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(Solutions from the Land) Florida Rep. Kathy Castor told a group of farmers, ranchers and timber producers in her state Monday that responding to a changing climate must be a collaborative effort, drawing together producers, government agencies and academics to develop the steps needed for the agriculture sector to adapt
Federal Legislation
August 14, 2019
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by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) It’s fitting that the Cornhusker State should be an important player in the nation’s ethanol industry. Second only to Iowa in production, Nebraska’s ethanol industry has a big impact on the state’s economy. In addition to a strong corn-growing contingent, Nebraska has an impressive cattle
August 6, 2019
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by Cole Rosengren (Waste Dive) … The expiration of the ITC benefits in 2016, followed by the expiration of related production tax credits in 2017, are frequently cited as key limitations for financing new biogas infrastructure. While other incentives such as California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard have helped fill the gap for
August 5, 2019
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by Jason Ye (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions) There are various market-based approaches to pricing carbon (e.g. carbon tax, cap and trade, and a clean energy standard). All of these can reduce emissions cost-effectively while driving clean energy innovation. This factsheet compares six carbon tax and cap-and-dividend proposals introduced in the 116th
August 5, 2019
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by Clayton Coleman and Emma Dietz (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) A recent analysis published in Nature Energy found that continuing current fossil fuel subsidies would make it profitable to extract half of all domestic oil reserves. This could increase U.S. oil production by 17 billion barrels over the next few decades and emit
August 2, 2019
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by Elvina Nawaguna (Roll Call) The bill would set aside $1 billion to build charging and fueling stations for electric-, hydrogen- and natural gas-powered vehicles — A provision in the Senate’s surface transportation bill that would help pay for charging and refilling stations for zero- or low-emissions vehicles should also support more stations for biofuels
August 2, 2019
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by Ashley Halsey III and John Wagner (Washington Post) … The bill got pushback from Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), whose state is a major producer of ethanol, the corn-based product that is added to about 98 percent of gasoline. She objected to a provision to promote electric charging stations. “If all
August 1, 2019
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(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association has invited U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler to visit an ethanol plant as a follow-up to his tour of a Pennsylvania oil refinery. Wheeler was scheduled to visit Monroe Energy’s plant in Trainer, Penn., today at the invitation of Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA),
July 29, 2019
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by J.D. Prose (The Times) U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey is working to repeal the ethanol mandate with California Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein. The Restore Environmental Sustainability to Our Renewable Energy (RESTORE) Act would abolish the corn ethanol mandate in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “The ill-conceived RFS forces American motorists
July 29, 2019
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by Danny Richter (Citizen’s Climate Lobby) … First, Florida Republican Rep. Francis Rooney has introduced the bipartisan Stemming Warming and Augmenting Pay (SWAP) Act with cosponsor Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL). Together, these two representatives have also introduced the Raise Wages, Cut Carbon Act. Citizens’ Climate Lobby is pleased to see the introduction of these bipartisan
July 26, 2019
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(Office of Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX 35)) Today (July 18, 2019), U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Chair of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee and House Budget Committee Member, along with Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Chair of the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, together with several colleagues, introduced
July 19, 2019
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will consider 23 bills this morning on issues ranging from carbon capture to nuclear energy. Texas Sen. John Cornyn’s bill, S. 1685 (116), for one, would require DOE to establish a carbon capture technology research program, while
July 16, 2019
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The annual defense policy bill, H.R. 2500 (116) , passed Friday by the House now heads to conference, where lawmakers will have to work out their differences and overcome objections from the White House — particularly on toxic PFAS contamination. … The … Act would also
July 15, 2019
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(Office of Senatory Ed Markey (D-MA)) Will leverage $35 billion in public funds to fund as much as $700 billion in total investment into projects that support clean energy, reduce emissions — Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), members of the Environment and Public Works Committee, today introduced
