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by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) The president will sign an executive order to make half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 “zero-emission” vehicles, including battery, fuel-cell and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The executive order also will set new long-term fuel-efficiency and emission standards “to save consumers money, cut pollution,
Federal Legislation
August 5, 2021
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by Ben Foldy and Katy Stech Ferek (Wall Street Journal) General Motors, Ford and Stellantis executives with union leaders are expected to join President Biden in announcing voluntary targets — Auto makers including General Motors Co. , Ford Motor Co. and Jeep maker Stellantis NV will aim to make electric
August 5, 2021
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by Richard Cowan (Reuters) A group of Democratic U.S. senators on Wednesday unveiled legislation establishing a $500 billion fund to be financed by Big Oil and other “carbon polluters” that they hope to attach to broader climate control legislation expected later this year. Modeled after the 1980 “Superfund” program in which
August 5, 2021
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by Jessica Wehrman, Lindsey McPherson, and Joseph Morton (Roll Call) … The bill already includes language requiring a study on the “cradle to grave environmental impact” of electric vehicles. But Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, wants tighter language and has an amendment to require a study on the “emissions of the full lifecycle of
August 5, 2021
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(National Association of Farm Bureaus/NewsDakota.com) A Midwest Senator claims the pending infrastructure bill’s heavy emphasis on electric over ethanol-powered vehicles has several root causes, ranging from climate change to ethanol’s continued reliance on blending with gasoline. Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley was asked why the big imbalance in the pending Senate infrastructure
August 5, 2021
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by Alleen Brown (The Intercept) Instead of reducing the role of fossil fuels in the economy, critics say, the bill subsidizes industry “greenwashing.” … The latest draft bill would make fossil fuel companies eligible for at least $25 billion in new subsidies, according to an analysis by the Center for International
August 4, 2021
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by Katie Akin (Iowa Capital Dispatch) U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne said Tuesday that passing an infrastructure proposal without biofuels funding would be “short-sighted.” A bipartisan group of senators came to a compromise proposal last week on a $1.2 trillion infrastructure proposal. The deal includes $550 billion in new spending, but
August 4, 2021
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(Renewable Fuels Association) In a July 28 letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Alto Ingredients CEO Mike Kandris, Calgren Renewable Fuels President Lyle Schlyer and Aemetis CEO Eric McAfee said ethanol “already reduces GHG emissions by 52%, on average, when compared directly to gasoline,” and has accounted for 35% of
August 3, 2021
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by Andrew Russell (Daily Maverick) … All these moves show that the transition to sustainable aviation fuels is accelerating quickly. As the sector takes off, the only question is whether South Africa will ride the trend on the way up. The South African sugar industry, like the global aviation sector, was
August 2, 2021
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(Office of Representative Josh Harder (R-CA 10th) Bill will establish billions in new initiatives to support the efforts of the agriculture industry in leading the way on climate — Representative Josh Harder (CA-10) reintroduced his Future of Agricultural Resiliency and Modernization (FARM) Act which would help farmers across the country more effectively
August 2, 2021
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(Office of Senator John Thune R-SD) U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today led several of his colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden requesting a meeting with him and representatives of his cabinet to discuss the Renewable Fuel Standard and promote biofuels as a key solution for America’s energy and climate agenda. The
July 29, 2021
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by Savannah Bertrand (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) U.S. direct subsidies to the fossil fuel industry are estimated at roughly $20.5 billion per year, including $14.7 billion from federal subsidies and $5.8 billion from state subsidies. When externalities such as health, environmental, and climate factors are included, it is estimated the United
July 29, 2021
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by Juliet Eilperin and Dino Grandoni (Washington Post) When it comes to meeting President Biden’s climate goals, the math is clear: Half of all cars and SUVs sold in 2030 need to be electric. Next week, the president, major carmakers and the nation’s largest auto union plan to promise to
July 29, 2021
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“I was disappointed not to see biofuels included in the initial bipartisan infrastructure framework, but rest assured that as conversations in Washington continue to focus on infrastructure investments and efforts to address climate change, I will continue to fight to ensure renewable fuels have a seat at the table. After
July 28, 2021
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by Representative Angie Craig (D-MN 2nd) (The Hill) … I’m a supporter of biofuels. Biofuels offer predictability for farmers, drive economic growth and investment in rural America and decrease the carbon intensity of our transportation sector. These benefits are why I am pushing for immediate policy and budget changes to
July 28, 2021
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(Office of Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)) According to a report by the International Energy Agency, approximately 40 percent of cumulative CO2 emissions reductions needed to meet sustainability targets rely on technologies not yet commercially deployed on a mass-market scale. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee and U.S.
