Federal Legislation – Advanced BioFuels USA

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 reach and relationships by increasing regular dialogue with our industry

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 Air Transportation Association (NATA) led a coalition of top aviation

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 bill is being hailed as an important step to addressing

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, the opposition would fall,” said Whitehouse, who was sworn

April 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Green New Deal Dialogue Emphasizes Green Growth, Inequalities; Fails to Appreciate Potential Role of Biofuels in Achieving Goals

by Margaret Johnston* (Advanced Biofuels USA) On March 14th in Washington DC, I attended a Green New Deal Dialogue. Speakers came from all over the country to discuss possibilities of green growth, implementation strategies, and current (financial, racism, and energy) inequalities as well as others that may arise. The event

April 1, 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 conversation about climate change and forced both parties to respond

April 1, 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 and pursue 100 percent renewable energy by 2030. They are

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 octane gasoline to consumers — and how it would

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 Security Act” — their cap-and-trade bill. Bill text. READ MORE

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 a floor vote on the resolution. … The Senate may

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 rallying around calls from their base for immediate action

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 says the government should promote innovation to reduce greenhouse

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 program to reduce GHG emissions, one option would be to

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 farm economy and job market, creating a cleaner environment, enhancing

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 expressed support for a carbon tax for years. In

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, national high-octane based fuel for all new vehicles,” said Dan

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 like comments to the following questions: What should be the

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 the process – as we chase ever-higher corn yields 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 chamber returns from a one-week recess. … McConnell initially

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 Thunberg, who held weekly strikes to protest outside the Swedish

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.) would bring the resolution up for a vote the week

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 diesel tax incentive to end uncertainty. Kurt Kovarik, NBB Vice

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, Unaffordable — what exactly is it? That is the $64

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 up to five Republicans to join the charge to put

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 Iowa called it the “green raw deal” and

March 6, 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 young firebrands; on the other, more moderate groups, including grassroots

March 5, 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 2020 campaigns — a striking shift on an issue they

March 5, 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 to information released by the Senate Committee on Finance,

March 1, 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 and Deregulation Act provides new economic opportunity for Kentucky farmers

March 1, 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 climate change as one issue where he differs with his

March 1, 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 near-term, low-cost, high-value renewable energy solutions like bioenergy. For example,

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 caucus are backing a resolution that urges Congress to

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 Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

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, 2) Bio-based fuels and chemicals are needed to spur de-carbonization

February 26, 2019 Read Full Article

Republicans Shift on Climate

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) Republicans appear to be changing their tone and launching fewer attacks on climate science. Instead, some in the party have touted longstanding support for innovation to address the problem — a sign of the changing tides as they face pressure from the electorate and an

February 22, 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 hearing will examine the role the transportation sector plays in

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 $5 billion in combined economic output. Such biofuels may also

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 importantly, the plan has yet to get the formal

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 energy policies from Congress in a decade. “There is a

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. Specifically, USE IT simplifies the permitting process for the construction of carbon

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, or RON — two officials with the preeminent ethanol plant

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 and subcommittee Chairman Paul Tonko. The pair lays out their

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 from are forgetting one major, surprisingly enthusiastic player: Wall Street.

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. 7, Aemetis, Enerkem, Fiberight, Fulcrum Bioenergy, LanzaTech, Novozymes and

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 the 95 octane fuel standard, warning that 98 RON is

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 resolution calls for agriculture to be “greenhouse gas free”

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 swift action in the House to ensure our farmers and

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 discredited, the climate issue is still out there,” said

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, as well as support collaboration of carbon capture, utilization, and

February 8, 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 a political path to becoming policy. Why it matters: It opens

February 7, 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 have sent U.S. agricultural exports plunging, exacerbating already difficult

February 7, 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 be unveiled by Democrats this week, but the proposal doesn’t

February 7, 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 for everyone in Washington to work together to achieve the

February 6, 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 vehicle emissions standards that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save

February 6, 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 fiscal years (FY) 2019 through 2023, during which time energy

February 3, 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 the Renewable Fuel Standard? In the waning hours of the

January 28, 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 2017, and by historic standards, the deals grew considerably 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 a tax on greenhouse gas emissions and then distributing the

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 Alliance (NACSAA). NACSAA is a producer-led alliance focused on utilizing climate-smart

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. President Trump last year proposed to freeze CAFE standards at

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 and minority communities are affected by climate change. Two dozen

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 50-state deal, you’ve got to lobby,” Carper said of his

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, Roberts said the hearing will look at various issues.

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, Pro’s Zack Colman reports this morning. That means one of

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 approved last time Democrats were in the majority, said Speaker

January 8, 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 House. Since 2011 Peterson has been the committee’s ranking member.

January 7, 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 have grown louder in their calls for a Green

January 7, 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 identification number (RIN) value volatility—driven by political rumor, speculation and

January 5, 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 to consider granting Reid vapor pressure (RVP) relief for E15.

January 2, 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 a Green New Deal, which includes a

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. In doing so, policymakers have the opportunity to create lasting

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 2022. As lawmakers have grappled with the competing interests of

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 if it materializes, giving the region a powerful

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 late last week on steps aimed at ensuring a

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 to achieving 100 percent zero-emission vehicles (ZEV). The Zero-Emission Vehicles

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 aligns the world’s largest independent oil and gas producer

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 from our farms to our factories” that would be “a

December 18, 2018 Read Full Article

Algae Agriculture Triumphs in Farm Bill Compromise

(Algae Biomass Organization) In a historic day for the algae industry, the U.S. Senate Tuesday approved a Farm Bill compromise that dramatically expands federal support for algae agriculture. The bill sets U.S. farm policy through 2023. It is expected to pass the House of Representatives as soon as today and receive President Trump’s

December 14, 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 half-dozen senators considering a 2020 campaign met with supporters

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 them. But it turns out that there was a hidden

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 resilient to climate change. … While overall the Energy Title

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 octane level of 95. In legislation under debate at a

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 Have Two out of Three Conundrum” of aviation fuels. Which

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 document the benefits of farming practices which improve soil health.

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 have no concerns about it,” the Oregon Democrat said. “This

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 supply. In doing so, policymakers have the opportunity to create

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 when farmers, ranchers, and rural communities are struggling, and the agricultural

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 as an increase in its energy costs and, therefore, a

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 contrast, the median household income in the U.S. in 2015

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) cannot support the proposal because it “does not provide the

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 Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). It’s called the New Consensus. The 501c(3) nonprofit is in

December 7, 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 corrections to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (PL 115-97)

December 7, 2018 Read Full Article

First Committee Chair Backs Green New Deal

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) Rep. Nydia Velázquez , the presumptive incoming chairwoman of the Small Business Committee, became the latest House Democrat to back the Green New Deal on Tuesday. “We cannot delay when it comes to addressing this existential threat to our planet,” she tweeted. “Water-adjacent cities, especially

December 5, 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 national octane specification. The 34-page discussion draft of the bill was

December 5, 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 to be cautiously optimistic. Wisconsin voters picked Republican

December 5, 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 serious about climate action to limit the worst impacts from

December 4, 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 putting a price on climate-warming carbon emissions within the next

December 3, 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 tax revenues combined in 2017. The analysis by FTI Consulting

December 3, 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 and Republican House members plans to introduce a carbon tax