July 12, 2019
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by Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) Republicans on Wednesday launched an environment-minded conservation caucus aimed at battling the perception that their party doesn’t care about climate change. Dubbed the Republican Roosevelt Conservation Caucus after National Park Service founder President Teddy Roosevelt, the bicameral group lists public land access, water quality and ocean
July 12, 2019
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by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump’s request for a review of the administration’s expanded use of biofuel waivers for oil refiners is holding up its decisions on 2018 applications, according to three sources familiar with the matter, two of whom said Trump may soon host a meeting on the
July 11, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Alternative Fuels & Chemicals Coalition advocates for public policy to promote the development and production of alternative fuels and chemicals, especially sustainable aviation fuels. It’s a collaborative government affairs effort formed just months ago in January 2019 and organized by Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton & American
July 11, 2019
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by Tara Golshan (Vox) Climate activists around the world are pushing governments to treat global warming as an emergency. — … On Tuesday, they got three prominent progressive allies in the United States to publicly join their cause: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-NY) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). The lawmakers
July 10, 2019
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(American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers) Today (July 8, 2019), AFPM launched an advertising campaign asking President Trump to keep his promise to protect U.S. refiners from unchecked ethanol mandates that threaten to kill our jobs. This campaign comes on the heels of increasing calls from the ethanol industry to eliminate small
July 9, 2019
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Rep. Francis Rooney, R-Fla., introduced legislation June 21 that aims to eliminate the Renewable Fuel Standard. Rooney cited the impact of ethanol on boat engines and the U.S. EPA’s rule to allow year-round E15 sales as the reasons for his action. The legislation, titled
July 2, 2019
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by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, introduced the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2019 on June 18. The bill extends several biofuel- and bioenergy-related tax credits. … According to information provided by Thompson’s
July 2, 2019
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by Josh Siegel (Washington Examiner) Mayors gathering for their annual meeting Monday approved a resolution urging Congress to pass carbon pricing legislation. It’s the first time the United States Conference of Mayors voted on a carbon pricing resolution. At least a few Republican mayors supported the proposal, although the vote tally was still
July 2, 2019
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by Dino Grandoni and Steven Mufson (Washington Post) … GM, like a fleet of other car manufacturers, is seeking the extension of a tax break that has for a decade helped sustain the sale of cars that need little to no gasoline to run. This has triggered an intense lobbying battle with oil and
June 26, 2019
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy)Presidential contenders lock horns tonight in Round One of the primary debates in Miami to prove they’re ready to take on President Donald Trump — and show Democratic voters they have a plan to fight climate change. Democratic National Committee chief Tom Perez said earlier
June 26, 2019
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(Office of Congressman Steve King (R-IA-4th) Legislation Recovers Volume Lost to Waivers by Increasing RFS Requirement Gallon -for-Gallon — Congressman Steve King releases this statement following his introduction of two bills that are designed to protect the volume requirements in the Renewable Fuels Standard from being undermined by the Environmental Protection Agency’s
June 25, 2019
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by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) House Ways and Means Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee Chairman Mike Thompson (D-CA) has introduced legislation to extend expired tax incentives, including the biodiesel tax incentive, which is scheduled for mark up Thursday June 20. The proposal would provide U.S. biodiesel producers certainty through 2020 and incentivize investment
June 19, 2019
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(Office of Senator Chris Coons (D-DE)) Financing Our Energy Future Act would give clean energy projects access to a tax advantage currently available only to oil, gas, and coal projects — U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA-05) and Ron Estes (R-KS-04) re-introduced bipartisan legislation to level
June 19, 2019
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(Office of Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)) Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and 15 of their collegues reintroduced the Carbon Pollution Transparency Act (S. 1745), legislation to ensure the federal government implements a science-based process to account for the cost of carbon pollution in regulations through a standard metric. The bill was
June 17, 2019