July 27, 2021
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(Bioenergy Insight) Bipartisan legislation has been introduced by US Senators to encourage investment in biodigester and nutrient recovery systems while establishing a new market for farmers. The Agricultural Environmental Stewardship Act, a bill brought forward by US Senators John Thune and Sherrod Brown, will help expand the market for renewable biogas
July 27, 2021
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(Office of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-I)) Prepared Floor Remarks by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa Setting the Record Straight on Renewable Fuels — Many bills that get introduced in the Senate won’t go anywhere. They are simply messaging documents. I usually do not care to comment on these bills. It simply isn’t
July 23, 2021
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by Natasha Lasky (Our Daily Planet) A new series of bills have been introduced in Congress that aim to quell food waste. These bills — the Zero Food Waste Act, and the Cultivating Organic Matter through the Promotion of Sustainable Techniques Act (COMPOST) —will reduce food waste and in turn help create jobs, slow
July 21, 2021
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(Office of Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE)) … The Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, which I reintroduced with Sen. Amy Klobuchar in response to the ruling, offers a common-sense solution to this problem. Our bill would reinstate the waiver that allowed high-ethanol blends like E15 to be sold all year.
July 20, 2021
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) unveiled legislation Monday to create a carbon border fee mechanism, putting into legislative text a system to tax carbon-heavy imports, like steel or aluminum, to protect U.S. companies that are likely to face stronger domestic
July 20, 2021
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(Renewable Fuels Association) Low-carbon ethanol’s “brightest and sunniest days remain ahead” despite recent judicial setbacks and a growing policy push on electric vehicles, RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper said in keynote remarks today at the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo. Even after two recent disappointing court decisions, “The ethanol
July 15, 2021
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(Office of U.S. Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN 2nd) Craig and Smith’s Legislation has been endorsed by Growth Energy, the Renewable Fuels Association and the National Corn Growers Association — Today, U.S. Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN) and Adrian Smith (R-NE) led Co-Chairs of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus in introducing the Year-Round Fuel Choice
July 14, 2021
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Cindy Axne (D-IA-3rd) Key funding would help reduce carbon emissions and reliance on foreign energy while investing in Iowa’s rural communities — Investments in biofuels infrastructure represent the best of all worlds as we chart a path to an energy economy that allows us to reduce carbon emissions and be less
July 12, 2021
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by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) The nixing of EPA’s E15 rule that allowed year-round sales has in many respects taken the ethanol industry back to square one. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit last week tossed out the Trump administration’s rule that had been widely celebrated
July 9, 2021
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by Pilar Wolfsteller (Flight Global) Alaska Airlines is aiming to become the most fuel-efficient US airline in the next five years, the airline’s chief executive says. During a 30 June webinar sponsored by The Washington Post, Ben Minicucci outlined the Seattle-based carrier’s ambitious sustainability efforts, in order to reach its goal of achieving net
July 7, 2021
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by Collin Peterson (Minneapolis Star Tribune/Governors’ Biofuels Coalition) … According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), agriculture accounts for just 10% of U.S. CO2 emissions, with livestock accounting for just 4%. On a net basis, agriculture and forestry actually eliminate more emissions than they produce, removing some 729 million metric tons
July 7, 2021
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by Chuck Abbott (Successful Farming) Despite losing two high-profile cases in seven days, the ethanol industry says the future is bright for the corn-based biofuel that it promotes as a low-carbon alternative to gasoline and a tool to slow global warming. “We view both decisions as only temporary setbacks but neither
July 7, 2021
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by James A. Baker III and Greg Bertelsen (Washington Post) … One thing has become crystal clear during the long-running debate about climate change: Most nations won’t risk their own economic well-being in the hope of reversing what is clearly a global problem. And it would be a mistake for
July 6, 2021
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by Rachel Franzin (The Hill) A progressive environmental group plans to focus its advocacy around President Biden’s proposal to create conservation and reforestation jobs, according to a strategy memo obtained by The Hill. The youth-led Sunrise Movement will be pushing for a Civilian Climate Corps (CCC) — similar to the New Deal-era
July 2, 2021
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(Office of Rep. Cindy Axne (R-IA-03) The Low Carbon Biofuel Credit Act was introduced today with Rep. Adrian Smith, Senators Klobuchar and Thune — Today, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to expand the use of low-carbon renewable fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by creating a new
July 2, 2021
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) EPA and the Transportation Department soon will propose a rule boosting federal tailpipe standards almost to Obama-era levels, with an eye toward more aggressive requirements later this decade to goose electric vehicle sales, the New York Times reports, citing unnamed sources. The proposal, anticipated
July 2, 2021
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) A draft report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is pinning disinformation and lobbying campaigns — including by Exxon Mobil — as major culprits in slowing governments from adopting climate measures to mitigate global warming. Zack and POLITICO Europe’s Karl Mathiesen reviewed the report, which
July 2, 2021
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(Renewable Fuels Association) he Renewable Fuels Association today thanked Reps. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) and Angie Craig (D-MN) for introducing legislation that reinforces the intended meaning of the term “extension” as it relates to the Renewable Fuel Standard’s small refinery exemption provisions. The bill stipulates that a small refinery may petition for an exemption
July 2, 2021
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“Over the past few months, I’ve spoken to many of my colleagues here in Congress about the immediate impact that biofuels could have in the fight to lower carbon emissions. … I will have strong reservations about supporting infrastructure legislation that reaches the House if there is not also a
