by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) Illinois Democrat Tammy Duckworth asked the Environmental Protection Agency's inspector general Thursday to investigate whether the agency broke the law in granting dozens of waivers to the oil industry to not blend corn ethanol into the
Legislation-Federal
Back TO HOMEBill Would Increase SRE Transparency, Reallocate Waived Volumes
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Reps. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., and Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., introduced legislation May 23 that aims to increase transparency surrounding Renewable Fuel Standard small refinery exemptions (SREs) and ensure any waived volumes are reallocated. The bill, titled the “Renewable
May 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Promote Cleaner Transportation Fuel, Healthier Forests
(Office of Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)) Legislation allows the use of biomass waste from certain federal lands in the making of renewable fuels -- U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today introduced bipartisan legislation to allow the use of biomass from
May 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Senators Collins, Heinrich Lead Bipartisan Group in Introducing Energy Storage Bill to Bolster Renewables, Fight Climate Change
(Office of Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine)) The bipartisan bill authorizes $300 million over five years to reduce the cost of promising grid-scale energy storage systems, similar to DOE’s SunShot Initiative that decreased the price of solar by 75% -- In order to
May 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Agriculture Industry Groups Call on Congress to Immediately Extend the Biodiesel Tax Credit
(National Biodiesel Board) Congress can address the growing economic crisis in the agriculture sector, trade groups write -- Thirteen trade groups representing farmers, rural lenders, crop and biobased oil producers, and biodiesel producers today wrote leaders of the House of Representatives and
May 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Exclusive: Trump EPA Did Not Await Court Ruling to Loosen Biofuel Rules for Refiners - Documents
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The Trump administration made it easier for oil refineries to get waivers from the nation’s biofuel law at least four months before a 2017 court decision it often cites to justify the move to the corn lobby,
May 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Carbon Removal Takes Hold on Hill
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) CAPTURING HEARTS AND MINDS: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will dive into the Energy Department's carbon capture, utilization and storage programs during a hearing this morning (May 16, 2019), where Assistant Energy
May 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Republicans Want a Climate Bill — but Please Don't Call It the Green New Deal
by Matt Laslo (Vice News) ... The same week the United Nations released a report stating that a million animal and plant species are on the verge of extinction, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Europe proclaiming that melting sea
May 14, 2019 Read Full Article
Letter from Washington – Taxes, Blends, RINs, Jobs and “The Year of the Tree”
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (C)onsider this for now a Digested summary of the (Washington, DC) news you can use, as short as we can make it so that we return you to the business of building the bioeconomy
May 14, 2019 Read Full Article
Flores and Welch Reintroduce Bill to Limit Ethanol Quotas under RFS
by Nick Snow (Oil & Gas Journal) US Reps. Bill Flores (R-Tex.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) reintroduced legislation on May 7 which would limit ethanol quotas under the Renewable Fuel Standard to 9.7% of the total gasoline volumes projected to be
May 10, 2019 Read Full Article
Democrats See Opening for Climate in Tax Extenders, Highway Bill
by Dean Scott (Bloomberg Environment) Senate Democrats home in on strategy for raising clean energy tax credits, highway bill reauthorization; Parallel effort on making infrastructure better resilient to climate change --- ... They are likely to score their biggest victories in two must-pass bills
May 07, 2019 Read Full Article
Bill Introduced to Overhaul Renewable Fuel, Energy Tax Credits
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and 25 colleagues introduced legislation May 2 that aims to overhaul the federal tax code and consolidate the current 44 energy incentives into three technology-neutral provisions that encourage clean electricity, clean
May 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Sunrise Movement, the Force Behind the Green New Deal, Ramps Up Plans for 2020
by Tessa Stuart (Rolling Stone) ... The science is really clear, the solutions are ready, overwhelmingly popular, will create millions of good jobs. In 2019 and in 2020, the goal of young people everywhere who are interested in Sunrise is to
May 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Democrats Are Trying to Block Trump from Exiting Paris Agreement by Pushing New Climate Bill
(USA Today) It's not as bold as the Green New Deal but House Democrats on Thursday are poised to adopt the most significant climate legislation in a decade: A bill that would prevent the Trump administration from exiting the international Paris Agreement aimed at global warming. The Climate Action
May 02, 2019 Read Full Article
The Energy 202: Why Some Climate Activists Are Cooling on a Carbon Tax
by Dino Grandoni (Washington Post) It is one of most popular plans among economists for addressing climate change. Many Democrats have embraced it. Even some Republicans have come around to the idea. But a carbon tax is increasingly out of favor among left-wing climate
May 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Rep. Axne Introduces Amendment to HR 9 to Support Renewable Fuel Industries
(Atlantic News Telegraph) U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) introduced an amendment to H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, to extend tax credits for Iowa’s biodiesel, second generation biofuels and wind power industries. The Climate Action Now Act, which Rep. Axne
May 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Yes, Tin Lizzie Was an Alcoholic
by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) Correcting Bad Revisionist History About Ford's Model T Automobile -- The most venerated automobile of all time is Henry Ford's Model T. Nicknamed "Tin Lizzie," "Leapin' Lena," and sometimes "Flivver," the Model T went into production
May 01, 2019 Read Full Article
More Energy Companies Lobbying on Climate Issues, Including Green New Deal
by Esther Whieldon and Molly Christian (S&P Global Market Intelligence) The number of power companies lobbying on climate-related issues at the federal level nearly tripled in the first quarter of 2019 over the prior quarter as the topic became a key focal
April 30, 2019 Read Full Article
Modifying the Message: With a Democratic-Majority House of Representatives, the Ethanol Lobby Emphasizes Carbon Reduction.
