by Bob Dinneen (The Hill) As the days grow longer and the mercury rises, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should take action to eliminate an irrational summertime regulation that hurts both farmers and millions of Americans who drive a car. This double
by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) ... Faced with some actual governmental actions that were detrimental to gasoline/diesel dominance, instead of the virtual carte blanche pro-petroleum fuel policies that they usually receive from the government, the petroleum oil industry is
by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biomass Magazine) ... I can tell you firsthand that for the first time in four years, both House and Senate staff are pushing all stakeholders to come to the table to discuss RFS reform. In a
by Ben Wolfgang (The Washington Times) Ethanol’s rise over the past decade has given birth to an under-the-radar market: Americans who are willing to travel miles out of their way and pay significantly more per gallon for ethanol-free fuel. Like locally
by Bruce Dale (Detroit News) Regarding “Renewable Fuel Standard has failed, April 16,” Prof. Wolfram has failed to do his homework. The corn grown to make ethanol is not the same as sweet corn we eat. Field corn is used for
by Ralph Kauffmann (Kokomo Tribune) ... So many of these factors can take a big chunk out of my bottom line, and at the same time, so many of these factors are completely out of my control. But the Renewable Fuel
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) EPA got caught in a cross-fire of skepticism at the D.C. Circuit Monday over its use of general waiver authority to lower RFS volumes for 2016, Pro's Eric Wolff reports . The RFS typically defies
by Michael Schneider (Oil Price Information Service) Supporters and opponents of biofuels expressed predictably contrasting viewpoints during a teleconference held today by EPA's Office of Air and Radiation (OAR). The call was held to solicit input on regulations OAR oversees that could
by Daniel A. Lane and Joel A. Stone (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... As the market for gasoline grew, a shortage soon developed for the lighter fractions of crude oil. This shortage led to the development of the catalytic cracker, which breaks
(National Biodiesel Board) Americans for Clean Energy, et al., v. Environmental Protection Agency -- Today the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for
by Patrick C. Miller (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Is the growth in shale oil production a potential boost for ethanol? The theory goes that because the light crude produced from fracked shale produces lower-octane gasoline, greater oil production from shale will translate
by Ben Neulle (Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network) Gasoline consumed in the United States in 2016 contained more than 10 percent ethanol on average for the first time ever. This is according to an analysis of U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data. Rachel
by Brian Scheid and Meghan Gordon (Platts) Have refiners' hopes for a quick rollback of the US biofuel mandate by the Trump administration fizzled out? The industry judged two early appointments as signs of the president's willingness to reform the Renewable
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) sent a letter today to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt urging him to keep the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) on track in 2018. “The ethanol industry was highly encouraged by your commitment to
by Colin Ley (AgFunder News) The closer you get to the commercialization of a development, the harder it becomes to raise capital, and recent government activities around the world are not making life easier for innovators, speakers at the World
(KTIC Radio) The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) submitted a public comment addressed to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt thanking him for establishing a Regulatory Reform Task Force to evaluate existing regulations and make recommendations regarding those that can be
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Developments in cellulosic ethanol technology are creating opportunities for American ethanol producers. Miloud Araba, head of Enogen® technical services at Syngenta, says cellulosic innovation could enable dry grind ethanol producers to meet the increasing Renewable Fuel Standard
by Dirck Steimel (Iowa Farm Bureau) ... Ethanol has all the elements of a superhero. Like most good superhero stories, ethanol has humble origins. Farmers in Iowa and other states built the first distilleries a few decades back to build an alternative
by Scott Irwin (Farm Doc Daily/University of Illinois) Previous farmdoc daily articles (e.g. January 28, 2015; February 11, 2016; March 1, 2017) have documented a "feast or famine" pattern in production profitability of the U.S. biodiesel production industry. The feast or
by David Shepardson (Reuters) A trade group for automakers said on Tuesday it hopes to reach a deal with California and the Trump administration over vehicle fuel efficiency standards. Mitch Bainwol, chief executive of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a trade group
by Tim Devaney (The Hill) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is searching for Obama-era regulations to repeal. The EPA’s regulatory reform task force, established by President Trump’s Feb. 24 executive order, is seeking public input on which rules to roll back,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In our March Madness series, we’ve been covering emerging markets and technological pathways – now we turn to two other key drivers, market access and carbon pricing. There are two approaches — volumetric mandates and carbon
by Chris Prentice and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters/KFGO) Billionaire investor Carl Icahn's oil refining company, CVR Energy, made a massive bet in 2016 that prices for U.S. government biofuels credits would fall - just before Icahn started advising President Donald Trump
by Patrick Anderson (Argus Leader) President Donald Trump has never tweeted about ethanol. In the course of tens of thousands of posts on his social media platform of choice, the president has posted about oil about 150 times, about Rosie
by Ben Geman (Axios-Axios Generate) Axios' Amy Harder asked an administration official about the prospects of a carbon tax, given that it has been rumored as a possible policy the White House could embrace. The official said the biggest reason it
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the Main Street Energy Alliance has launched to urge the Environmental Protection Agency to resist the efforts of a small group of special interests including Valero, Monroe Energy and investor Carl Icahn who
by Jessie Stolark (Energy and Environmental Study Institute) Are we using the right tools to understand land use change, particularly at the local level, and how can understanding of land use change be improved? The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has been around
by Steve White (Nebraska.TV) Pres. Trump says he wants to end job–killing regulations on ethanol, and area farmers suggest a good place to start. “Allow E15 to be sold as normal gasoline, moving forward with that is going to be great for
