Government Accountability Office (GAO)

Congressional Watchdog to Review Trump Admin’s Use of Biofuel Waivers

by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters/Financial Post) The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) will review the Trump administration’s use of waivers exempting oil refineries from the nation’s biofuel blending requirements, according to a letter dated Friday, after lawmakers called for an investigation. The so-called Small Refinery Exemptions are intended to protect refineries in

January 11, 2020 Read Full Article

Costs Inhibit Government Purchases of Electric Vehicles: GAO

by Maxine Joselow (E&E News) Federal agencies have been reluctant to buy electric vehicles because of high prices and a lack of charging infrastructure, the government’s internal watchdog said in a report released yesterday. READ MORE FEDERAL VEHICLE FLEETS: Agencies Have Continued to Incorporate Alternative Fuel Vehicles into Fleets, but

August 29, 2019 Read Full Article

Renewable Fuel Standard: Information on Likely Program Effects on Gasoline Prices and Greenhouse Gas Emission

(U.S. Government Accountability Office) We reviewed the effects of the Renewable Fuel Standard, which requires biofuels to be blended into U.S. transportation fuels in increasing volumes. The standard was associated with modest gas price increases in areas outside of the Midwest. Most corn ethanol—the most common U.S. biofuel—is produced in the Midwest,

June 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Renewable Fuel Standard: Program Unlikely to Meet Production or Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets

(U.S. Government Accountability Office) The Renewable Fuel Standard aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and expand the nation’s renewable fuels sector through 2022. It requires that transportation fuels (such as gasoline and diesel) sold in the U.S. contain annually increasing amounts of conventional renewable fuels (such as ethanol) and advanced biofuels

July 8, 2018 Read Full Article

GAO to Look into Trump’s Reduction of Carbon Social Costs

by Miranda Green (The Hill) A government watchdog has agreed to review the Trump administration’s method for calculating the social cost of carbon, including examining the decision to drop the rate as first determined during the Obama’s administration. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) will review how the federal government, states and

June 18, 2018 Read Full Article

Schneiderman Backs Carbon Tax

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman became the first New York statewide elected official to back a carbon tax this week, POLITICO New York’s Danielle Muoio reports. “That includes passing legislation to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including a carbon tax, while expanding investment in the people and places hit

December 27, 2017 Read Full Article

GAO to Look at Social Cost of Carbon

by Arianna Skibell (E&E News) An independent government watchdog has agreed to examine how the Trump administration uses the social cost of carbon, the metric used to calculate the impact of greenhouse gas emissions. READ MORE WATCHDOG AGENCY TO STUDY TRUMP CHANGES TO KEY MEASURE OF CARBON POLLUTION COST (Office of

December 22, 2017 Read Full Article

A Critical Look at Cellulosic Ethanol and Other Advanced Biofuels

by Alexander A. Koukoulas0 (ANL Consultants LLC/Biofuels Digest) … The pursuit of 2nd Gen fuels has been motivated by several factors including: their inherently low-cost, at least from a theoretical standpoint; their potential for drastically reducing carbon emissions relative to 1st Gen Fuels; national security (less dependence on foreign oil); and job

December 13, 2016 Read Full Article

GAO RFS Reports Paint Incomplete Picture of Advanced Biofuels

by Ron Kotrba (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Government Accountability Office issued two reports Nov. 28 suggesting that the renewable fuel standard (RFS) program is unlikely to meet its targets for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and expanding the U.S. renewable fuels sector. The reports largely attribute this supposition to production of advanced

December 1, 2016 Read Full Article

Renewable Fuel Standard: Low Expected Production Volumes Make It Unlikely That Advanced Biofuels Can Meet Increasing Targets

(U.S. Government Accountability Office) The Renewable Fuel Standard program calls for greater use of advanced biofuels—fuel made from waste fats and oils or crop residues, for example—in the transportation fuel supply through 2022. Yet, there is not nearly enough of this fuel to meet the program’s targets—nor will there likely

November 30, 2016 Read Full Article

GAO to Review How Administration Developed 'Social Cost' of Carbon

by Julian Hattem (The Hill RegWatch) The investigative arm of Congress is going to look into how the Obama administration developed its increased monetary estimate for the amount of damage caused by carbon pollution. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has agreed to a request from three Republican lawmakers to look into

August 20, 2013 Read Full Article

E-15 Gasoline Won’t Be Sold for at Least a Year, Watchdog says

by Neil Roland (Automotive News) Gasoline with up to 15 percent ethanol probably won’t be sold at the pump for at least another year because of health, safety, cost and environmental concerns, a government watchdog said. …The report makes clear that the EPA’s recent decisions to allow the sale of

July 13, 2011 Read Full Article

Opportunities to Reduce Potential Duplication in Government Programs, Save Tax Dollars, and Enhance Revenue

by Gene L. Dodaro (Comptroller General of the United States/US Government Accountability Office) …Domestic ethanol production: Congress supported domestic ethanol production through a $5.4 billion tax credit program in 2010 and through a renewable fuel standard that applies to transportation fuels used in the United States. The ethanol tax credit and the renewable

March 7, 2011 Read Full Article

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