June 30, 2021
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Rep. Cindy Axne, D-Iowa, is encouraging House and Senate leadership to include provisions to help increase the use and production of biofuels in the final language of the upcoming infrastructure legislation. Axne on June 25 sent a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi,
June 30, 2021
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) will unveil a package of bills today with two of her Republican colleagues to boost biofuels infrastructure. Klobuchar and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) will introduce the Biofuel Infrastructure and Agricultural Product Market Expansion Act of 2021 to provide grants for activities that expand the
June 30, 2021
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by Alexander Laska (Third Way/Biofuels Digest) … According to the International Civil Aviation Organization, one of the most impactful things we can do to reduce aviation emissions is get more sustainable aviation fuel —”drop-in” fuels that can be used in today’s aircraft and which have lower emissions than fossil jet fuel on a
June 29, 2021
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by Susan van Dyk (GreenAir Online) The recent virtual symposium hosted in the US by CAAFI, the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative, illustrated the increasing momentum in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) commercial development, with companies at different stages of development outlining ambitious plans for multiple facilities over the coming years. Many facilities
June 28, 2021
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by Andrew Chung and Stephanie Kelly (Reuters/Yahoo!) The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday bolstered a bid by small oil refineries to win exemptions from a federal law requiring increasing levels of ethanol and other renewable fuels to be blended into their products, a major setback for biofuel producers. The 6-3
June 25, 2021
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(Growth Energy) Today, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor participated in the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy hearing titled “Renewable Energy – Growth and Opportunities for our Rural Economies”. In the hearing, Skor spoke on biofuels’ ability to drive economic growth using data from a
June 22, 2021
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Senate Agriculture Rural Development and Energy subcommittee meets today on renewable energy opportunities in rural areas. Subcommittee Chair Tina Smith plans to use the hearing to highlight biofuels’ role in emissions reductions, particularly in hard-to-electrify industries like aviation, according to a copy of her opening remarks shared
June 22, 2021
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(Aviation Pros/Alliance for Aviation Across America) On June 10, the Alliance for Aviation Across America held a panel discussion with state and local leaders to highlight commitments and investments made by the general aviation industry in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and the importance of emerging technologies such as advanced air mobility
June 19, 2021
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by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) A new coalition of 23 agriculture, biofuels, technology and other companies and interest groups is pushing federal lawmakers to begin work on legislation aimed at decarbonizing transportation fuel. On Monday, the coalition asked the leaders of two committees in the House and Senate to begin
June 18, 2021
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by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The Farm Futures Business Summit being held this week in Iowa featured corn farmers and ethanol industry leaders on the first day of the program to shed light on the future of ethanol. The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) sponsored the panel with Iowa corn farmer and NCGA Ethanol Action Team
June 18, 2021
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(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) While welcoming federal support for domestic SAF on par with support for biodiesel and renewable diesel, the NBB wants Congress and the Biden Administration to understand how all three fuels support the nation’s climate and clean air priorities. The Biden administration delivered some positive news to
June 17, 2021
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(Office of Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)) U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME) led a bipartisan letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan urging the Biden administration to address languishing applications under the renewable fuel standard (RFS) program, including moving forward with allowing renewable electricity made from biomass to
June 17, 2021
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by Dania Maxwell (Bloomberg News/Transport Topics) While electric vehicles and alternative fuels contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, their continued adoption forces states to rethink transportation funding sources that currently come from taxes on diesel and gasoline. States already charging fees on alternative fuels and vehicles are concerned the amounts do
June 14, 2021
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The budget includes proposed support for biofuels; biorefinery, renewable chemical and biobased product manufacturing; renewable energy; and sustainable aviation fuel. For biofuels, the budget would allocate $1 billion in support over the 2022-’26 period, including $500 million in 2022, $250 million in 2023 and $250
June 3, 2021
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by Rachel Droze (We Are Iowa) Some Iowa farmers say they feel President Joe Biden isn’t following through on campaign promises made about the ethanol and renewable fuels industry. During his campaign, Biden made a promise to promote biofuels, but in the American Jobs Plan, the president’s infrastructure proposal, the path envisioned
June 2, 2021
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(Our Daily Planet) The Biden administration released its detailed budget proposal on Friday and it contained $36 billion in total for climate, a huge increase in climate-related spending. According to the budget justification, the increase of more than $14 billion compared over current spending invests “in resilience and clean energy, enhancing U.S. competitiveness, and
June 1, 2021
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Reps. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa; Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa; and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, sent a letter to President Biden on May 25 urging him to uphold his promise to support biofuels. The letter urges the Biden administration to include
May 26, 2021
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(Office of Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE)) U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) introduced the bipartisan RFS Integrity Act of 2021. This legislation would provide more certainty for rural America by bringing transparency and predictability to EPA’s small refinery exemption process.