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The ethanol industry has done a great job making friends throughout the political spectrum, says John Fuher, vice president of government affairs for Growth Energy. “You have to have support from people across the divide,”
April 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Bonanza: How Federal Subsidies Prop Up the Industry and Cost Taxpayers Billions
(Taxpayers for Common Sense) The federal government has subsidized the mature U.S. biodiesel industry for more than a decade. In years when subsidies are larger and more predictable, the industry responds with higher production levels to take advantage of billions of dollars in
April 24, 2019 Read Full Article
New Study Underscores the Need to Make Rare Earth Metal Use More Sustainable
(Our Daily Planet) We don’t recycle these metals and their extraction is rife with human rights abuses. As Phys reported, a new study, commissioned and funded by the non-profit EarthWorks, “shows that as demand for minerals such as lithium and rare earths skyrockets, the already significant environmental
April 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Thank You, Biodiesel Industry
by Donnell Rehagen (National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) ... This past year we engaged with organizations like National Renderers Association, National Association of Truck Stop Operators, American Soybean Association, Petroleum Marketers of America, and many more. The National Biodiesel Board has strengthened its
April 17, 2019 Read Full Article
NATA and Industry Aviation Coalition Support Extension of Biodiesel Tax Incentive
(National Air Transportation Association /Aviation Pros) The letters were jointly issued by the Air Line Pilots Association, Airlines for America, the Cargo Airline Association, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the NATA, the NBAA, and the Regional Airline Association -- Today, the National
April 17, 2019 Read Full Article
Momentum Builds for Green New Deal Plans as Maine's Bill Gets a Powerful Endorsement
by Brian Kahn (Earther) Maine’s AFL-CIO, which represents more than 40,000 members, just threw its weight behind a version of the Green New Deal introduced to the state’s legislature last month. That makes Maine’s bill the first piece of Green New Deal legislation
April 17, 2019 Read Full Article
Senators Introduce Bipartisan Carbon Capture Bill
by Miranda Green (The Hill) A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill Thursday to increase federal funding toward developing carbon capture technology while also committing to fossil fuel use. Introduced by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee ranking member Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), the
April 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Sen. Whitehouse Targets Dark Money to Address Climate Change
by Jennifer McDermott (Associated Press) ... Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, is targeting so-called “dark money” because he thinks opposition to addressing climate change in Congress is propped up by the fossil fuel industry. “If you kicked out that support,
April 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Energy Policy - Beltway Buzz
(American Energy Society) Energy Policy - Beltway Buzz - The Senate voted on (and rejected) the Green New Deal; Majority Leader Mitch McConnell teased the vote for weeks, while Republicans railed against the proposal as socialism; however, liberal activists upended the
April 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Democrats to Move on from Green New Deal
by Miranda Green (The Hill) Democrats are putting the Green New Deal in the rearview mirror, but they’re not abandoning climate change legislation. Supporters of the progressive measure are shifting their sights away from passing a comprehensive plan to create green jobs
March 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Reports Analyze High-Octane Gasoline Market
(Convenience Store Decisions) A high-octane standard for the U.S. gasoline market could be the fastest and most cost-effective way to enhance fuel efficiency for vehicles produced in the next few years. New reports published by the Fuels Institute analyze the market’s ability to deliver higher
March 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Carbon Capture on the Mind
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) CARBON CAPTURE ON THE MIND: Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Don Beyer are set to talk carbon capture during a discussion today, where they will also reintroduce the "Healthy Climate and Family
March 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Gone but Not Forgotten: The Green New Deal Resolution Sunk in the Senate on Tuesday.
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) — The Green New Deal resolution sunk in the Senate on Tuesday. Now Senate Democrats will unveil their own Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, while House Republicans press ahead with their own push for
March 27, 2019 Read Full Article
Republicans Grasp for a Climate Change Message
by Zack Colman and Anthony Adragna (Politico) Tuesday’s expected Senate vote rejecting the Green New Deal masks a striking reality: In a matter of months, liberal activists have upended the conversation about climate change among both parties in Washington. Democratic presidential candidates are
March 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Gaetz Drafting ‘Green Real Deal’ Climate Resolution
by Zack Coleman (Politico) Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) is circulating a “Green Real Deal” resolution to counter the “Green New Deal” floated by Democrats, according to a draft copy obtained by POLITICO. The resolution acknowledges climate change as a threat to national security and
March 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Attaching a Price to Greenhouse Gas Emissions with a Carbon Tax or Emissions Fee: Considerations and Potential Impacts
by Jonathan L. Ramseur and Jane A. Leggett (Congressional Research Service) ... Members of Congress and stakeholders articulate a wide range of perspectives over what to do, if anything, about GHG emissions, future climate change, and related impacts. If Congress were to consider establishing a
March 25, 2019 Read Full Article
Candidates Should Recognize Biofuel Benefits
by Mike Naig and Dave Loebsack (Quad City Times) We may come from different political parties, but we share at least one common vision. Both of us strongly support renewable fuel, like biodiesel, for the vital role it plays in Iowa’s
March 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Midwest Storms Wreak Havoc on Ethanol Trade and Potentially Production
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Nebraska, Platts reports that last week’s major storm that saw flooding and blizzards across the Midwest lead to major disruptions of ethanol supplies around the region as well as getting product to deficit markets on the coasts
March 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump's Top Economic Adviser Still Supports Carbon Tax
by Scott Waldman (E&E News) President Trump's top economic adviser is not backing away from his belief that a carbon tax would be an effective way to address greenhouse gas emissions. Kevin Hassett, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, has
March 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Gas-Tax Hike: A Rare Big Idea With Bipartisan Backing
by Gerald F. Seib (Wall Street Journal) The U.S. Chamber of Commerce isn’t exactly a hotbed of pro-tax sentiment. So when the chamber advocates for a tax increase, it’s worth sitting up to take notice. That’s what’s happening now. Chamber President Thomas
March 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Tonko's Climate Principles
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) (Paul D.) Tonko, the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee, says he wants to introduce a bill that would put a price on carbon and bring net U.S. emissions
March 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Come Together: At NEC, a GM Executive Outlined Some Controversial Advice for the Ethanol Industry.