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by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Reps. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., and Ron Estes, R-Kan., reintroduced bipartisan legislation June 13 that aims to give investors in clean energy projects access to the use of master limited partnerships (MLPs). A MLP is a business
June 17, 2019
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by Jarrett Renshaw and Richard Valdmanis (Reuters) Two Midwest senators said on Friday they have introduced a bill to reform the Environmental Protection Agency’s opaque biofuel waiver program, which the corn industry says helps oil companies at the expense of farmers here by threatening ethanol demand. The bill, introduced by Republican Deb Fischer of
June 17, 2019
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(Office of Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO)) U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Rob Portman (R-OH) today reintroduced a bill to make it easier for power plants and industrial facilities to finance the purchase and installation of carbon capture, utilization, and storage equipment. “Reducing carbon pollution while creating good-paying jobs is something
June 12, 2019
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Reps. Abby Finkenauer, D-Iowa, and Josh Harder, D-Calif., authored a letter June 3 urging the House Ways and Means Committee to extend, and retroactively apply, several expired biofuel tax credits. The letter was signed by 17 additional members of the House. The letter specifically addresses
June 11, 2019
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by Dino Grandoni (Washington Post) The Green New Deal may be floundering in Washington. But it is alive and well in left-leaning states and cities across the country. From Maine to California, Democratic politicians have begun adopt the Green New Deal brand — a progressive movement to dramatically tackle climate change over the next decade
June 3, 2019
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by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) Illinois Democrat Tammy Duckworth asked the Environmental Protection Agency’s inspector general Thursday to investigate whether the agency broke the law in granting dozens of waivers to the oil industry to not blend corn ethanol into the gasoline supply. Duckworth said new documents show that EPA has
May 24, 2019
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by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Reps. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., and Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., introduced legislation May 23 that aims to increase transparency surrounding Renewable Fuel Standard small refinery exemptions (SREs) and ensure any waived volumes are reallocated. The bill, titled the “Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act of 2019,” would ensure key
May 24, 2019
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(Office of Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)) Legislation allows the use of biomass waste from certain federal lands in the making of renewable fuels — U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today introduced bipartisan legislation to allow the use of biomass from certain federal lands needing ecological restoration in the making of
May 24, 2019
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(Office of Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine)) The bipartisan bill authorizes $300 million over five years to reduce the cost of promising grid-scale energy storage systems, similar to DOE’s SunShot Initiative that decreased the price of solar by 75% — In order to accelerate the development of next-generation energy storage, U.S. Senators Susan
May 23, 2019
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(National Biodiesel Board) Congress can address the growing economic crisis in the agriculture sector, trade groups write — Thirteen trade groups representing farmers, rural lenders, crop and biobased oil producers, and biodiesel producers today wrote leaders of the House of Representatives and Senate, asking them to take action on bipartisan legislation to
May 23, 2019
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by Dave VanderGriend (Urban Air Initiative) Now that we are well into the current Congress, it is clear that many new members are riding in on a green wave with a renewed emphasis on climate, carbon and pollution. Committees in the House of Representatives are fighting for attention as they all
May 17, 2019
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by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The Trump administration made it easier for oil refineries to get waivers from the nation’s biofuel law at least four months before a 2017 court decision it often cites to justify the move to the corn lobby, and the move was motivated by a desire to save
May 16, 2019
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) CAPTURING HEARTS AND MINDS: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will dive into the Energy Department’s carbon capture, utilization and storage programs during a hearing this morning (May 16, 2019), where Assistant Energy Secretary for Fossil Energy Steven Winberg will testify. The panel
May 16, 2019
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by Matt Laslo (Vice News) … The same week the United Nations released a report stating that a million animal and plant species are on the verge of extinction, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Europe proclaiming that melting sea ice should be seen as an economic opportunity. “The Arctic
May 14, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … (C)onsider this for now a Digested summary of the (Washington, DC) news you can use, as short as we can make it so that we return you to the business of building the bioeconomy that will, increasingly in the now and surely in the
