by Saul Elbein (The Hill) Survivors of “climate disasters” are calling on federal prosecutors to bring fossil fuel companies to court. The more than 1,000 signatories of Thursday’s letter to the Department of Justice lived through wildfires, floods and heat waves caused or exacerbated by
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Colonial Oil Industries Inc. must pay a $2.8 million civil penalty and purchase and retire more than 9 million renewable identification numbers (RINs) at an estimated price of $12.2 million under a settlement agreement reached
by Sarah Glaven (White House Office of Science and Technology Policy) Biotechnology harnesses the power of biology to create new services and products, which provide opportunities to grow the U.S. economy and workforce and improve the quality of our lives and the
(U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of California) Ray Brewer, 66, of Porterville, and Sheridan, Montana, was sentenced today to six years and nine months in prison for running a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme where he purported to turn cow manure into green
(U.S. Department of Justice) Ijomah Oputa, 54, of Los Angeles, California, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden to 40 months’ imprisonment for wire fraud in connection with the generation and sale of fraudulent renewable
(U.S. Department of Justice) A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., returned an indictment yesterday charging the founder and former CEO of a sustainable fuel company with embezzling at least $5.9 million from the company. According to court documents, Bryan Sherbacow, 54,
(U.S. Department of Justice) Settlement Will Result in Cleaner Air Due to Tesoro’s Forfeiture of Air Emission Credits -- The Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that Tesoro Refining and Marketing Company will pay a $27.5
by Michele McPhee (Los Angeles Times) The main bad actors in a sprawling scam who formed a very unlikely alliance to defraud the government face a judge, five years after their dramatic arrests -- ... This week, the reckonings in
(Clean Fuels Alliance America) Following discussions with Clean Fuels members, EPA hopes to resolve dispute without litigation -- Today (September 8, 2022), Clean Fuels Alliance America and the U.S. Department of Justice filed a joint motion with the U.S. Court of
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Produce Magazine) The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to consider whether it will review a July 2, 2021, decision handed down by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that vacated a U.S. EPA rule
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Department of Justice on Dec. 8 filed a brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to deny a writ of certiorari filed by Growth Energy seeking the review of a lower court’s decision that
by Larry Lee (Brownfield Ag News) An ethanol court case over Small Refinery Exemptions will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court April 27th. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper says he is confident the Supreme Court will review the
by Art Cullen (Storm Lake Times/New York Times) ... Few took carbon sequestration seriously during his previous tenure, a time when “resilient agriculture” had not yet entered the vernacular. But the fundamental conversation in the corridors of power and along
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politco's Morning Energy) The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court not to review the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals decision creating a strict new definition of who qualifies for small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard.
by Peter Hall (Morning Call) The owner of an Allentown biofuel company who pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to fraudulently claim green energy subsidies was sentenced to prison and ordered to repay the government more than $10 million. Ralph Tommaso,
(Climate 21 Project) The Climate 21 Project taps the expertise of more than 150 experts with high-level government experience, including nine former cabinet appointees, to deliver actionable advice for a rapid-start, whole-of-government climate response coordinated by the White House and accountable to the
(U.S. Department of Justice) A Colorado resident was sentenced to 15 months in prison yesterday for his role in a biodiesel tax credit fraud scheme, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. According to
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Joe Biden put some space between his clean energy plan and that of the Green New Deal during last night's town hall, while also pitching renewables and carbon capture. ... Former Vice President Joe
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) The Trump administration on Thursday asked a court to block Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and BMW from becoming directly involved with litigation over the SAFE Vehicles rule (Reg. 2060-AU09). The automakers, which struck a voluntary
by Matthew Ormseth (Los Angeles Times) ... The verdict — guilty on 10 felony counts — was not just a courtroom defeat for (Lev Aslan) Dermen, one that will likely result in a significant prison sentence. It brought to an
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Poltico's Morning Energy) JUST WHEN HE THOUGHT HE WAS OUT:The president is once again caught in the middle of a spat between oil refiners and ethanol producers centered around small refinery exemptions under the RFS, Pro's Eric
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) A federal judge ruled against the Justice Department on Thursday in the first round of a lawsuit between the Trump administration and California over the state's cap-and-trade program with Quebec, Pro's Debra Kahn reports.
(U.S. Department of Justice) A Colorado resident was sentenced to 83 months in prison on Friday for his role in a biodiesel tax credit fraud scheme, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. According
by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking White House guidance on the future of its controversial biofuel waiver program after a court ruling cast doubt over its legitimacy, and aims to announce a decision by early next
(U.S. Department of Justice) Jeremiah Young, 38, of El Dorado, pleaded guilty today to unlawful discharge of industrial wastewater, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Young was an assistant operator for Community Fuels from 2014 to 2016. Community Fuels is registered in
by Zack Coleman and Alex Guillén (Politico) DOJ was investigating whether Ford, Volkswagen, Honda and BMW illegally coordinated last year. -- The Justice Department has ended its antitrust investigation of automakers who formed a voluntary deal with California to reduce
by Josh Siegel and Abby Smith (Washington Examiner) Environmental Protection Agency head Andrew Wheeler said he was not involved with the Justice Department’s decision to launch an antitrust investigation against four automakers that joined with California on fuel efficiency rules, a move that
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) A group of large investors is calling on GM to join a voluntary emissions deal struck between California, Ford and three other automakers — a deal that's currently the subject of a Trump administration
by Arnold Schwarzenegger (Washington Post) California has been a leader in the fight to clean our air since one of my heroes, Ronald Reagan, was our governor. The Trump administration, for some reason, is hellbent on reversing decades of history and progress.
