11 pm | No Comment

by Kristy Moore (Renewable Fuels Association)  EPA’s decision to grant the use of E15 in 2001 and newer automobiles and light duty vehicles was based on multiple-year, multiple-aspect testing of more than 88 vehicles.  The …

Renewable Energy Vehicle Club Has Optimistic Goals
March 8, 2013 – 12:23 pm | No Comment

by Molly Craig (Iowa State Daily)  In the spring of 2012, Tyler Cain had an idea. A year later, his idea has grown into his passion project: the REV club.
REV stands for Renewable Energy Vehicle. …

Report: Flaws in EPA Drilling Pollution Data
March 7, 2013 – 9:25 pm | No Comment

by Dina Cappiello (Associated Press/San Francisco Chronicle)  Limited data and unreliable estimates on air pollution from oil and natural gas production is hindering the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to police the drilling boom, the agency’s …

Bill Introduced in House Would Require Additional Study of E15
March 7, 2013 – 8:19 pm | No Comment

by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  A bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives seeks to repeal the E15 waiver and require additional testing of the fuel, despite extensive testing by the U.S. DOE.
Rep. …

Stoel Rives Publishes White Paper on RIN Program Change Proposal
March 6, 2013 – 6:41 pm | No Comment

(Stoel Rives/Biodiesel Magazine)  Stoel Rives LLP, a national energy and biofuels law firm, has published a white paper that provides a comprehensive overview of proposed regulatory changes to the renewable fuel standard (RFS) program, specifically …

Arundo Donax Safe from Noxious Weed Designation in North Carolina
March 6, 2013 – 6:20 pm | No Comment

(SFN Today)  At the North Carolina Board of Agriculture’s meeting on Tuesday, whether or not to classify Arundo donax as a noxious weed in the state was at the top of the agenda. Vernon Cox, …

Unleashing the Power of the Bio-Economy
March 6, 2013 – 1:13 pm | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  Recommendations from the Milken Institute — and a group of industry heavyweights — to accelerate the bioeconomy revolution.
In California this week, the Milken Institute released a good read on the …

Obama Filling out Cabinet, Will Nominate New Budget Chief, EPA Director and Energy Secretary
March 4, 2013 – 11:59 am | No Comment

(Associated Press/The Washington Post)  President Barack Obama is announcing his picks for three Cabinet-level jobs — nominees to run the Energy Department, Environmental Protection Agency and budget office.
Obama says energy secretary nominee Ernest Moniz is …

EPA Calls for 2013 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award Nominations
February 22, 2013 – 6:23 pm | No Comment

(Environmental Protection Agency)   New green chemistry technologies grow markets and save businesses money.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the nominations for the 2013 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards for companies and institutions that …

Rodney Hailey Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Prison for Selling $9 Million in Fraudulent Renewable Fuel Credits
February 22, 2013 – 5:13 pm | No Comment

(Environmental Protection Agency)  Owner of “Clean Green Fuel” falsely claimed his company produced 23 million gallons of renewable fuel
U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Rodney R. Hailey, of Perry Hall, Md., today to …

The Dew Drop Inn — Who’s Dropping in What in Biofuels?
February 19, 2013 – 4:20 pm | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  B20, B5, B100, E10, E22, E15, M50, E85, Bu12.5, HEFA 50.  Is your head swimming with acronyms and blend ratios?  Who exactly is making drop-in fuels, and what does that …

US EPA’s Byron Bunker Deciphers Biodiesel RIN QAP Proposed Rule
February 13, 2013 – 2:01 pm | No Comment

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine)  After U.S. EPA’s much-anticipated renewable identification number (RIN) quality assurance program (QAP) proposed rule was released last week, biodiesel producers and industry stakeholders at the 2013 National Biodiesel Conference & …

Soybeans Could Be Next Chapter of Biofuels Boom
February 12, 2013 – 11:02 am | No Comment

by Tom Doran  (AgNews) …Under the current Renewable Fuels Standards, continued growth in corn-based ethanol use is uncertain do to several factors, including the 10 percent blend wall, slow implementation of higher blend, declining total …

