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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
Federal Legislation
(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
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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
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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
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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
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(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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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(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
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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
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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
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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
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(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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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(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
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(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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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(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
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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
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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
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(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
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(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
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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
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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
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(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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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(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
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(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
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(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
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(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
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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
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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
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(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
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(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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
November 27, 2018
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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 legislation nearly a decade ago. He says California was
November 27, 2018
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by Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News) The CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association says it’s a common misnomer that the Renewable Fuel Standard ends in four years. Geoff Cooper tells Brownfield the RFS doesn’t stop in 2022. “What stops in 2022 is the specific volumes being laid out in the law.”
November 27, 2018
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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 renewable energy, horse racing and motorsports industries. READ MORE Tax
November 27, 2018
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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 the investment tax credit. In a letter Monday, the groups
November 27, 2018
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by Catherine Rampell (Washington Post) … Alternatively, some Republicans suggest that, yes, the planet may be warming and, yes, humans may be the reason, but it’s too darn expensive to do much more than we are. … As Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) equivocated on CNN’s “State of the Union,” after plugging her state’s use
November 27, 2018
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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 that a newly revived Select Committee on Energy Independence
November 26, 2018
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(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 Shimkus, whose district includes significant corn and soybean producers
November 23, 2018
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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 Resources and Science committees said in a joint statement
November 15, 2018
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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 expired tax provisions, commonly referred to as the tax extenders.
November 14, 2018
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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 toes. With one of the largest freshmen classes ever, and
November 10, 2018
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(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 Committee on Appropriations. The letter describes the agencies’ work to
November 2, 2018
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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 Mintz reports . When it comes to infrastructure, “there are
October 24, 2018
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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 fuels, including the oil giant’s products, and return the proceeds
October 11, 2018
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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 of this workshop titled Opportunities and Challenges in Anaerobic Digestion:
October 11, 2018
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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 still being negotiated between House and Senate leaders in conference
October 10, 2018
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(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) – who voiced their strong support for a multi-year extension of
October 3, 2018
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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 of Latino Leaders®.” Sponsored by the American Fuel & Petrochemical
October 2, 2018
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(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 and carbon utilization research — the highest funding level for
October 1, 2018
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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. Of this, 40 percent is considered single-use plastic, and only
September 28, 2018
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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 recognize public policy leaders that strongly support Nebraska’s $5 billion
September 24, 2018
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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 transparency in the process for granting SREs, and that it would
September 21, 2018
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(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 have any impact on farm country is in December, if
September 20, 2018
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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 a bill that would require public companies to disclose more
September 14, 2018
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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 the agency to reallocate those gallons. The EPA granted a
September 10, 2018
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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, first released by the Climate Leadership Council in February 2017,
September 10, 2018
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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. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.), co-chairman of the Safe Climate Caucus.
September 3, 2018
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(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 to address the serious damage done to the corn market
August 31, 2018
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(Algae Biomass Organization) … Algae are fast becoming a significant component in food and health products, and it is time that this new crop was afforded the support by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that other crops have seen for decades. Thanks to outreach by ABO and its members, a number
August 30, 2018
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(National Biodiesel Board) National Biodiesel Board sends letter reiterating support for passage of a new Farm Bill — Today (August 16,2018), the National Biodiesel Board sent a letter to leaders of the Farm Bill Conference Committee, reiterating the industry’s strong support for passage of a new five-year Farm Bill (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018)
August 17, 2018
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by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) … On top of that, a senior Senate aide close to the pro-ethanol camp led by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said “there is debate” over whether it will take legislation to enact the changes Trump seeks. “We view it as a technical correction,” the aide
August 14, 2018
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by O. Kay Henderson (RadioIowa) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s acting administrator met privately with Iowa commodity group leaders at the Iowa State Fair today — but Andrew Wheeler told reporters afterwards there is no decision yet on regulations that would allow a higher blend of ethanol to be sold year-round.