May 26, 2021
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) are introducing legislation today that would help businesses finance carbon capture technology at power plants and other industrial facilities, and seek to give a boost to direct air capture. The bill, dubbed the Carbon Capture Improvement Act, would also open up tax-exempt
May 26, 2021
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(Office of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)) Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) today introduced legislation to support the biodiesel industry, continue to broaden America’s energy independence. The bipartisan Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension Act of 2021 would extend the current federal biodiesel tax credit program through 2025. “The biodiesel tax
May 26, 2021
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by Patrick Newkumet (OPIS) Alternative low-carbon fuel producers would receive tax credits for reaching net-zero emissions under a U.S. Senate bill introduced last month, but biofuel industry stakeholders are concerned they will find it difficult to reach that target by 2030 unless the government revises its count of the carbon intensity
May 21, 2021
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(Office of Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL-10)) Sustainable Skies Act would boost incentives to use Sustainable Aviation Fuel which cuts aviation emissions by 50% or more — Today, Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) introduced the Sustainable Skies Act, new legislation to fight carbon emissions and promote the transition to sustainable aviation fuel. The bill,
May 20, 2021
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by John Cox (Bakersfield.com) Legislation introduced Tuesday by congressmen including Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, would extend federal tax credits supporting the production of biodiesel and other renewable fuels seen as key to Kern’s economic diversification push. The bill, dubbed the Biodiesel, Renewable Diesel and Alternative Fuels Extension Act of 2021,
May 20, 2021
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by Matthew Mercure (NGT News) U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., have introduced the Green Transportation Act. The legislation directs cities and states to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector. The sector represents the single largest source of carbon pollution in the U.S., which makes tracking
May 18, 2021
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by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is handing over to the Government Accountability Office information on oil refiners that petitioned for exemptions to biofuel blending mandates, in an effort to help the government watchdog investigate the exemption program. The move shows the Biden administration’s willingness to help scrutinize
May 6, 2021
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by Stephanie Kelly and David Shepardson (Reuters) Members of a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee met on Tuesday with representatives from the biofuels and airline industries to discuss ways to expand production of low-carbon aviation fuel, the subcommittee chair told Reuters. The meeting is part of a broader push by lawmakers
May 6, 2021
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(NewsDakota.com/NAFB) Midwest lawmakers continue to push for inclusion of more biofuel vehicles in the president’s climate effort to convert the nation’s transportation fleet to electric vehicles. Freshman Kansas Republican Roger Marshall is the latest Midwest lawmaker to join the biofuels push, as the administration ramps up its electric car effort, and the
May 5, 2021
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by Richard Ortiz (Fortune) “The shift toward a cleaner future requires CEOs like Elon Musk to invest in me and my skills, instead of interfering with workers who try to come together,” writes former Tesla autoworker Richard Ortiz. … But in my mind, there’s nothing funny about how Tesla has
May 3, 2021
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) A recent study by Resources for the Future found that funding for research, development and demonstration in advanced energy technologies (carbon capture, advanced nuclear and direct air capture to name a few) mirroring those under last year’s Energy Act would have a number of
May 3, 2021
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) The House Energy Committee will discuss the CLEAN Future Act — Democrats’ marquee climate bill — on Wednesday, with particular focus on decarbonizing the transportation sector. The House Science Energy Subcommittee will have a hearing Tuesday on research at the Energy Department. READ MORE
May 3, 2021
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by Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) The U.S. Senate is ready to move ahead with an agricultural climate bill that has bipartisan support and backing from major agricultural lobbies. The Growing Climate Solutions Act was reintroduced Tuesday in the U.S. Senate with a larger bi-partisan group of senators, led by members of
April 21, 2021
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(Office of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.)) Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) together with Sen. Merkley (D-Ore.), Sen. Markey (D- Mass.) and Rep. Barragan (D-Calif.) introduced legislation to close tax loopholes and eliminate other federal subsidies for the oil, gas, and coal industries. Right now, American taxpayers
April 20, 2021
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by O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa) Iowa Congresswoman Cindy Axne is calling on congressional leaders to include money for the renewable fuels industry in the infrastructure bill they’re crafting. President Biden’s American Jobs Act proposes spending $174 billion to promote the development of electric vehicles and install charging stations. “We’ve also
April 19, 2021
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by Jordan Godwin (OPIS Biofuels News) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) will ask Congress to adopt a national clean fuels policy or low carbon fuels standard (LCFS) that would build upon the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the ethanol industry group said on Friday. In a call with reporters to discuss its
April 19, 2021
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by Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News) U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley says President Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan is lacking in many areas important to rural America. During his weekly call with ag reporters Tuesday, the Iowa Republican singled out biofuels. “Unfortunately despite the emphasis on environment, biofuels don’t even appear to
April 8, 2021
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) Airlines for America, the main U.S. trade group for the industry, is pushing for more fuel credits to be added to Biden’s multitrillion dollar infrastructure plan. The group is backing a sustainable aviation fuel blender’s tax credit of up to $2 per gallon, as
April 2, 2021
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Like magic, it’s the ‘disappearing’ gasoline tax on just the non-renewable portion of transportation fuel. Bob Kozak of Atlantic Biomass Conversions looks at how this can fund a renaissance in new technology for bio-based fuels, how the disappearing fee uses can reduce biomass input costs,