by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...Collaborate with the automotive industry, the petroleum industry, fuel retailers and other stakeholders in the liquid fuels market to push for a national high-octane standard. “We’re advocating for a reasonable and manageable proposal—a new,
March 20, 2019 Read Full Article
USE IT Act: Reducing Emissions Through Carbon Use Innovation, Not Regulation
by Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) (Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works/OurEnergyPolicy) Read the entire piece and comment! Senator Barrasso's staff will be monitoring the discussion, and OurEnergyPolicy.org will prepare a discussion wrap-up for the Senator in two weeks. The Senator would
March 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Rural America Is Ready for Some Sort of a New Deal, Preferably Green
by Art Cullen (The Guardian) Here in farming country we have the opportunity to rethink our approach to renewable energy and food production -- ... Meanwhile, we’re losing our precious topsoil and polluting our rivers – killing the Gulf of Mexico in
March 15, 2019 Read Full Article
McConnell Tees up Vote on Green New Deal
by Jordain Carney (The Hill) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is setting up a fight over the Green New Deal later this month. McConnell, wrapping up the Senate's work for the week, scheduled a procedural vote on the progressive resolution for after the
March 15, 2019 Read Full Article
The Kids of March Are on Strike
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Youth activists concerned by the threat of climate change will skip class across more than 100 countries today to call for greater climate action. The U.S. effort is inspired by 16-year-old climate activist Greta
March 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Senate GOP Expected to Force Vote on Green New Deal in March
by Jordain Carney (The Hill) Senate Republicans will bring the Green New Deal resolution to the floor as they try to jam Democrats on the progressive proposal. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a member of Senate GOP leadership, said that he expected Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)
March 14, 2019 Read Full Article
NBB Urges Lawmakers to Extend Biodiesel Tax Credit
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) “Temporary Policy in the Internal Revenue Code” was the title of a House Ways and Means Select Revenue Measures Subcommitteehearing this week where the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) submitted written testimony urging lawmakers to immediately extend the biodiesel and renewable
March 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Vox Argues The Media’s Coverage of the GND Lacks Substance
by Yoel Fessahaye and Monica Medina (Our Daily Planet) The Green New Deal has been the subject of an avalanche of media coverage. But other than the bumper sticker labels that have been applied to it — Socialism, Communism, Unrealistic, Infeasible,
March 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Carbon Price Jailbreak?
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) The Republican-backed Climate Leadership Council says it will have GOP co-sponsors for its carbon price initiative in the third quarter. CLC Chief Executive Ted Halstead wouldn't name names but said CLC is aiming at getting
March 12, 2019 Read Full Article
UPDATE 2-U.S. Senate to Vote on Green New Deal -Republican Leader
by Susan Cornwell (Reuters) Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday the U.S. Senate would vote in coming weeks on the “Green New Deal,” an ambitious Democratic environmental proposal that has become a lightning rod for Republican criticism. ... Senator Joni Ernst of
March 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Green New Deal vs. Carbon Tax: A Clash of 2 Worldviews, Both Seeking Climate Action
by Marianne Lavelle (Inside Climate News) The contest is elevating climate policy conversations on the campaign trail and in Washington. It could inspire compromises that bring together pieces of each. ... On one side are the student activists of the Sunrise Movement and Congress's new
March 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Pressed by Climate Activists, Senate Democrats Plan to ‘Go on Offense’
by Coral Davenport and Sheryl Gay Stolberg (New York Times) Facing a showdown vote as early as this month over the embattled “Green New Deal,” Senate Democrats are preparing a counteroffensive to make combating climate change a central issue of their
March 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Grassley, Wyden Introduce Tax Extenders Bill
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On Feb. 28, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced legislation to extend 29 tax credits, including those that benefit producers of renewable diesel, second generation biofuels and bioenergy. According
March 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Paul, Grassley Introduce Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act of 2019
(Office of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)) Today (February 27, 2019), U.S. Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Chuck Grassley of Iowa introduced the Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act of 2019(S.581), legislation that would remove burdensome regulations on domestic energy production. “The Fuel Choice
March 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Who Is Garret Graves? The Louisiana Lawmaker Newly Selected as the Top Republican on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis
by Kelsey Taborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) The Louisiana lawmaker newly selected as the top Republican on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis has a lifetime score of 3 percent from the League of Conservation Voters but has also cited
March 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Finding Practical, Viable Solutions to a Changing Climate
(Solutions from the Land) ...Unfortunately, the (Green New Deal) resolution comes with a lack of recognition for the importance of all forms of renewable energy. In focusing on no-carbon renewables like wind and solar, the measure fails to reference other
February 28, 2019 Read Full Article
New Climate Resolution
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Senate Democrats remain divided on the Green New Deal as they face a vote on the nonbinding resolution before August recess. Their solution? Come up with something different. All 47 members of the Senate Democratic
February 27, 2019 Read Full Article
Want a Green New Deal? Here’s a Better One.