Live from #NEC13: Views on the Future of Ethanol
February 8, 2013 – 1:55 pm | No Comment

by Bryan McBournie (SmartBlog) … Shell Oil Products’ Downstream Policy and Advocacy Manager John Reese said his company is a big supporter of biofuels, but the RFS needs to be adjusted to avoid problems down the …

EPA Approves New Fueling Configuration for E15
February 8, 2013 – 12:24 pm | No Comment

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  On Feb. 7, the U.S. EPA approved a new blender pump configuration for the sale of E15 and E10. The configuration, submitted by the Renewable Fuels Association, can be …

EPA Proposes Rules for Voluntary RIN Integrity Program
February 2, 2013 – 5:09 pm | No Comment

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine)   On Jan. 31 the U.S. EPA published a proposed rule that creates a structured process for buyers of renewable identification numbers (RINs) to verify their validity. Under the …

Stakeholders Must Be Ready to Challenge Attacks on the RFS
February 1, 2013 – 7:58 pm | No Comment

(25 x ’25)  … A federal court decision last week that set aside EPA’s volumetric requirement for cellulosic biofuel under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was excessively characterized this week by the oil industry and …

The 2013 Renewable Fuel Standard: Biofuels Digest’s 10-Minute Guide
February 1, 2013 – 5:42 pm | No Comment

by Jim Lane ( Biofuels Digest)  …In Washington, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its proposed 2013 Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS2).

The proposal will be open for a 45-day public comment period and EPA will …

That Cotton-pickin’ Varmint Ethanol vs that Bush Whackin’ Cherry-pickin’ API
January 30, 2013 – 7:45 pm | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  Who’s right, in the fight of their lives over E15 ethanol blending?  Whose data’s from Toontown, whose from the real-world?
Yesterday the American Petroleum Institute held a press conference in DC …

The First Lady of E15
January 30, 2013 – 5:43 pm | No Comment

by Tim Portz (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Kristy Moore recalls her beginnings in the ethanol industry, her fondness for American agriculture and the long road to bringing E15 to market.
The story of the approval of E15 for …

New Evidence of E15 Fuel Damage Confirms Case Against Renewable Fuel Standard
January 29, 2013 – 6:44 pm | No Comment

(PR NewsWire/American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers)  New research released by the Coordinating Research Council (CRC) today found that E15, gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol, would damage millions of post-2001 model year vehicles. The CRC …

Is Reduction of Our Dependence on Foreign Oil Just Talk?
January 29, 2013 – 3:31 pm | No Comment

(National Algae Association)  Is the government’s commitment to alternative fuels being stymied by the American Petroleum Institute, or is the Department of Energy stymying the commitment all by itself?
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the …

Court Strikes Down Cellulosic Biofuel Mandate – Finds EPA Exceeded Statutory Authority
January 25, 2013 – 5:18 pm | No Comment

(American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers/PR NewsWire/Yahoo!) In a decision that questions the motivation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit today vacated EPA’s 2012 cellulosic biofuel mandate, concluding that its biased forecast was in ‘excess …

RIN Management Strategies: Prepping for New EPA RIN Quality Rules
January 25, 2013 – 4:33 pm | No Comment

by Jeff Hove (RINAlliance/Biodiesel Magazine)  …Managing RIN transactions and completing EPA reports has become slightly easier under RFS2 and EMTS rules. RIN marketing, however, has become increasingly difficult in a market that has been rocked …

RIN Management and RIN Marketing Strategies: Prepping for New EPA RIN Quality Rules
January 18, 2013 – 10:57 am | No Comment

by Jeff Hove  (RINAlliance/EcoEngineers)  RINAlliance was established in 2007 to assist petroleum marketers and renewable fuel blenders with EPA blending compliance requirements. Today, RINAlliance serves 130 blenders with EPA reporting and RIN marketing. They currently manage …

Choice at the Pump E15 Is Currently Cleared for Sale in a Handful of States, with Work Ongoing to Bring It to the Rest of the U.S.
January 17, 2013 – 1:27 pm | No Comment

by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Scott Zaremba, owner of Zarco 66 convenience stores, didn’t just open the first E15 retail pump in the nation. Not long after offering 15 percent ethanol at the first station …