August 14, 2018
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by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) … Biogas – Turning Hog Waste into Resources — Biogas technologies turn organic wastes, including manure, into energy and compost. When manure is turned into biogas, the smells, poor health effects, and methane emissions associated with hog farms are drastically reduced. At a
August 10, 2018
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by Zack Colman and Scott Waldman (E&E News) The last time carbon dioxide levels hit the mark the Trump administration envisions for the end of the century, crocodiles roamed the poles and palm trees existed where glaciers are today. In fact, there were no glaciers — not even in Antarctica. Although the
August 9, 2018
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by Hugh C. Welsh (Real Clear Energy) It’s time to rethink how our country approaches carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the use of fossil fuels. Right now, we know that the release of CO2 damages the environment but emitters bear none of the cost. American tax payers, meanwhile, are subsidizing these
August 7, 2018
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(WCAX) Both houses of Congress have passed their respective versions of the Farm Bill, a massive piece of legislation that affects farmers around the country. Now, a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, will try to come together to pass one version of the bill. Farm bill negotiations
August 7, 2018
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Trump administration’s proposed freeze of vehicle fuel efficiency standards sought by the Obama administration and plan to end California’s power to enforce its own rules has placed the spotlight squarely on the state, where its political leaders are vowing an all-out fight . California
August 3, 2018
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by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) The House Energy and Commerce Committee is on course to create legislation to develop a national biofuel program that places consumers first, said Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon, the Republican chairman of the committee, on Wednesday. The committee’s environment panel held its fifth hearing Wednesday on
August 2, 2018
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(Algae Biomass Organization) This month the momentum for supporting technologies that put carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to good use got a boost in Congress with the introduction of the bipartisan Carbon Utilization Act of 2018. The House bill would support utilization technologies, such as algae cultivation, by allowing them
August 2, 2018
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) Bob Dinneen, the outgoing CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, told reporters Wednesday that he thinks EPA staff is working on a rule to allow year-round sales of 15 percent ethanol fuel, despite what Wheeler told Senate EPW earlier in the day. “We can
August 2, 2018
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by Jessie Stolark (Energy and Environmental Study Institute) On Wednesday July 25, the House Energy & Commerce Committee held a hearing to educate members on the complexities of the compliance markets for biofuels, as Environment and Economy Subcommittee Rep. Shimkus (R-IL), chair, explores reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Shimkus (R-IL)
August 1, 2018
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by Timothy J. Rudnicki (Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) … Let’s be clear here. There are legitimate complaints from the biofuel industry because (acting Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew) Wheeler’s predecessor turned over the agency to Big Oil. How else can you explain the 2.25 billion gallons of ethanol that were lost via
August 1, 2018
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(VNG/NGVAmerica/NGV Journal) On July 23, U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Marietta) introduced HR-6476 the Light-Duty Natural Gas Vehicle Parity Act of 2018 in the US House of Representatives, a companion to Senate bill 3226 introduced by Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) on July 17 in the US Senate. This initiative affirms congressional intent
July 30, 2018
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) House Transportation Chairman Bill Shuster released his long-awaited infrastructure discussion draft on Monday. The Pennsylvania Republican proposes a short-term boost to the gasoline tax before ending the tax in a decade, as Pro Transportation’s Lauren Gardner reports. The effort would boost taxes on gasoline
July 24, 2018
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by Tim Albrecht (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Experts in multiple industries support the idea of a high-octane fuel standard, but some prefer it as a replacement to the RFS. — Octane is important. The ethanol industry knows this, the automakers know it and even the oil industry understands it. But when it comes
(Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy) A series of four reports released today by Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy and partners assesses the economic, energy, and environmental implications of federal carbon taxes. The reports analyze various carbon tax legislation scenarios, finding that carbon taxes would increase government revenue
July 20, 2018
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by Marianne Lavelle (Inside Climate News) Only 4 of the 43 Republicans who claim membership in the Climate Solutions Caucus voted against the resolution. All were early members of the group. The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a resolution denouncing the idea of a U.S. carbon tax as detrimental
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) CARBON COPY: Today’s largely symbolic vote on an anti-carbon tax resolution could offer Republicans helpful campaign-trail fodder against Democrats — but it comes with a price tag for some of the House’s most endangered moderates. Pro’s Anthony Adragna reports this morning on the dilemma facing