(Washington Post) We favor a Green New Deal to save the planet. We believe such a plan can be efficient, effective, focused and achievable. The Green New Deal proposed by congressional Democrats does not meet that test. Its proponents, led by
February 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Green for the Common Man
by Douglas L. Faulkner and Gerard J. Ostheimer (Biofuels Digest) Out of the climate change cacophony, two notes that ring true for us are: 1) No climate fixes can be made without improving the lives of those in distressed rural areas; and,
February 26, 2019 Read Full Article
SD Farmers Union Calls Out GM on Weak Octane Proposals
(South Dakota Farmers Union) In a letter to General Motors Chair and CEO Mary Barra today (February 21, 2019), South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke challenged the automaker on its claim that 98 RON (Research Octane Number) or higher gasoline
February 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Chairman DeFazio Announces Full Committee Hearing, “Examining How Federal Infrastructure Policy Could Help Mitigate and Adapt to Climate Change”
(U.S. House Committee on Transportation) Today, Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) announced the Full Committee will hold a hearing titled, “Examining How Federal Infrastructure Policy Could Help Mitigate and Adapt to Climate Change.” The
February 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels Are Key to Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions
by Arlin E. Gyberg (StarTribune) The biofuels industry over the last 30 years has produced more product using less energy and water and contributes far less carbon-dioxide emissions than petroleum fuels. -- Across Minnesota, about 25 ethanol and biodiesel plants generate about
February 19, 2019 Read Full Article
The Green New Deal Is Generating Lots of Left-Wing Enthusiasm. But Not Every Democrat Is on Board.
by Dino Grandoni (Washington Post) ... But fault lines within the Democratic caucus were already visible before the end of the day, with some members urging caution about setting vague and, at times, impossible-to-achieve goals to only fall short. And perhaps most
February 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Lisa Murkowski Sees 'Green New Deal' as Opportunity to Push Stalled Energy Bill
by Josh Siegel (Washington Examiner) Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said Wednesday the push for a "Green New Deal" could provide an opportunity for her to revive a comprehensive energy bill she co-authored that would be the first update to the country’s
February 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Bustos Helps Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Boost Ethanol Production and Combat Climate Change
(Office of Congresswoman Cheri Bustos) Today (February 14, 2019), Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) helped introduce the Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies (USE IT) Act. This bipartisan legislation would implement strategies that help ethanol producers develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.
February 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog: Ethanol Industry Not Impressed with General Motors' Push on Octane Standard Legislation
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) While General Motors representative Dan Nicholson indicated this week it was important for the ethanol industry to get behind legislation to set a national octane standard -- starting with a 95 research octane number,
February 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Extending that Olive Branch
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Energy and Commerce ranking member Greg Walden and Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee ranking member John Shimkus reached out last night (February 13, 2019) on climate change in a letter to Chairman Frank Pallone
February 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Wall Street Is More Than Willing to Fund the Green New Deal
by Katia Dmitrieva and Emily Chasan (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) Investing in the environment is already a $12 trillion market. Now markets are just looking for guidance from Congress. -- ... But those worried about where the rest of the money will come
February 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuel Producers Ask Congress to Extend Tax Credits
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A group of advanced biofuel producers are urging leaders of the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means to extend two tax credits that are critical to the development and deployment of advanced biofuels. On Feb.
February 14, 2019 Read Full Article
General Motors to Ethanol: Focus on 95 Octane Fuel Standard, or “Miss the Window altogether”
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, General Motors VP Dan Nicholson told delegates at the National Ethanol Conference that “High octane is essential to realize better efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions,” but warned the US ethanol industry to get behind
February 13, 2019 Read Full Article
New Green Deal Calls for Ag to Be 'Greenhouse Gas Free'
by Don Jenkins (Capital Press) The New Green Deal introduced last week by Democrats in the U.S. House and Senate does not propose banning cow flatulence, but it does strike at something that powers farm production — diesel fuel. The 14-page
February 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Reps Dave Loebsack, Darin LaHood Lead Push for Multi-Year Biodiesel Tax Extension
by Joe Hand (River Cities Reader) Representatives Dave Loebsack and Darin LaHood today led a bipartisan group of their colleagues in calling for a multi-year extension of the biodiesel tax credit. In a letter to House Leadership, the lawmakers called for
February 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Republican Lawmakers Face Pressure to Propose 'Green New Deal' Alternative
by Josh Siegel (Washington Examiner) Republicans who want to combat climate change say their party should avoid the temptation of rejecting the progressive “Green New Deal” without proposing an alternative. “If the Green New Deal goes down in flames and gets totally
February 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Senators Intro "USE IT" ("Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies") Act
(Politico's Morning Energy) Senate EPW Chairman John Barrasso and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse reintroduced their bipartisan carbon capture legislation Thursday. The bill , dubbed the "Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies Act," would support carbon dioxide utilization and direct air capture research,
February 08, 2019 Read Full Article
2. The Green New Deal Resolution Is Here
by Mike Allen and Alexi McCammond (Axios) Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) have unveiled their Green New Deal resolution — a call to arms on climate and jobs that's long on ambition, but lacking in details and
February 07, 2019 Read Full Article
Farmers Nearing Crisis Push back on Trump Trade Policies
by Ryan McCrimmon (Politico) President Donald Trump’s trade war is magnifying some of the toughest farm conditions since the crisis that bankrupted thousands of farmers in the 1980s — and threatening a constituency crucial to his reelection hopes. The president’s trade policies
February 07, 2019 Read Full Article
Early Version of Ocasio-Cortez Green New Deal Touts Clean Power
by Ari Natter and Katia Dmitrieva (Bloomberg) Draft of plan calls for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions; Final Ocasio-Cortez resolution expected to be released soon -- Guaranteed jobs, health care, and housing are in a draft of the Green New Deal environmental package set to