March 31, 2021
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Legislation introduced by the 32 democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on March 11 could provide federal funding to support the development of alternative fuel infrastructure and expanded use of alternative fuel vehicles. The bill, titled the Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s America
March 26, 2021
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(Carbon Capture Coalition) Robust Legislation Addresses Top Two Coalition Priorities from New Federal Policy Blueprint — The Carbon Capture Coalition today endorsed the bipartisan Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Tax Credit Amendments Act. The bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate today by a strong cohort of carbon management champions led
March 26, 2021
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by David Blackmon (Forbes) With electric vehicles making up just 2% of U.S. auto sales in 2020, achieving a rapid “energy transition” to an all-electric vehicle fleet in the coming 15 years will be a huge endeavor, one that President Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats in congress are determined to aggressively
March 25, 2021
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by Ian Duncan (Washington Post) … Widespread production of hydrogen-powered cars has not come to pass, but GM is eyeing an all-electric fleet by 2035 with the backing of the Biden administration. That has lawmakers in state capitals across the country and in Washington increasingly confronting the question that troubled Starr
March 22, 2021
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by Yvette Cabrera (Grist) Democrats who drafted the Environmental Justice for All Act are optimistic it will pass. — With slim majorities in Congress and an ally in the White House, the Democrats who drafted the Environmental Justice for All Act, a comprehensive piece of federal legislation that aims to
March 22, 2021
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(Office of Congressman Andrew Levin (D-Mich.)) United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Congressman Andrew Levin (D-Mich.), along with Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), today unveiled the BUILD GREEN Infrastructure and Jobs Act. Modeled after the Department of Transportation’s successful BUILD grant program, BUILD GREEN
March 19, 2021
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Reps. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, and David McKinley, R-W.V., on March 17 introduced the Storing CO2 and Lowering Emissions (SCALE) Act, a comprehensive CO2 infrastructure package. The bill aims to support the buildout of infrastructure to transport
March 18, 2021
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) A bipartisan bill being unveiled today calls for pouring billions in carbon capture and storage to bolster the technology that sponsors say will be crucial to meet climate goals. — FIRST IN ME — CO2 INFRASTRUCTURE BILL: A bipartisan cohort of lawmakers in the
March 17, 2021
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by Steve Klein (C Store Decisions/Renewable Energy Group) … The transportation industry will be a key factor in reaching those goals. There are also many new policies being debated. New York is considering a low-carbon fuel standard similar to California’s. Many believe this is the year Washington State will pass a
March 16, 2021
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) Bipartisan Sens. Heinrich and Susan Collins (R-Maine), along with Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) and Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), introduced legislation Tuesday that would create a standalone investment tax credit for energy storage technologies for both businesses and homes. Currently, the tax credit only applies to storage technologies that are
March 10, 2021
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by Nichola Groom (Reuters) Two U.S. senators on Wednesday said they have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at boosting taxpayer returns from federal oil and gas leasing, the latest in a string of moves in Washington seeking to reform drilling on public lands. The bill, authored by Senators Jacky Rosen,
March 10, 2021
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by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) A bipartisan group of 10 senators is pressing the Biden administration to use authority under the CARES Act to provide targeted relief to the biofuels industry, which is still reeling from the pandemic that collapsed fuel demand. In a letter Monday to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the Midwestern
March 9, 2021
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by Graham Warwick (Aviation Week) … The scale-up challenge is enormous. Barely 0.01% of the 96 billion gal. (364 billion liters) of jet fuel consumed by the world’s airlines in 2019 was sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). But announced projects should boost production from just 60 million gal. in 2020 to
March 8, 2021
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by Jennifer A Dlouhy and Leslie Kaufman (Bloomberg) The American Petroleum Institute may come out in favor of a carbon price, a sign of Washington’s dramatic move toward climate-friendly policy. … But the policy itself has a number of silver linings for polluters. For starters, unlike regulations restricting drilling or
March 4, 2021
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by Jacqui Fatka (Farm Progress) House climate proposal includes RFS integrity provisions and Adopt GREET Act recognizes ethanol’s improved environmental benefits. — Legislators are looking to expand access and acceptance of biofuels with the introduction of several bills this week on Capitol Hill. On Wednesday, Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., introduced the
March 4, 2021
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(Aken Gump) On Tuesday, March 2, Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee introduced a sweeping climate proposal—the Climate Leadership and Environmental Action for our Nation’s (CLEAN) Future Act—an amended version of draft legislation released last year in the 116th Congress. The measure, which authorizes $565 billion in spending
March 3, 2021
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by Nicole Heslip (Brownfield Ag News) Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate which would provide a tax credit to automotive and energy manufacturers transitioning to greener technologies. Sponsor Debbie Stabenow of Michigan tells Brownfield it could also apply to biofuel advancements. “If it’s biofuels, if it’s ethanol, if it
March 2, 2021
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Carbon Capture Coalition on Feb. 24 released a national policy blueprint that includes near-term recommendations the group says policymakers should adopt in order to accelerate the deployment and commercialization of carbon capture projects. The blueprint represents a consensus of the CCC’s more than 80
March 2, 2021
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(GreenAir Online) US aircraft and engine manufacturers have called on the new Biden administration to provide sustained government support to help achieve its climate goals. In an open letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, Climate Envoy John Kerry and National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, the US Aerospace