Court Rules against Big Oil in Dispute over Ethanol Blend
January 16, 2013 – 12:00 pm | No Comment

(FuelFix)  Despite protests from the oil industry, a federal appeals court on Tuesday refused to allow a challenge to an Environmental Protection Agency decision encouraging more ethanol to be blended into gasoline.
The American Petroleum Institute, …

A Look at DuPont Biofuel’s Work on Cellulosic Ethanol and Butanol
January 11, 2013 – 4:02 pm | No Comment

by Robert Rapier (Consumer Energy Report) …DuPont is currently engaged in two major projects to commercialize advanced biofuels.
The first is a 30 million gallon per year corn stover-fed facility in Nevada, Iowa. DuPont  has been working on …

Future of Green Racing in US Unclear after 2013
January 6, 2013 – 6:04 pm | No Comment

by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) The future of the American Le Mans GreenX ChallengeTM in particular and Green Racing in general is uncertain past the 2013 racing season. On Friday, January 4th 2013, NASCAR GRAND-AM …

Iowa Gains Second E15 Station
January 3, 2013 – 12:08 pm | No Comment

(Brownfield Ag News)  …Fredericksburg Coop in Fredericksburg becomes the second station to offer the blend of gasoline and 15 percent ethanol to owners of 2001 and newer vehicles.
…Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels …

API Mounts Another Attack on RFS, Ethanol Industry Fights Back
January 2, 2013 – 7:41 pm | No Comment

by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  Less than two weeks after the U.S. EPA denied the request to waive the renewable fuel standard (RFS), the American Petroleum Institute is calling on Congress to repeal it.
During a press call …

The New Milo-naires: Corn, Milo and the Biofuels Market’s Invisible Hand
January 2, 2013 – 3:09 pm | No Comment

by Jim Lane (BioInvest Digest)  An obscure EPA ruling may change the economics of ethanol production, forever — who wins, who loses, what’s the investor’s bottom line?
Just before Christmas, the EPA issued a final rule, …

American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers Petitions EPA to Waive 2012 Cellulosic Biofuel Mandate
January 2, 2013 – 1:06 pm | No Comment

(American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers/PR NewsWire)    The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today to waive the 2012 cellulosic biofuel mandate, citing a lack of domestic supply available …

Sorghum Acres to Grow Due to Drought Tolerance, New Varieties
December 31, 2012 – 5:22 pm | No Comment

by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  Sorghum is poised to come into its own as an alternative to corn. It proved its mettle in the 2012 drought, producing decent dryland yields with very little …

Kansas Ethanol Plant Poised to Start up Anaerobic Digester Soon
December 31, 2012 – 5:01 pm | No Comment

by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  If all goes as planned, a 50 MMgy ethanol plant in Oakley, Kan., will someday produce advanced biofuel from sorghum. To qualify as advanced biofuel, the company will power …

E.P.A. Chief to Step Down, With Climate Still Low Priority
December 27, 2012 – 11:41 am | No Comment

by John M. Broder (New York Times)   Lisa P. Jackson is stepping down as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency after a four-year tenure that began with high hopes of sweeping action to address climate …

SEMA Joins Forces to Repeal E15 Ethanol Mandates
December 26, 2012 – 7:44 pm | No Comment

(Specialty Equipment Market Association)  SEMA has joined with a number of other trade associations to sponsor “Smarter Fuel Future,” a website intended to raise awareness about the economic and environmental threats posed by the United …

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency May No Longer Require Minimum Gas Purchase at Certain Pumps
December 26, 2012 – 6:25 pm | No Comment

(American Motorcyclist Association)   The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is apparently scrapping its requirement that all consumers buy at least four gallons of gasoline from certain gas pumps that dispense the new E15 ethanol-gasoline blend, the …

EPA Releases Update on Ongoing Hydraulic Fracturing Study
December 21, 2012 – 3:37 pm | No Comment

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today provided an update on its ongoing national study currently underway to better understand any potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. Results of the study, which …