February 07, 2019 Read Full Article
Greens Grasp for Silver Lining in Trump's Infrastructure Pitch
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) ... “While we have fought against this administration’s efforts to gut protections for clean air and water, roll-back efforts to address climate change and lease public lands for oil drilling and mining, infrastructure is an opportunity
February 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Matsui Introduces Legislation that Pushes Back on the Trump Administrations Attempts to Roll Back the Fuel Economy and Vehicle Emissions Standards
(Office of Representative Doris Matsui (D-CA 6th)) Today (February 5, 2019), Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) led 19 of her House Energy & Commerce Committee colleagues in introducing the Clean and Efficient Cars Act of 2019, which would preserve fuel economy and
February 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Congress Retains Most Energy Programs in 2018 Farm Bill through Fiscal Year 2023
by Steve Hanson (U.S. Energy Information Administration) On December 20, 2018, the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) was signed into law, continuing federal support to a number of renewable electricity and bioenergy-related programs. Authorizations in the 2018 Farm Bill cover
February 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Octane on ‘Sesame Street’
by Doug Durante (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Clean Fuels Development Coalition) Striving for higher-octane fuels shouldn't mean saying goodbye to the RFS. --... Why is the quest for high-octane fuels to reduce petroleum consumption and increase efficiency in vehicles paired with getting rid of
January 28, 2019 Read Full Article
4. Exclusive: House Group Revives CO2 Tax Bill
by Ben Gelman (Axios) A bipartisan handful of House members are introducing carbon tax legislation today after first floating it late last year, Axios' Amy Harder has learned. Why it matters: While it’s very unlikely to become law in at least the
January 24, 2019 Read Full Article
World Energy and Valero Lead Rebound in Biofuels M&A: 2018 Review
by Bruce Comer (Ocean Park/Biofuels Digest) Convergence reigns as the North American biofuels industry witnesses a resurgence in mergers and acquisitions, including exceptionally large deals -- Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in biofuels picked up considerably in 2018 after a slowdown in
January 22, 2019 Read Full Article
From Greenspan to Yellen, Economic Brain Trust Backs Carbon Tax
by Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Strategy cheered by economists who served last six presidents; Endorsement could give boost to carbon tax-and-dividend plan -- An all-star lineup of economists, from Alan Greenspan to Paul Volcker, is endorsing a plan to combat climate change by slapping
January 18, 2019 Read Full Article
A Sensible Approach to Climate Change Policy
(Solutions from the Land) ... That opening now allows for the presentation and consideration of a more centered and pragmatic approach like that promoted by Solutions from the Land (SfL) and the other members of the North America Climate Smart Agriculture
January 17, 2019 Read Full Article
House Bill Would Repeal CAFE Standards:
(Bergeson & Campbell) On January 10, 2019, Representative Roger Williams (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 431) that would repeal the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. CAFE standards are set by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and EPA.
January 16, 2019 Read Full Article
New Congress, New House Push for Environmental Civil Rights
by David Schultz (Bloomberg) Newly Democratic House may pursue environmental justice legislation; Many freshman lawmakers cite the issue as top priority -- The new 116th Congress may spend more time examining the intersection of race and the environment, and specifically look at how poor
January 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Carper Meets Automakers
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) (Senator Tom) Carper (D-DE) told reporters he met Monday with automotive executives and encouraged them to aggressively push for unified fuel efficiency standards and tax incentives. "If the auto industry is serious about a
January 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Ag Policy Blog Senate Ag Committee to Hold Hearing on Climate Change
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., told reporters Sunday at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting that his committee will schedule hearings on trade and climate change in the near future. On climate,
January 15, 2019 Read Full Article
What's in a Green New Deal?
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Environmental activists and progressives rallying around the "Green New Deal" are hoping to develop details for the plan that will help turn it into a policy platform for Democrats ahead of the 2020 election,
January 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Pelosi Says House to Revisit Climate Plan Based on 2009 Bill
by Ari Natter and Anna Edgerton (Bloomberg) Bill with cap-and-trade plan passed House but died in Senate; Comments come as Democrats return climate change to agenda -- The U.S. House will take up climate legislation, including a measure based on a bill the body
January 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Ag Policy Blog: Peterson Elected House Ag Chairman
by Jerry Hagstrom (DTN The Progressive Farmer) House Democrats on Friday elected Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, a position Peterson held from 2007 to 2011 when his party last was in the majority in the
January 07, 2019 Read Full Article
Republicans Push ‘Innovation’ as Climate Change Solution
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) GOP lawmakers are increasingly turning to a new refrain for their position on climate change, calling for “innovation” as the policy solution. Many Republicans have seemingly settled on innovation as their primary position to counter progressive Democrats who
January 07, 2019 Read Full Article
Alternative Fuels Council Offers Biodiesel Strategy
by Jeff Hove (Biodiesel Magazine) Jeff Hove, vice president of NATSO's Alternative Fuels Council, provides perspective on current political, regulatory and market events relating to biodiesel blending, and how a myriad of potential changes will affect downstream operators. -- ... But renewable
January 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Recognizing Today’s Reality to Shape a Better Tomorrow
by Brian Jennings (American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Looking back to one year ago, ethanol renewable identification numbers (RINs) were fetching nearly 70 cents (a valuable incentive for ethanol blending), exports were swelling to record volumes, and EPA was promising
January 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Pelosi Names Castor Chair of Select Committee on Climate Crisis
by Chris Mills Rodrigo (The Hill) House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) officially named Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) as chairwoman of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis on Friday. ... Progressives have pushed back on House leadership's plans for the panel. The panel will not be tasked specifically with formulating
December 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Mid-Level Ethanol Blends Are the Transportation Fuel of the 21st Century, NFU Says
(National Farmers Union) As Congress looks to revamp and coordinate federal-level policies that govern the transportation fuels and vehicles sectors, National Farmers Union (NFU) is urging legislators to expand use of high-octane, mid-level blends of ethanol in the transportation fuel supply.