by Niv Elis (The Hill) The White House is expressing concerns that a funding bill set for a vote Thursday in the House does not make deep enough cuts for agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The House is debating a package of two spending bills, one for Financial
July 19, 2018
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Rules Committee will meet Tuesday to consider a resolution, H. Con. Res. 119 (115), that calls a carbon tax “detrimental” to the U.S. economy and “not in the best interest” of the country. The meeting tees up a likely vote later this week
July 16, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Yes, Virginia, there is cant, pettifoggery, self-dealing, obfuscation, and downright dirty pool when it comes to the deployment of biofuels, chemicals and advanced biomaterials — but there are also some mysteries which can unraveled and resolved. … The mechanism that the EPA uses to enforce
July 3, 2018
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by Caitlin Dewey and Erica Werner (Washington Post) The Senate passed its version of the $428 billion farm bill Thursday, setting up a bitter fight against the House over food stamps, farm subsidies and conservation funding. The Senate measure passed in an 86-to-11 vote, overwhelming support that reflected a bipartisan desire
June 29, 2018
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by Patrick Springer (West Fargo Pioneer) … “It’s not a protest against President Trump,” said Pam Musland, marketing and communication supervisor for the North Dakota Farmers Union. “Our hope is to grab some media attention with all the media in town” to cover Trump’s appearance. … Those at what’s billed the
June 27, 2018
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(National Biodiesel Board) Today (June 25, 2018), a diverse group of trade associations delivered a letter to Congressional leaders announcing a unified position to maintain and extend the current biodiesel blenders tax credit. In a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
June 26, 2018
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(U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment) … A number of exogenous policies have greatly impacted advanced biofuels markets and RFS (Renewable Fuel Standards) compliance. These include trade restrictions and duties now imposed on certain imported advanced biofuels as well as the potential end to tax
June 22, 2018
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by Jarrett Renshaw and Chris Prentice (Reuters/Successful Farming) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will propose reallocating biofuel blending obligations waived under its small refinery exemption program to other refiners, in an announcement that could come as early as Friday, according to two sources familiar with the agency’s plans. … Under the proposed reallocation, refiners that do
by James Osborne (Houston Chronicle) The Houston oil company Occidental Petroleum is studying a carbon capture project to deliver carbon dioxide to its oil fields in West Texas, the company announced Tuesday. Engineers are expected to spend six months studying the feasibility of piping carbon dioxide from White Energy’s ethanol facilities
June 20, 2018
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) A new group with a conservative backing has formed to push for a carbon tax. The Americans for Carbon Dividends is co-chaired by two former senators: John Breaux and Trent Lott. The group calls itself “an education and advocacy campaign to build support for
June 20, 2018
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(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) New polling shows that voters across three Midwestern states are disappointed with Trump administration decisions they view as broken promises of support for local agriculture and renewable fuels industries. In a survey of voters in Iowa, Missouri and Minnesota, respondents overwhelmingly say they support federal policies to
June 18, 2018
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by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Friday it will not reallocate exempt biofuel obligations under the small refinery waiver program without an act of Congress, setting the stage for a new clash with lawmakers in corn producing states. The agency has issued a record number of small
June 18, 2018
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by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On June 13, the Senate ag committee approved the its version of the 2018 Farm Bill with bipartisan support. The legislation includes an amendment offered by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., that restores mandatory funding to Farm Bill Energy Title programs. The legislation, officially titled the Agriculture
June 14, 2018
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Senate Agriculture Committee will take up amendments to the farm bill today, but negotiations were still ongoing as to just which of 186 submitted would get a vote. Here are a few energy highlights from a list obtained by POLITICO. — If E15 at
June 13, 2018
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) ON THE HILL: GOP Sen. John Cornyn says finding common ground on an overhaul of the RFS is “like trying to come up with peace in the Middle East.” Cornyn has not yet put pen to paper on a bill, though he’s still holding discussions
June 13, 2018
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by Tim Albrecht (Biomass Magazine) Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., introduced three bills this week to boost rural economic opportunities by expanding USDA funding eligibility for clean energy projects. This funding would help improve electric grid security, create more energy choices for businesses, and advance the development and deployment of low-carbon, clean
June 8, 2018