May 14, 2019
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by Nick Snow (Oil & Gas Journal) US Reps. Bill Flores (R-Tex.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) reintroduced legislation on May 7 which would limit ethanol quotas under the Renewable Fuel Standard to 9.7% of the total gasoline volumes projected to be sold in the coming year. H.R. 2540 recognizes negative impacts higher ethanol
May 10, 2019
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by Dean Scott (Bloomberg Environment) Senate Democrats home in on strategy for raising clean energy tax credits, highway bill reauthorization; Parallel effort on making infrastructure better resilient to climate change — … They are likely to score their biggest victories in two must-pass bills in the 116th Congress: a tax “extenders” package, in which
May 7, 2019
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and 25 colleagues introduced legislation May 2 that aims to overhaul the federal tax code and consolidate the current 44 energy incentives into three technology-neutral provisions that encourage clean electricity, clean transportation and energy efficiency. The bill, titled the Clean Energy
May 3, 2019
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(USA Today) It’s not as bold as the Green New Deal but House Democrats on Thursday are poised to adopt the most significant climate legislation in a decade: A bill that would prevent the Trump administration from exiting the international Paris Agreement aimed at global warming. The Climate Action Now Act “is a first step to get Congress off
May 2, 2019
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by Jennifer Rubin (Washington Post) A new report confirms that President Trump is causing the most pain in areas of the country that were the most supportive of his 2016 campaign. Personal income for farmers fell by the most in three years in the first quarter, as losses to U.S. agriculture mount
May 1, 2019
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by Dino Grandoni (Washington Post) It is one of most popular plans among economists for addressing climate change. Many Democrats have embraced it. Even some Republicans have come around to the idea. But a carbon tax is increasingly out of favor among left-wing climate activists, who are animating the push for a Green New
May 1, 2019
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(Atlantic News Telegraph) U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) introduced an amendment to H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, to extend tax credits for Iowa’s biodiesel, second generation biofuels and wind power industries. The Climate Action Now Act, which Rep. Axne has co-sponsored, would direct the President to develop a plan
May 1, 2019
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by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) Correcting Bad Revisionist History About Ford’s Model T Automobile — The most venerated automobile of all time is Henry Ford’s Model T. Nicknamed “Tin Lizzie,” “Leapin’ Lena,” and sometimes “Flivver,” the Model T went into production in 1908 and the last models rolled off the assembly
May 1, 2019
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by Donnell Rehagen (National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) … This past year we engaged with organizations like National Renderers Association, National Association of Truck Stop Operators, American Soybean Association, Petroleum Marketers of America, and many more. The National Biodiesel Board has strengthened its reach and relationships by increasing regular dialogue with our industry
April 17, 2019
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(National Air Transportation Association /Aviation Pros) The letters were jointly issued by the Air Line Pilots Association, Airlines for America, the Cargo Airline Association, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the NATA, the NBAA, and the Regional Airline Association — Today, the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) led a coalition of top aviation
April 17, 2019
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by Miranda Green (The Hill) A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill Thursday to increase federal funding toward developing carbon capture technology while also committing to fossil fuel use. Introduced by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee ranking member Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), the bill is being hailed as an important step to addressing
April 12, 2019
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by Jennifer McDermott (Associated Press) … Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, is targeting so-called “dark money” because he thinks opposition to addressing climate change in Congress is propped up by the fossil fuel industry. “If you kicked out that support, the opposition would fall,” said Whitehouse, who was sworn
April 12, 2019
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by Margaret Johnston* (Advanced Biofuels USA) On March 14th in Washington DC, I attended a Green New Deal Dialogue. Speakers came from all over the country to discuss possibilities of green growth, implementation strategies, and current (financial, racism, and energy) inequalities as well as others that may arise. The event
April 1, 2019
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(American Energy Society) Energy Policy – Beltway Buzz – The Senate voted on (and rejected) the Green New Deal; Majority Leader Mitch McConnell teased the vote for weeks, while Republicans railed against the proposal as socialism; however, liberal activists upended the conversation about climate change and forced both parties to respond