by Juliet Eilperin and Steven Mufson (Washington Post) The Justice Department has launched an antitrust investigation of four leading automakers over an agreement they forged with the state of California to maintain higher fuel efficiency standards than those sought by the
(U.S. Department of Justice) On July 8, 2019, United States District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller sentenced the corporation known as American Biodiesel, Inc. for violations of the Clean Water Act, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. American Biodiesel, Inc., registered in
(U.S. Department of Justice) Robert J. Higdon Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned a Superseding Indictment charging the following individuals with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation
(U.S. Department of Justice) Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and United States Attorney William M. McSwain for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced today that a federal jury in
(U.S. Department of Justice) Following a 14-day jury trial in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Ben T. Wootton, of Enola, Pennsylvania, and Race A. Miner, of Buena Vista, Colorado, were found guilty of one count of conspiracy to make false statements to the Environmental
(U.S. Department of Justice) A Colorado resident pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado to conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General
(U.S. Department of Justice) A Harrisburg, Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to one count of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division,
(U.S. Department of Justice) The Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement with NGL Crude Logistics, LLC that requires the company to retire 36 million renewable fuel credits and pay a $25 million civil penalty
by Tim Pearce (Daily Caller) The owner of a New York-based renewable fuels trading company was sentenced to over five years in prison and fined roughly $26 million Monday for his role in a massive biofuel fraud scheme, according to the
(U.S. Department of Justice) A federal grand jury sitting in the District of Utah has returned an indictment, which was unsealed today, charging the CEO and CFO of Washakie Renewable Energy (WRE), a Utah-based biodiesel company, and a California businessman with
(U.S. Department of Justice) A Colorado business owner pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to impair and impede the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for his role in a $7.2 million renewable fuel tax credit scheme, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard
(U.S. Department of Justice) Took Trade Secrets and Proprietary Information When He Accepted a Job with a Competitor -- Josh Harry Isler, age 55, from St. Ansgar, Iowa, pled guilty today in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids to one count
(U.S. Department of Justice) A federal grand jury for the District of Colorado has returned an indictment, which was unsealed today, charging two Colorado business owners with conspiring to defraud the United States and to commit money laundering, money laundering and
(U.S. Department of Justice) Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and United States Attorney Joseph H. Harrington for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Jin Chul “Jacob” Cha, 41, of
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Recent actions by EPA have effectively reduced the Renewable Fuel Standard conventional renewable volume obligation (RVO) for 2016 by more than 1 billion gallons, and the agency appears poised to take similar actions to effectively reduce the
(Biotechnology Innovation Organization) BIO is greatly concerned by the Department of Justice's and Environmental Protection Agency's proposed Settlement Agreement to resolve a dispute about the PES Holdings' obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard. ... This Settlement Agreement undermines the goals of the
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) is calling on the FBI to investigate whether Carl Icahn, a former external adviser to President Trump, violated conflict of interest laws. Duckworth’s request, outlined in a Wednesday letter to FBI Director
(U.S. Department of Justice) An Acton couple was arrested today and charged with defrauding the U.S. Treasury Department of more than $50 million in tax free energy grants as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Christopher N.