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by Jesse Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On Friday, June 8, the Senate Agriculture Committee released the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018. In contrast to the GOP-only bill that has advanced in the House, the bipartisan Senate farm bill refrains from eliminating the Energy Title, but provides mandatory funding to only one
by Jenna Bloxom (Colorado State University/Biofuels Digest) … Now is the critical juncture for a unified bioeconomy to re-assert biofuels as a political powerhouse and compelling policy agenda that defies partisan, geographical, and generational divisions. … (T)his industry must take the initiative to drastically alter the public’s understanding and attitudes about biofuels
June 8, 2018
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(Office of Senator Tina Smith (D-MN)) Senator Leads Bipartisan Push for Strong Funding and Focus on Energy As Senate Begins Work on Farm Bill in Coming Days — As the Senate prepares to begin work on the 2018 Farm Bill, U.S Senator Tina Smith, today told the leaders of the Senate Agriculture
June 7, 2018
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In mid-May, Reps. Austin Scott, R-Ga., and Lois Frankel, D-Fla., introduced legislation that aims to introduce more stringent labeling requirements for E15. The bill, titled the Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act of 2018, or H.R. 5855, was introduced May 16 and referred to the
June 6, 2018
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by Tom Polansek and Michael Hirtzer (Reuters) The biggest U.S. biodiesel lobbying group has dropped its nine-year push to covert a $1-per-gallon tax credit available to blenders of the biofuel into one for producers, the vice president of federal affairs said on Friday. The tax credit benefits companies that blend biodiesel into
May 29, 2018
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by Josh Siegel (Washington Examiner) The Senate Appropriations Committee easily advanced its Energy-Water fiscal 2019 spending bill on Thursday, rejecting Trump administration efforts to reduce funding for energy and science research. The $43.8 billion bill, approved by a 30-1 vote, is $566 million more than this year’s appropriation and $7.2 billion
May 25, 2018
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by Brent Erickson (The Hill/Biotechnology Innovation Organization) Since 2002, the farm bill has contained an energy title, with cost-effective programs that support private investment in renewable energy, biobased manufacturing and energy efficiency. The programs are extremely successful in helping businesses create employment and economic growth opportunities in rural communities across the
May 24, 2018
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by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, would like to see administrative changes made to how EPA hands out Renewable Fuel Standard waivers to small refiners, estimated by one ethanol industry study to have resulted in about 1.5 billion gallons of lost ethanol blending since 2016. Though
(CNBC/Reuters) The U.S. House of Representatives will vote for a second time on a massive farm bill after the measure was defeated last week, according to a report. The vote on the $867 billion bill will be held on June 22, Republican Representative Steve Scalise said, Roll Call reported. Roll
May 23, 2018
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(WBIW) Following reports that gas prices are on the rise, U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly today urged President Trump to take an important step towards addressing the price surge by reducing regulatory burdens around the blending of biofuels. Current regulations on Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) prevent most retailers from selling American-made fuels
May 22, 2018
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by Jerry Hagstrom and Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) The cheers and jeers were all over the spectrum Friday after the House of Representatives failed to pass its version of the farm bill following a raucous debate this week. … The bill went down to defeat with 198 members voting for
May 21, 2018
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(Biofuels International) Following the introduction of a bill to warn consumers about the perceived dangers of E15 in small engines, representatives from the ethanol industry have questioned the rationale for the legislation. The biofuel proponents say that the new rules are designed to create confusion for consumers and reduce the use of higher-blend
May 21, 2018
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by Mikkel Pates (Agweek) Ag technology promoters are pedaling hard for biofuels-friendly policies in Washington, D.C., to make life livable for cash-strapped farmers supplying markets that didn’t exist 30 years ago. Erick Lutt, director of industrial and environmental policy for Biotechnology Innovation Organization, speaking at the 2018 Bio Industry Summit
May 21, 2018
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by Pat Westhoff (Columbia Tribune) … Biofuel policy decisions also have the potential to have large impacts on commodity markets and farm income. Most cars in this country run on a blend of 90 percent gasoline and 10 percent ethanol. At current gasoline consumption levels, that requires around 14 billion gallons of
May 18, 2018
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(Yamaha Marine Group/Business Wire) Legislation would require more detailed labeling of gas pumps that dispense E15 fuel, which causes corrosion and mechanical problems in equipment with small engines — Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) and Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21), members of the Congressional Boating Caucus, introduced the Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act
May 18, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Breaking news arrives from the Ag Energy Coalition regarding the 2018 Farm Bill. Green Capiltol’s Lloyd Ritter writes: Rep. Biggs farm bill amendment was made in order by the Rules Committee last night to eviscerate the clean energy title programs of the farm bill. It
May 18, 2018
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