December 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Congressionally-Proposed Octane Standard Would Decrease Biofuels Use, Increase Greenhouse Gases
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The 21st Century Transportation Fuels Act, sponsored by outgoing House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee Chair Shimkus (R-IL), would phase out portions of the Renewable Fuel Standard, replacing it with an octane standard by
December 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Climate Change Committee in Congress to Be Led by Tampa Rep. Kathy Castor?
by Steve Contorno (Tampa Bay Times) If Democrats bring back the committee, Castor is in line to lead the House panel devoted to addressing one of the greatest environmental threats to Florida. ... U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor is likely to chair the climate change committee
December 21, 2018 Read Full Article
COP24, 2018 Farm Bill Give Agriculture a Voice, Climate Smart Tools
(Solutions from the Land) As 2018 closes out, advocates for the role agriculture can play in facing a changing climate can feel encouraged by developments on the international and domestic stages. Global climate negotiators in Katowice, Poland, came to a final agreement
December 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Senate Bill Seeks To Transition U.S. To 100 Percent Zero-Emission Vehicles:
(Bergeson & Campbell's Clients and Friends Memorandum) On November 28, 2018, Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), both senior members of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, introduced legislation that would put the U.S. on the path
December 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Exclusive: Oil Giant ConocoPhillips Backs Carbon Tax Push
by Amy Harder (Axios) In the latest sign of a global oil industry shifting on climate change, ConocoPhillips is now helping fund a multi-million dollar political advocacy campaign that's lobbying Congress for a tax on carbon emissions. Why it matters: The move
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Opinions: Why the Time Has Come for a Green New Deal
by Katrina vanden Heuvel (Washington Post) Almost 20 years ago, writer Mark Hertsgaard suggested a bold idea to upend the climate debate. Arguing that ambitious climate action was politically impossible without simultaneously meeting people’s economic needs, he proposed a massive public works program to “retrofit everything
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Democrats Shift toward Impact on Jobs as Climate Change Moves to Front of 2020 Agenda
by Michael Sherer (Washington Post) ... Democrats preparing to run for president have been rushing to shift their plans for combating climate change, highlighting an issue once considered a political liability, especially in Midwestern swing states won by President Trump. Aides to a
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
The Oil Industry’s Covert Campaign to Rewrite American Car Emissions Rules
by Hiroko Tabuchi (New York Times) When the Trump administration laid out a plan this year that would eventually allow cars to emit more pollution, automakers, the obvious winners from the proposal, balked. The changes, they said, went too far even for
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Farm Bill Energy Title Contains Climate Tweaks, Slimmer Funding
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... While the bill is largely viewed as a status-quo farm bill, the bill importantly reauthorizes the Energy Title (IX) and contains some new programs and tweaks aimed at helping producers become more
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
House GOP Pushes Elimination of Ethanol Mandate
by James Osborne (Houston Chronicle) House Republicans are pushing to eliminate the federal mandate that ethanol be blended into the nation's fuel supply, to be replaced by a requirement cars built from 2023 on run only on gasoline with a minimum
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Year of the Tree, CORSIA Fuels, Mabus’ Remarks, a Breakthrough on Woody Biomass?: Heard on the Floor at the CAAFI General Meeting
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) When the world’s leaders for sustainable aviation fuels have a general meeting the week before the COP24 global climate sessions (this year in Poland), you can bet that the focus will be breaking the “You Can
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels and Environmental Groups Commend New Pilot Environmental Quality and Incentive Program in 2018 Farm Bill Report
(Grain Net) The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Environmental Entrepreneurs(E2), the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) thank the Farm Bill conferees for including a new pilot Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) in the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Report to promote and
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
I'm Just a Bill: Incoming House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Peter DeFazio Signaled He Was on Board with Nancy Pelosi's Plan to Establish a Select Committee
(Politico's Morning Energy) Incoming House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Peter DeFazio signaled he was on board with Nancy Pelosi's plan to establish a select committee tasked with working on solutions to combat climate change, Pro's Anthony Adragna reports . "I
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
NFU Urges House Subcommittee to Expand Use of High-Octane, American Grown Biofuels
(The Fence Post/National Farmers Union) As Congress looks to revamp and coordinate federal-level policies that govern the transportation fuels and vehicles sectors, National Farmers Union is urging legislators to expand use of high-octane, mid-level blends of ethanol in the transportation fuel
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
2018 Farm Bill Helps Rural America Become More Resilient: Rural Economies Crucial to Combating Climate Change
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) commends the Farm Bill conferees and the House and Senate Agriculture Committees for their tireless commitment to produce a Farm Bill, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, this year. In a year
December 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Here’s How to Win on Climate-Change Policy
by Ted Halstead (Washington Post/Climate Leadership Council) ... The real lesson to learn from these setbacks is that the political prospects of carbon taxation depend on how the revenue is used. As long as the public perceives a carbon tax
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Congress Should End Electric Car Subsidies, Not Expand Them
by Liam Sigaud (American Consumer Institute) ... These subsidies overwhelmingly benefit the wealthy. Tesla buyers, for example, had an average household income of $293,200 in 2013. A study in 2015 found that electric Ford Focus buyers had an average household income of $199,000. By
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA CEO Cooper Testifies on the Future Role of High Octane Fuels
(Renewable Fuels Association) While draft legislation recently released by Reps. John Shimkus (R-Ill.) and Bill Flores (R-Texas) represents “an important first step in the debate about future fuels policy and the role of high octane fuels,” the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA)