April 1, 2019
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by Miranda Green (The Hill) Democrats are putting the Green New Deal in the rearview mirror, but they’re not abandoning climate change legislation. Supporters of the progressive measure are shifting their sights away from passing a comprehensive plan to create green jobs and pursue 100 percent renewable energy by 2030. They are
March 28, 2019
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(Convenience Store Decisions) A high-octane standard for the U.S. gasoline market could be the fastest and most cost-effective way to enhance fuel efficiency for vehicles produced in the next few years. New reports published by the Fuels Institute analyze the market’s ability to deliver higher octane gasoline to consumers — and how it would
March 28, 2019
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) CARBON CAPTURE ON THE MIND: Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Don Beyer are set to talk carbon capture during a discussion today, where they will also reintroduce the “Healthy Climate and Family Security Act” — their cap-and-trade bill. Bill text. READ MORE
March 28, 2019
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) — The Green New Deal resolution sunk in the Senate on Tuesday. Now Senate Democrats will unveil their own Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, while House Republicans press ahead with their own push for a floor vote on the resolution. … The Senate may
March 27, 2019
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by Zack Colman and Anthony Adragna (Politico) Tuesday’s expected Senate vote rejecting the Green New Deal masks a striking reality: In a matter of months, liberal activists have upended the conversation about climate change among both parties in Washington. Democratic presidential candidates are rallying around calls from their base for immediate action
March 26, 2019
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by Zack Coleman (Politico) Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) is circulating a “Green Real Deal” resolution to counter the “Green New Deal” floated by Democrats, according to a draft copy obtained by POLITICO. The resolution acknowledges climate change as a threat to national security and says the government should promote innovation to reduce greenhouse
March 26, 2019
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by Jonathan L. Ramseur and Jane A. Leggett (Congressional Research Service) … Members of Congress and stakeholders articulate a wide range of perspectives over what to do, if anything, about GHG emissions, future climate change, and related impacts. If Congress were to consider establishing a program to reduce GHG emissions, one option would be to
March 25, 2019
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by Mike Naig and Dave Loebsack (Quad City Times) We may come from different political parties, but we share at least one common vision. Both of us strongly support renewable fuel, like biodiesel, for the vital role it plays in Iowa’s farm economy and job market, creating a cleaner environment, enhancing
March 21, 2019
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by Scott Waldman (E&E News) President Trump’s top economic adviser is not backing away from his belief that a carbon tax would be an effective way to address greenhouse gas emissions. Kevin Hassett, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, has expressed support for a carbon tax for years. In
March 21, 2019
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by Gerald F. Seib (Wall Street Journal) The U.S. Chamber of Commerce isn’t exactly a hotbed of pro-tax sentiment. So when the chamber advocates for a tax increase, it’s worth sitting up to take notice. That’s what’s happening now. Chamber President Thomas Donohue told Congress this month that the chamber advocates
March 21, 2019
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by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) …Collaborate with the automotive industry, the petroleum industry, fuel retailers and other stakeholders in the liquid fuels market to push for a national high-octane standard. “We’re advocating for a reasonable and manageable proposal—a new, national high-octane based fuel for all new vehicles,” said Dan
March 20, 2019
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by Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) (Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works/OurEnergyPolicy) Read the entire piece and comment! Senator Barrasso’s staff will be monitoring the discussion, and OurEnergyPolicy.org will prepare a discussion wrap-up for the Senator in two weeks. The Senator would like comments to the following questions: What should be the
March 19, 2019
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by Art Cullen (The Guardian) Here in farming country we have the opportunity to rethink our approach to renewable energy and food production — … Meanwhile, we’re losing our precious topsoil and polluting our rivers – killing the Gulf of Mexico in the process – as we chase ever-higher corn yields in
March 15, 2019
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by Jordain Carney (The Hill) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is setting up a fight over the Green New Deal later this month. McConnell, wrapping up the Senate’s work for the week, scheduled a procedural vote on the progressive resolution for after the chamber returns from a one-week recess. … McConnell initially
March 15, 2019