API Lawsuit on 2011 Cellulosic RFS Volumes Dismissed by Court
December 20, 2012 – 2:08 pm | No Comment

by Erin Voegele   (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  On Dec. 17, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit dismissed a lawsuit filed by the American Petroleum Institute against the U.S. EPA. The …

Ethanol Still Faces Choppy Seas
December 19, 2012 – 6:57 pm | No Comment

by Jeff Caldwell (Agriculture.com)  …Though Friday’s ruling, on paper, should keep ethanol production chugging along, that doesn’t mean the sector — which has itself been under pressure from drought-fueled higher corn prices — will see choppy …

Program Launched to Authenticate Feedstock as ‘Renewable Biomass’
December 19, 2012 – 12:34 pm | No Comment

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine)  …While the biodiesel industry is working with EPA, obligated parties under the renewable fuel standard (RFS) and third-party verifiers to ensure valid generation of renewable identification numbers (RINs)—credits generated with …

U.S. States Threaten Lawsuit against EPA over Regulations
December 17, 2012 – 11:04 am | No Comment

by Andrew Hay  (Reuters)  A coalition of seven eastern states led by New York plans to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for failing to issue new guidelines to curb methane emissions, a greenhouse gas …

Ethanol Use in Gasoline Production Would Be the Same with or without RFS Waiver
December 6, 2012 – 3:06 pm | No Comment

by Daryll Ray and Harwood D. Schaffer (Southwest Farm Press/University of Tennessee)  …On November 16, 2012, the EPA denied the request of Governor Perdue and others. The short story is that while the EPA recognizes …

EPA Grants Biofuel Pathway for Grain Sorghum
December 5, 2012 – 2:02 pm | No Comment

(FarmFutures) Qualifies some ethanol plants to produce domestic advanced biofuel
The Environmental Protection Agency Monday announced it has approved grain sorghum as an eligible feedstock under the Renewable Fuels Standard.
“This is a significant step forward for the …

RFA to EPA: “Time is Now” to Revise Lifecycle GHG Analyses of Corn and Sugarcane Ethanol
December 5, 2012 – 12:17 pm | No Comment

(Renewable Fuels Association)  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should immediately initiate a process to update its obsolete lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) analyses of corn and sugarcane ethanol for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2), according to …

Group to Sue EPA to Force U.S. Carbon Rules for Transport
December 3, 2012 – 1:17 pm | No Comment

by Valerie Volcovici  (Chicago Tribune/Reuters)  A policy reform group plans to issue a notice on Wednesday informing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that it will file a lawsuit to force the agency to use federal …

AAA Warns E15 Gasoline Could Cause Car Damage
November 30, 2012 – 2:10 pm | No Comment

by Gary Strauss (USA Today)  E15, a higher blend of ethanol and gasoline, has rolled out in a handful of states. But its use in older vehicles is generating warnings from AAA, which says E15 …

The False Choice Between Palm Oil And Indonesian Forests
November 29, 2012 – 6:06 pm | No Comment

by Nigel Sizer (WRI Insights/The Jakarta Post)  …The world’s top scientists are also raising concerns. According to a recent study in Nature Climate Change, from 1990 to 2010, 90 percent of lands converted to oil palm plantations in …

API Files Suit against US EPA for 2013 Biodiesel Usage Increase
November 28, 2012 – 4:10 pm | No Comment

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine)  The American Petroleum Institute filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Nov. 26 against the U.S. EPA for its decision to mandate the …

EPA Keeps Renewable Fuels Levels in Place After Considering State Requests
November 16, 2012 – 4:44 pm | No Comment

(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that the agency has not found evidence to support a finding of severe “economic harm” that would warrant granting a waiver of the …

25x’25 Commends EPA Decision to Uphold RFS
November 16, 2012 – 4:41 pm | No Comment

(25 x ’25) In response to the EPA decision today upholding volume requirements of the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, 25x’25 Co-chairmen Read Smith and Bart Ruth issued the following joint statement:
“EPA’s decision today finding no evidence that …

Renewable Fuels: Notices–Denial of Requests for a Waiver of the Renewable Fuel Standard
November 16, 2012 – 4:32 pm | No Comment