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Meet the Scholar Crafting the 'Green New Deal'
by Hannah Northey (E&E News) Think of it as the policy muscle behind the promised "Green New Deal." A policy group is being formed to support an energized progressive movement that's taken Capitol Hill by storm under the leadership of Rep.-elect Alexandria
December 07, 2018 Read Full Article
NBB Appreciates Proposal for Long-Term Extension of the Biodiesel Tax Incentive
(National Biodiesel Board) Ways & Means Chairman Kevin Brady’s (R-TX) tax proposal includes a multi-year extension and phaseout of the biodiesel incentive -- ... Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, released a proposal to make technical
December 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Hearing Scheduled on Bill to Sunset RFS, Enact Octane Standard
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A house subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing Dec. 11 on the recently released discussion draft of the 21st Century Transportation Fuels Act. The bill aims to sunset the Renewable Fuels Standard and enact a
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Here's Where Incoming Republicans Stand on Climate
by Mark K. Matthews (E&E News) If they stay true to their campaign rhetoric, the class of freshman House Republicans won't be leading any revolutions next year on the issue of climate change. ... In a few cases, there are reasons for climate activists
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Bernie Sanders Rallies the Climate Faithful
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) 'THE TIME IS LATE': Sen. Bernie Sanders, a likely 2020 presidential candidate, and a group of climate activists held a town hall Monday evening with a simple message: The world is running out of time to get
December 04, 2018 Read Full Article
A Carbon Tax Wave? 7 States Considering Carbon Pricing to Fight Climate Change
by Marianne Lavelle (Inside Climate News) Democratic election victories raised the odds of climate change policies succeeding, activists and analysts say. A national plan was also just floated in Congress. -- At least seven state governments are poised at the brink of
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Study Shows Biodiesel Benefits in the Billions
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) A new study shows that the Biodiesel Tax Credit helped the industry support $21.6 billion in economy-wide sales, employment for over 60,000 workers with wages and benefits totaling $3.8 billion, and nearly $2 billion in state and federal
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Bipartisan Climate Fee Backers to Plant Flag During Lame Duck
by Dean Scott (Bloomberg Environment) Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), two Republicans to introduce carbon fee bill that would return money to consumers; With virtually no chance of passage, measure seen as effort to start discussions for next Congress -- A small group of Democratic
November 27, 2018 Read Full Article
In Sioux City, Steve King Talks Farm Bill, Temporary Migrant Workers
by Katie Peikes (Iowa Public Radio) ... The Republican congressman says he’d like to see his legislation in the farm bill that would keep states from regulating production standards for agricultural products sold in interstate commerce by other states. King drafted that
November 27, 2018 Read Full Article
GOP Chairman Releases Year-End Tax Package
by Naomi Jagoda (The Hill) ... The bill would ... phase out tax breaks for biodiesel and renewable diesel, and extend a number of other expired tax provisions through the end of 2018 — including tax breaks that benefit the
November 27, 2018 Read Full Article
ITC Action Needed:
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Energy trade and advocacy groups, including the Solar Energy Industries Association, ClearPath Action and Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, want Congress to modify the tax code to include energy storage as an eligible technology for
November 27, 2018 Read Full Article
What Exactly Is the 'Green New Deal'?
by Hannah Northey (E&E News Climatewire) The proposal, drawing inspiration from President Franklin Roosevelt's Depression-era New Deal, is one that progressives — led by Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), a rising star on the left — want Democratic leaders to embrace. The thinking is
November 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Shimkus, Flores Release Draft 21st Century Transportation Fuels Act
(Office of Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL 15) Congressman John Shimkus (Illinois-15) and Congressman Bill Flores (Texas-17) today released a discussion draft of the 21st Century Transportation Fuels Act. “I’ve been engaged in the biofuel debate my entire career in Congress,” said
November 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Dems to Hold Two Days of Hearings on Climate
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) House Democrats are planning to hold two days' worth of hearings on the impacts of climate change and potential solutions to it when they take the House majority next year. The likely chairmen of the Energy and Commerce, Natural
November 15, 2018 Read Full Article
60 Organizations Sign Tax Extenders Letter to Congress
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) A group of 60 organizations representing diverse business, energy, transportation, real estate and agriculture sectors has sent a letter to leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate on the “pressing need” to address the
November 14, 2018 Read Full Article
2018 Midterm Elections—Implications for the Bioeconomy
by Jesse Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) And while the bioeconomy – biofuels, biobased products, chemicals, and more – enjoy bipartisan support, the new political landscape means that the biobased sector and stakeholders still need to be on their
November 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Who's Running Things? With Democrats Preparing to Run the House
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) With Democrats preparing to run the House, here's how the committee leadership shuffle is expected to work out. — Energy and Commerce Committee: New Jersey Democrat Frank Pallone will grab the gavel of this panel with
November 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Lobbying Is Up, and It Seems to Be Paying Off
Elvin Anawaguna (Roll Call/MSN) Biofuel groups upped their spending on lobbying this year as they pressured lawmakers and the Trump administration on issues related to the Renewable Fuel Standard, which sets minimum volumes of biofuels to be used to power cars
November 07, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Acting Administrator Wheeler, USDA Secretary Perdue, and DOE Secretary Perry Send Letter to Congress on Biomass Carbon Neutrality -- Managed Forests Can Bolster Domestic Energy Production
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler, along with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Rick Perry, sent a letter to the House and Senate
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Say What about a Carbon Tax?