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) Youth activists concerned by the threat of climate change will skip class across more than 100 countries today to call for greater climate action. The U.S. effort is inspired by 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg, who held weekly strikes to protest outside the Swedish
March 15, 2019
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by Jordain Carney (The Hill) Senate Republicans will bring the Green New Deal resolution to the floor as they try to jam Democrats on the progressive proposal. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a member of Senate GOP leadership, said that he expected Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) would bring the resolution up for a vote the week
March 14, 2019
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by Yoel Fessahaye and Monica Medina (Our Daily Planet) The Green New Deal has been the subject of an avalanche of media coverage. But other than the bumper sticker labels that have been applied to it — Socialism, Communism, Unrealistic, Infeasible, Unaffordable — what exactly is it? That is the $64
March 13, 2019
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Republican-backed Climate Leadership Council says it will have GOP co-sponsors for its carbon price initiative in the third quarter. CLC Chief Executive Ted Halstead wouldn’t name names but said CLC is aiming at getting up to five Republicans to join the charge to put
March 12, 2019
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by Susan Cornwell (Reuters) Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday the U.S. Senate would vote in coming weeks on the “Green New Deal,” an ambitious Democratic environmental proposal that has become a lightning rod for Republican criticism. … Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa called it the “green raw deal” and
March 6, 2019
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by Marianne Lavelle (Inside Climate News) The contest is elevating climate policy conversations on the campaign trail and in Washington. It could inspire compromises that bring together pieces of each. … On one side are the student activists of the Sunrise Movement and Congress’s new young firebrands; on the other, more moderate groups, including grassroots
March 5, 2019
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by Coral Davenport and Sheryl Gay Stolberg (New York Times) Facing a showdown vote as early as this month over the embattled “Green New Deal,” Senate Democrats are preparing a counteroffensive to make combating climate change a central issue of their 2020 campaigns — a striking shift on an issue they
March 5, 2019
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by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On Feb. 28, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced legislation to extend 29 tax credits, including those that benefit producers of renewable diesel, second generation biofuels and bioenergy. According to information released by the Senate Committee on Finance,
March 1, 2019
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(Office of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)) Today (February 27, 2019), U.S. Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Chuck Grassley of Iowa introduced the Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act of 2019(S.581), legislation that would remove burdensome regulations on domestic energy production. “The Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act provides new economic opportunity for Kentucky farmers
March 1, 2019
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by Kelsey Taborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) The Louisiana lawmaker newly selected as the top Republican on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis has a lifetime score of 3 percent from the League of Conservation Voters but has also cited climate change as one issue where he differs with his
March 1, 2019
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(Solutions from the Land) …Unfortunately, the (Green New Deal) resolution comes with a lack of recognition for the importance of all forms of renewable energy. In focusing on no-carbon renewables like wind and solar, the measure fails to reference other near-term, low-cost, high-value renewable energy solutions like bioenergy. For example,
February 28, 2019
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by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) Senate Democrats remain divided on the Green New Deal as they face a vote on the nonbinding resolution before August recess. Their solution? Come up with something different. All 47 members of the Senate Democratic caucus are backing a resolution that urges Congress to
February 27, 2019
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(Washington Post) We favor a Green New Deal to save the planet. We believe such a plan can be efficient, effective, focused and achievable. The Green New Deal proposed by congressional Democrats does not meet that test. Its proponents, led by Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
February 26, 2019
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by Douglas L. Faulkner and Gerard J. Ostheimer (Biofuels Digest) Out of the climate change cacophony, two notes that ring true for us are: 1) No climate fixes can be made without improving the lives of those in distressed rural areas; and, 2) Bio-based fuels and chemicals are needed to spur de-carbonization
February 26, 2019
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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
February 22, 2019
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(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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