February 26, 2021
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Reps. David McKinley, R-W.V., and Marc Veasey, D-Texas, on Feb. 16 reintroduced the Accelerating Carbon Capture and Extending Secure Storage through 45Q (ACCESS 45Q) Act. The bill extends the date for projects to begin construction to claim the 45Q tax credit by 10 years and
February 26, 2021
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by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Do Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) policies conflict or complement the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)? That was the question Dr. Jarrett Whistance with the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the University of Missouri was called on to answer at last week’s National Ethanol Conference. Whistance, who is Program
February 24, 2021
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(Office of Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)) Just last month, President Biden raised eyebrows when he took executive action to begin transitioning federal government vehicles to electric vehicles. It followed a similar move spearheaded by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who last September, fully embraced the Green New Deal and implemented a move
February 22, 2021
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by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Reps. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., and Angie Craig, D-Minn., on Feb. 19 reintroduced the Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act, which aims to ensure transparency and predictability in the U.S. EPA’s administration of the small refinery exemption (SRE) process. The bill would require small refineries to submit a
February 22, 2021
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(Renewable Fuels Association) Just as ethanol has played an essential role in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, the low-carbon fuel will also serve as essential energy for combatting climate change, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper said today at the 26th annual National Ethanol Conference. “As COVID cases began to
February 17, 2021
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by Annie Snider (Politico’s Morning Energy) President Joe Biden has revived the idea of a carbon tax, but climate hawks on Capitol Hill hope he will give them time to work through the tricky politics of the issue. — … THE TRICKY POLITICS OF A CARBON TAX: The Biden administration’s sweeping climate
February 16, 2021
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Mike Thompson, D-Calif., chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, on Feb. 5 announced the introduction of the Growing Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now (GREEN) Act, which includes several tax extenders that would benefit the biofuel and bioenergy industries. The
February 12, 2021
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(Office of Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to create a renewable fuel infrastructure grant program and streamline regulatory requirements to help fuel retailers sell higher blends of ethanol. The Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act would authorize
February 11, 2021
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s climate legislation from last year will be the template for action this year, Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday. “After years of headwinds on climate action, this is the first time in a very long time that I’ve felt really
February 10, 2021
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(Office of Congresswoman Brownley (D-CA-25)) Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) introduced the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Act, legislation to incentivize the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and help the aviation sector reduce carbon emissions. “We are facing an existential threat to the future of our planet. In order to face this threat
February 9, 2021
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by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) The Senate rejected an attempt by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to cap the price of renewable identification numbers, or RINs, at 10 cents, as part of a proposed amendment to the COVID-19 stimulus bill, in the wee hours of the morning on Friday. RINs are
February 8, 2021
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) … The Massachusetts senator also said he wants Democrats to pursue a clean energy standard over carbon pricing in their push for climate legislation. “[M]y view is that sector-wide solutions like a clean energy standard can help enact the Biden campaign promise of moving toward
February 8, 2021
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by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Part of the Biden Administration’s climate change funds for disadvantaged communities that have suffered from pollution and crumbling infrastructure should be used to ensure that people in those communities can have the cleanest, greenest fuel for the vehicles that they will be driving for
February 5, 2021
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by Don Siefkes (Des Moines Register) To bring about a total EV society, we would almost have to double generating capacity for electricity and rebuild the entire residential electric grid — … First, recognize that EVs are emission-free only at the tailpipe, that they cut net CO2 emissions only about in half,
February 5, 2021
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(Office of Senator John Thune (R-SD)) Bill would require EPA to approve proven technologies, expedite review of others — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) today reintroduced their bipartisan legislation to approve certain advanced biofuel registrations that have gone without approval by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) despite the fuels already being
February 5, 2021
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(Office of Senator John Thune (R-S.D.)) U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) today reintroduced the Adopt GREET Act, legislation that would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update its greenhouse gas modeling for ethanol and biodiesel. Specifically, the bill would require EPA to adopt the Argonne National Lab’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions,
February 4, 2021
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(Algae Biomass Organization) Federal support for advanced algae R&D is on a solid foundation for 2021 with the recent passage of an omnibus appropriations bill that was included in last year’s COVID-19 relief legislation. These funds extend a long-standing tradition of supporting advanced algae technology development at the federal level,
February 4, 2021
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by Alexander E. Kaufman (Huffington Post/Yahoo! News) … The 11-page Evergreen Action memo highlights the limits of what the Biden administration can do unilaterally. At least a dozen ideas proposed in the document require Congress to act, including nearly all steps to cut off financial benefits to fossil fuel producers.