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao was also at the White House Tuesday, where she suggested that Democrats in the House want to link a carbon tax to an infrastructure bill being developed, Pro Transportation's Sam
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
ExxonMobil Gives $1 Million to Promote a Carbon Tax-and-Dividend Plan
by Steven Mufson (Washington Post) The tax would boost prices of the oil giant’s fossil fuels to fight climate change -- ExxonMobil will give $1 million over two years to a group promoting a plan that would tax the carbon content of
October 11, 2018 Read Full Article
A Superior Value: A Workshop in Anerobic Digestion
by Bill Keba* (Advanced Biofuels USA) October 2, 2018, Annapolis, Maryland. Inside the Doubletree Inn, it was as hectic as the traffic on Route 50. Eightyfive paid attendees were gathering, registering, networking, and hurriedly settling in for the 9:15 start
October 11, 2018 Read Full Article
It’s Past Midnight: Do You Know Where Funds for Your Farm Bill Energy Title Programs Stand?
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Innovation Organization/Biofuels Digest) On September 30th, the 2018 Farm Bill officially expired. And while both chambers of Congress passed their respective bills, the final version of the legislation that supports the agricultural sector in the U.S. is
October 10, 2018 Read Full Article
NBB Appreciates Bipartisan Support for Biodiesel Tax Incentive Extension
(National Biodiesel Board) Forty-six bipartisan members of Congress ask House leaders for a multi-year extension -- Today (September 27, 2018), the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) thanked the 46 Congressmembers – led by Rep. David Young (R-IA) and Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA) –
October 03, 2018 Read Full Article
The Future of Biofuels Discussed at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Leadership Conference
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) I was pleased and excited to be invited to speak on a "Future of Biofuels" panel at this fall's Leadership Conference of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, whose purpose is "Developing the Next Generation
October 02, 2018 Read Full Article
ABO Secures $44 million for Algae, Carbon Utilization Research in FY 2019
(Algae Biomass Organization) Following close on the heels of the U.S. Department of Energy’s latest round of algae funding awards, President Trump Friday (September 21, 2018) signed into law a Fiscal Year 2019 spending bill providing an additional $44 million in FY2019 for algae
October 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Can the Bioeconomy Help Combat Plastic Waste?
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Recent reports have underscored the enormity of the global plastic waste issue. There are 9.2 billion tons of plastic waste in the environment and an additional 500 tons of plastics are produced annually.
September 28, 2018 Read Full Article
Smith Awarded “High Octane Champion" Award from Nebraska's Ethanol Industry
by Chad Moyer (KTIC Radio) Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) has been recognized as a 2018 High Octane Champion by Renewable Fuels Nebraska, the trade association for Nebraska’s ethanol industry. The award was developed by the RFN membership as a way to
September 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Midterm Elections, RVO Decisions, and Lame Duck Tax Relief
by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association) ... When testifying recently before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, the acting administrator was judicious in answering questions about EPA’s small refinery exemptions (SREs). He has publicly stated that there should be more
September 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Farm Bill Delay Possible as Deadline Looms
(NAFB News Service/Hoosier Ag Today) The farm bill deadline at the end of the month could pass without a new farm bill or an extension. As the pace of the farm bill committee stalls, leadership says the actual deadline that would
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Why Donald Trump Is Feeling the Heat From Midwestern Farmers
by Justin Worland (Time Magazine) On the campaign trail, Donald Trump made two big promises: renegotiating free trade agreements and helping corn growers by supporting ethanol. ... As tensions over trade have proven painful to Midwestern farmers in the short term, demands
September 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Elizabeth Warren Leads Push by Democrats to Force Public Companies Make Climate-Risk Disclosures
by Francine McKenna (Market Watch) The Climate Risk Disclosure Act directs the SEC to issue rules that require every public company to disclose more on climate change exposure -- Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts is spearheading an effort by Democratic senators to bring
September 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog: Bill Would Require EPA to Reallocate Biofuels Gallons Lost to Waivers
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) While EPA remains in an impasse on requests to reallocate biofuels gallons lost to small refinery waivers of the Renewable Fuel Standard, a bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would require
September 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Baker-Schultz Carbon Tax Group Say It Would Beat Paris Target
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) The carbon tax plan pushed by Republicans like James Baker, George Schultz and Christine Todd Whitman would exceed the 26-28 percent pollution reductions promised by the Obama administration under the Paris agreement. The proposal,
September 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Will Dems Act on GHGs after a Midterm Win? It's Complicated
by Nick Sobczyk (E&E News) Democrats have long billed themselves as the party of climate science, and if they take back the House in November, they want to put global warming back on the congressional calendar. "It's the 800-pound gorilla," said Rep.
September 03, 2018 Read Full Article
NCGA: USDA Trade Aid Won't Make Up for Lost Markets
(National Corn Growers Association) The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) today said plans unveiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide aid to farmers negatively impacted by trade tariffs and ongoing trade uncertainty would be insufficient to even begin
August 31, 2018 Read Full Article
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