(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)  In August 2012, Governors from several States requested a waiver of the national volume requirements for the renewable fuel standard program (RFS) pursuant to Section 211(o)(7) of the Clean Air Act. …

EPA Releases Draft QAP Requirements for RIN Validation
November 12, 2012 – 3:53 pm | No Comment

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine)  The U.S. EPA has released its draft quality assurance plan requirements as part of its work to restructure the renewable fuel standard program to ensure renewable identification number (RIN) credits generated are valid …

Senators Bring Biofuels to Post-Sandy N.J., Address Climate Change
November 12, 2012 – 2:53 pm | No Comment

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  Climate change may gain more attention during the next legislative session. During a press conference to discuss post-election results broadcast by C-SPAN on Nov. 7, Senate Majority Leader Harry …

Ethanol Going Ugly Turns Bush Plan Into Obama Test
November 8, 2012 – 5:31 pm | No Comment

by Mario Parker (Bloomberg BusinessWeek)  U.S. ethanol production is headed for the first decline in 16 years, jeopardizing the nation’s drive to boost alternative fuels, as higher costs and lower demand close plants.
Shrinking distilling margins …

Biodiesel Industry Regulated: Ignorance of OSHA, EPA Regulations no Longer Flies for Biodiesel Producers
November 7, 2012 – 2:10 pm | No Comment

by Nathan Vander Griend (Biodiesel Magazine/ERI Solutions Inc.)  Safety training, work permits, standard operating procedures and what seems to be an almost endless amount of documentation can be a burden to an operating facility. It …

COLUMN-BP Biofuel U-Turn Upsets Second Generation: Wynn
November 5, 2012 – 1:07 pm | No Comment

by Gerard Wynn (Reuters)  BP’s decision to scrap plans for a U.S. cellulosic ethanol refinery is a setback for second generation biofuels and opens the door to alternatives including Brazilian sugar ethanol, biodiesel and electric …

HYDRAULIC FRACTURING: Data-Heavy Project Aims to Move Methane Emissions Research beyond ‘He Said, She Said’
October 24, 2012 – 2:54 pm | No Comment

by Gayathri Vaidyanathan and Saqib Rahim (E&E Publishing/Energy Wire)  A team of academics, natural gas companies and environmentalists is hoping to pull a crucial environmental issue from the jaws of polarization and controversy — and start …

RFS Waiver Would Have Minor Effect on Corn Price in Short Term
October 16, 2012 – 1:16 pm | No Comment

by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  An October report from the Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute concludes that a reduction in the renewable fuel standard wouldn’t greatly reduce corn prices in the 2012/’13 crop …

Standoff at Pump Over New Fuel: Ethanol Lobby vs. Station Owners
October 15, 2012 – 9:03 pm | No Comment

by Ryan Tracy (The Wall Street Journal)  …Since the blend known as E15 first hit the market for regular cars in July, eight fuel stations in Kansas and Iowa have started to sell it, according …

The Sherpas: 7 Biofuels Feedstock Developers Clearing Paths to the Summit
October 15, 2012 – 1:30 pm | No Comment

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  Every great biofuels technology has its own companion feedstock strategy – with unique advantages and technical challenges.  Who’s got what it takes to be a great Sherpa, providing that feedstock …

Integration of Biodiesel RIN Verification in the BQ-9000 Program
October 3, 2012 – 10:28 am | No Comment

by Pete Moss (Biodiesel Magazine)  BQ-9000 is the gold standard for quality control in the biodiesel industry. The accreditation program was developed by the National Biodiesel Board to ensure better quality in a rapidly growing …

Are High Grain Prices Good for Anyone?
October 2, 2012 – 1:25 pm | No Comment

by Roy Roberson (Southeast Farm Press)  • Sounds like a good deal for grain growers and a bad one for livestock producers and consumers, but are such high prices really good for any of us?
• …

Ford and GM Okay E15 Blends for New Vehicles
October 2, 2012 – 12:21 pm | No Comment

(Opis.net)  Ford Motor Co. and General Motors have quietly approved gasoline blends with up to 15% ethanol for use in later model cars and light trucks, Oil Express has learned.
Together, the automakers produce more than …