January 29, 2021
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(American Chemical Society) On January 1, the U.S. Senate passed the omnibus National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Within the NDAA Bill, Section E was the culmination of over 15 years of advocacy effort to deliver legislation that seeks to further the development of sustainable chemistry. Many thanks to the Bill’s sponsors
January 29, 2021
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(The CLEEN Project) The CLEEN Project was created through a collective of more than 200 contributors and 70 Advisory Board members from the private sector, federal and state government, environmental justice organizations, and leading climate-focused think tanks who share a desire to help catalyze job creation and a 21st century
January 27, 2021
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A live webcast will be streamed at 2:00 PM EST at www.eesi.org/livecast Ready to make a difference in climate policy? But not sure where to start? We have you covered. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to join us for our all-new, start-of-the-new-Congress Climate Camp online briefing series. We will go
January 22, 2021
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Who are the key bioeconomy players in the new Biden Administration? What recent moves by the outgoing Trump Administration and Congress will set their budget and regulatory framework for 2021. What will the new Administration do, right away and this year? READ MORE 1. New
January 20, 2021
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(Bergeson & Campbell) On December 28, 2020, the House overrode President Trump’s veto and passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) by a vote of 322 to 87, and the Senate passed the bill on January 1, 2021, by a vote of 81 to 13. Subtitle E of
January 20, 2021
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by Donnell Rehagen (National Biodiesel Board) With carbon reduction taking center stage, biodiesel and renewable diesel can provide immediate and substantial benefits, including 80% reduction in both greenhouse gases and particulate matter, an over 40% reduction in carbon monoxide, and more. Biodiesel and renewable diesel are on the “Rise” in
January 20, 2021
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by Sara Wyant (Ag Week) The biofuel industry argues that President-elect Joe Biden can also make progress on his climate goals by expanding biofuel usage mandates, embracing a low carbon fuel policy and increasing vehicle emissions standards. Now that Democrats have won control of the Senate, climate legislation is inevitable,
January 19, 2021
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by Marc Heller (E&E News) To Sen. Chuck Grassley, only one prospect may be scarier than putting the politics of ethanol before the Supreme Court: letting his colleagues in Congress vote on it. READ MORE
January 15, 2021
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(Clean Technica) … Congress voted to override the president’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), enacting H.R. 6395, the “William M. (Mac) Thornberry” NDAA for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. … With the enactment of the FY21 NDAA, Congress again demonstrates bipartisan support for increasing the military’s readiness to a climate change-fueled future.