(Department of Justice) Andre Bernard, of Mount Kisco, New York, pleaded guilty today for his participation in a multi-state scheme to defraud biodiesel buyers and U.S. taxpayers by fraudulently selling biodiesel credits and fraudulently claiming tax credits, announced Acting Assistant
(U.S. Department of Justice) A Pennsylvania biofuel producer and two of its officers have been indicted on conspiracy and false statements charges for participating in a scheme that generated over $10 million in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) renewable fuels
(Environmental Protection Agency) Settlement requires Volkswagen to offer to buy back older vehicles, and spend $225 million to mitigate NOx pollution. Volkswagen will also repair newer vehicles to comply with the standards to which they were certified In a second partial
(Department of Justice) Defrauded biodiesel purchasers and shareholders -- United States Attorney Josh Minkler and Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division announced today the sentencing of two individuals who
(U.S. Department of Justice) An employee of a New Jersey feedstock collector and processor pleaded guilty to conspiracy for his role in a scheme to alter and destroy documents following the company’s receipt of a subpoena issued by a federal
(U.S. Department of Justice) The owners of an Indiana biofuel producer pleaded guilty to conspiracy, fraud and false statements for participating in a scheme that generated over $60 million in fraudulent tax credits and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) renewable
(Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice today announced the filing of a complaint against NGL Crude Logistics, LLC and Western Dubuque Biodiesel, LLC and a settlement with Western Dubuque to address
(Farm Futures) EPA and DOJ allege Chemoil exported biodiesel, but failed to retire RINs. -- Chemoil Corporation is required to retire 65 million renewable fuel credits to resolve alleged violations of the Renewable Fuel Standard program, according to the terms
by David Vandergriend (Sacramento Bee) ... But the day-to-day threat facing many communities doesn’t come from carbon. It comes from airborne chemicals with less attention-grabbing names like volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and ozone. As with carbon,
(U.S. Department of Justice) U.S. Attorney Josh J. Minkler for the Southern District of Indiana announced today the guilty verdict after an eight-day jury trial of Jeffrey Wilson of Evansville, Indiana, who was charged with securities fraud related to a
(Diesel Technology Forum) For any level of funding, more near-zero NOx technologies may find their way on the road and at work with clean diesel than other technologies. -- The Volkswagen settlement may be the second biggest environmental settlement in
(U.S. Department of Justice) Thomas Davanzo, of Estero, Florida, and Robert Fedyna, of Naples, Florida, pleaded guilty today for their participation in a multi-state scheme to defraud biodiesel buyers and U.S. taxpayers by fraudulently selling biodiesel credits and fraudulently claiming
(U.S. Department of Justice) Philip Joseph Rivkin, aka Felipe Poitan Arriaga, was sentenced today in Houston, Texas, to 121 months in prison, three years of supervised release and to pay more than $87 million in restitution and was ordered to
(Biodiesel Magazine/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. EPA, filed a civil complaint Jan. 4 in federal court in Detroit, Michigan, against Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, Volkswagen Group of America Inc., Volkswagen Group
(U.S. Department of Justice) The Department of Justice, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), today filed a civil complaint in federal court in Detroit, Michigan, against Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, Volkswagen Group of America Inc., Volkswagen Group of
by Emily Atkin (Think Progress) Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) wants ExxonMobil investigated by the Department of Justice. In a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Tuesday, Sanders charged the oil giant of engaging in a cover-up
by Katherine Bagley (Inside Climate News) A climate scientist who was the lead signatory on a letter urging President Obama to launch a federal investigation into whether fossil fuel companies "knowingly deceived the American people about the risks of climate change"
(Federal Bureau of Investigation) Alex Jariv, 28, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced today in federal court to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in illegal schemes to generate and sell fraudulent biodiesel
by Thomas Richard (Examiner.com/Climate Change Dispatch) According to Politico's Morning Energy report published today, twenty climate scientists have sent a letter to President Obama urging him to jail climate skeptics using the RICO act. In a letter dated September 1
(US Federal Bureau of Investigation) James Jariv, 64, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced in federal court in Las Vegas today to ten years in prison for his role in illegal schemes to generate fraudulent biodiesel credits and to export
(Environmental Protection Agency) Philip J. Rivkin faces more than 10 years imprisonment and $51 million in restitution -- Philip Joseph Rivkin, a.k.a. Felipe Poitan Arriaga, 50, today pleaded guilty to a Clean Air Act false statement and mail fraud as part
(Department of Justice) Chad Ducey, 39, of Fishers, Indiana, pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a multi-state scheme to defraud biodiesel buyers and U.S. taxpayers by fraudulently selling biodiesel incentives. His two brothers, Chris Ducey, 48, of North Webster,
by Eric Freedman (Great Lakes Echo) A federal appeals court has rejected a challenge to an environmental assessment of a $100 million construction subsidy for an ethanol plant in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) had assessed the project’s
by Senator Charles Grassley (The Wall Street Journal) Letter to editor: In response to you editorial "The Ethanol Enforcers" (Oct. 8): It's no secret that Big Oil has done nearly everything possible to keep ethanol out of the marketplace. Why? Because it
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Today, we look at 2013-14, should Congress elect not to act — but leave the EPA and the markets to govern implementation of the existing law. 2014 Mandate The EPA will ultimately determine the annual mandate, but
by Tennille Tracy (The Wall Street Journal) The Federal Trade Commission said it was looking into assertions by some members of Congress that oil companies are using their influence over retail gas stations to block consumers from accessing gasoline blended
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) Senators Chuck Grassley and Amy Klobuchar asked the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission Tuesday to investigate possible anticompetitive practices by oil companies that may be limiting consumer access to renewable fuels. In a letter
by Jon LeSage (AutoBlogGreen) Ethanol advocates are continuing to throw down the gauntlet with Big Oil. Jabs have been thrown through satire and blogging – now the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is throwing a hook by going after ConocoPhillips, one of Big Oil's top five conglomerates. RFA
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Is ConocoPhillips unlawfully attempting to limit competition in the fuels marketplace? We’ll find out soon. In Florida, Biofuels Digest filed an antitrust violation complaint against ConocoPhillips with the US Department of Justice, regarding alleged activities in
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