January 8, 2021
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(CQ Roll Call) Changes could paper over differences within House Democratic Caucus between deficit hawks and progressives — The new rules package for the 117th Congress unveiled by House Democrats on Friday would grant a sweeping new exemption from deficit controls for legislation related to the coronavirus pandemic or efforts to
January 8, 2021
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(Alternative Fuels & Chemicals Coalition/CISION) The Alternative Fuels & Chemicals Coalition (“AFCC”) worked closely with policy makers and appropriators this year to provide changes to the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”)’s Title XVII Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program (the “Title XVII Program”), which were realized through the recent enactment of
January 5, 2021
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by Georgina Gustin (Inside Climate News) The administration has options to cut emissions even if a Republican-led Senate opposes climate-focused agriculture policies. — … The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the administration said, “has not historically received the sustained political attention of other agencies that play a role in climate policy.” But
January 5, 2021
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(Algae Biomass Organization) … Our collective effort has resulted in record-breaking policy support, including: $70 million for algae industry research, development, and demonstration in 2020 Congressional appropriations for DOE’s Bioenergy Technology Office, Office of Fossil Energy, and Office of Science. $110 million has been proposed in the US House of Representatives for
January 4, 2021
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by Patrick Newkumet (Oil Price Information Service) Renewable fuel industry officials are mostly optimistic that the incoming Biden administration will be more supportive of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) than the Trump White House, though some worry that the president-elect’s promised aggressive approach to carbon emission reductions could have impacts
December 24, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The $1.4 trillion spending package includes appropriation for Fiscal Year 2021, the COVID stimulus package, extensions of popular tax credits that otherwise expired on December 31st, and the Energy Act of 2020, a $35B version of a larger energy bill that has been drifting around
December 23, 2020
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Reps. Marc Veasey, D-Texas; David McKinley, R-W.V.; Cheri Bustos, D-Ill.; and Pete Stauber, R-Minn., on Dec. 16 introduced the Storing CO2 and Lowering Emissions (SCALE) Act, which supports the buildout of the infrastructure necessary to transport CO2 from where it is captured to where it
December 22, 2020
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by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee announced the food and agriculture provisions of the latest COVID relief deal moving through the House and Senate this week include payments to producers of advanced biofuel, biomass-based diesel, cellulosic biofuel, conventional biofuel, or renewable fuels with
December 22, 2020
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by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) Each year, DTN publishes our choices for the top 10 ag news stories of the year, as selected by DTN analysts, editors and reporters. Today, we continue the countdown with No. 9 looking at some of the challenges ethanol faced during 2020, including shutting
December 21, 2020
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by Nick Silvis* (Advanced Biofuels USA)The world is undergoing drastic climate and ecological changes which will have dire ramifications on all facets of global activity. Critical trade relationships, such as the one between the United States and Europe, are facing increased opportunity and risk as the world’s economies shift to
December 18, 2020
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by Chris Mooney (Washington Post) … And all of it is powered by an array of solar and sometimes distant wind installations, which route electricity across the country thanks to a gargantuan network of power lines that triples the scale of the United States’ current transmission infrastructure. You see them
December 17, 2020
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by Jeremy Martin (Union of Concerned Scientists) Clean Fuel Standards like the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) have been around for more than a decade but have not attracted the attention of more narrowly targeted policies promoting electric vehicles, biofuels, or renewable power. Recently, however, Clean Fuel Standards are enjoying something of
December 16, 2020
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by John Linder (National Corn Growers Association/Farm Journal AgWeb) … One song that stuck with me from that decade was “Everything Old Is New Again.” I find a lot of truth in the song’s message when I think about climate change and solutions like ethanol, which, coincidently, also took off
December 16, 2020
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) However, the emerging package has drawn the ire of progressive and environmental justice groups who are urging Democrats to walk away and try again next Congress. “We have serious concerns about the prospects of the Senate moving legislation in lame duck that will provide subsidies to
December 14, 2020
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by Jeff Overton (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) As the aviation industry recovers from the severe contraction caused by the pandemic, sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) will be essential to help the sector achieve a path to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Sustainable “drop-in” fuels, which can be used with existing
December 12, 2020
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(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Briefing Series: By Air, Land, and Sea: Navigating the Climate Future — The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a briefing series on climate mitigation and adaptation in the transportation sector. The series covered ports, aviation, and public transit. As commercial aviation recovers from the COVID-19 contraction, it will
December 12, 2020
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(Renewable Fuels Association) With COVID-19 cases on the rise again, state and local governments are taking additional actions to limit travel and promote social distancing. In turn, consumption of ethanol-blended gasoline is rapidly falling again, threatening to derail an already tenuous economic recovery in the ethanol industry. Through November, U.S. ethanol
December 11, 2020
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(Office of Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09)) Bipartisan legislation will provide tax credits for the production of renewable chemicals — U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) have introduced the Renewable Chemicals Act, legislation that will create an allocated tax credit for production of qualifying renewable chemicals from biomass
December 9, 2020
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Reps. David McKinley, R-W.V., and Marc Veasey, D-Texas, on Dec. 3 introduced the Accelerating Carbon Capture and Extending Secure Storage through 45Q (ACCESS 45Q) Act. The bill extends the date for projects to begin construction to claim the 45Q tax credit for carbon oxide sequestration
December 8, 2020
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by Ben Nuelle (AgriPulse) … Carbon sequestration payments to farmers is something said to be on the table for the incoming Biden administration as a path to address emissions reduction. Duvall said any potential program should be a market-based system and “definitely” has to be voluntary. “(Producers) are more than willing
December 7, 2020
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by Senators Tom Udall (D-N) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) (New York Times) One hundred years ago, Congress passed the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, setting up a system in which companies lease public lands to wrest valuable oil and gas from the ground. In the century since, the royalties and rent
December 3, 2020
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