by Jim Lynch (The Detroit News) Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx said he believes a rollback of fuel efficiency standards for cars would be a mistake, and that the regulatory framework for self-driving cars suggested under President Barack
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) Oil companies, gas station operators and other organizers of the just-launched Main Street Energy Alliance wanted to speak with a single voice in the intensifying wonky debate over which types of companies should be responsible
by Bob Cleaves (Biomass Power Association/Biomass Magazine) More than 100 million trees across California, many located in the federally managed Sierra, Stanislaus and Sequoia National Forests, are dead, owing to a years-long drought and a nasty bark beetle infestation. As many
by Ron Kotrba (Biomass Magazine) U.S. imports of biomass-based diesel hit extreme heights in 2016, fulfilling a third of the consumption market, driving the domestic biodiesel industry to more actively seek counteracting measures to protect its own investments. --
by John Lippert (Bloomberg) Smith leads effort to position standards as security issue; Group calling for electric vehicles, U.S. oil production -- To get Donald Trump to come around to tougher fuel-economy standards, a corporate titan is calling in the troops
by Neil Kohler (MagicValley.com/Pacific Ethanol) In his March 26 letter, Mr. Chamberlain went from 100 percent right to 100 percent wrong in just a few short words. As he correctly noted, refiners should not be permitted to rewrite the Renewable
(Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Urban Air Initiative is calling the results of a new Coordinating Research Council emissions study “one more example of the biased and flawed testing procedures used to penalize ethanol.” The ethanol advocacy group said Wednesday CRC’s match
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Leaders Tout Potential Growth, Challenges for Renewable Refinery Products -- ... Whether it is spoons, Coke bottles or carpets made out of corn, livestock enzymes for pharmaceuticals, or John Deere tractors using soy oil
by Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) (The Hill) Six billion gallons. That is the approximate amount of ethanol produced in Iowa and Illinois each and every year. It is more than the annual gasoline equivalent production of
by Valerie Volcovici (Reuters) Several Democratic senators pressed billionaire investor Carl Icahn on Monday to clarify his role as an adviser to President Donald Trump, saying his position in the administration raised "alarming" questions about potential conflicts of interest with his
by Jarrett Renshaw and Chris Prentice (Reuters) ... But the incident in Iowa underscores the growing risk of another serious accident along with the increasing volume of the biofuel being moved in unit trains that are mile-long with about 100
by Dave VanderGriend (Urban Air Initiative/Ethanol Producer Magazine) For decades, the U.S. EPA has insisted that it gets to decide how much ethanol can be used in gasoline. If ethanol producers want higher ethanol blends sold to ordinary (nonflex-fuel) vehicles,
by Doug Durante (Clean Fuels Development Coalition/Biofuels Digest) The recent announcement that the Trump Administration was taking another look at Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards was a welcome reality check for what is a complex and multi-layered issue. There was
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There are six oddly-named streams in the bioeconomy, and it reminds one of the nomenclature of subatomic quarks. There is upstream, midstream, downstream, main-stream, waste-stream, and slip-stream. But of all the streams, perhaps there is
(California Air Resources Board) CARB votes to move forward with greenhouse gas reductions and zero emission programs through 2025; action sets the table for accelerating programs post-2025 -- Today (March 24, 2017) California re-affirmed its commitment to clean air, protecting
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) U.S. oil refining executives met with a senior official in President Donald Trump's administration at the White House last week to argue their position for an overhaul of the nation's biofuels program, two people in the
by Stephanie Mercier (Farm Journal Foundation/AgWeb) This blog will present the author’s perspective on a wide range of timely agricultural policy topics, touching on both domestic and international issues. ... The long term answer, that ultimately ethanol will primarily be produced from inedible
by Kelsey Quargnenti (Renewable Fuels Association) This month the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) hit a major milestone with its Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) training program on Preventive Controls for Animal Food. During the latest course, offered in early March in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Over at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, new lab director Martin Keller told the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association that “renewable energy needs a new story to tell.” The Denver Business Journal’s Cathy Proctor reported
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) March 21 represents the end of the 60-day freeze period on new regulations pending review, implemented by the incoming U.S. administration Jan. 20. Among the regulations on hold during the two-month freeze period was the
by Jordan Lubetkin (National Wildlife Federation) Millions of acres of wildlife habitat are being lost to crop production, according to a new peer-reviewed study published today in the journal Environmental Research Letters, which found a strong link between the location
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... There’s a theory going around that biofuels are “government fuels” — and prices are set around a table in Washington, DC. But if you visit the big biodiesel and ethanol firms, you’ll see right
by Tom Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) National Farmers Union called for the U.S. EPA to open the market to higher blends of ethanol in a landmark resolution passed during the group’s annual meeting held last week in San Diego. "National Farmers
(Ethanol Producer Magazine) Nearly two dozen U.S. senators have signed a letter advising President Trump not to change the federal biofuels program's longtime compliance protocol. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., today led 23 senators in a bipartisan
by Zachary Mider and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Special adviser to president urges change in EPA rule; ‘It’s bothersome that one guy can control RIN markets’ -- Carl Icahn, the billionaire investor and adviser to President Donald Trump, said he’s betting
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s up at the DOE? Bioenergy Technologies Office Director Jonathan Male answered the question in this update, given at ABLC 2017 in Washington. In this deck, he looks at milestones ahead, programs, goals and challenges.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the High Octane Alliance called the Trump Administration’s recall the fuel economy rule “an important first step in achieving realistic reductions in fuel consumption.” Alliance Chairman Tom Daschle said the recall was necessary due
(Bergeson & Campbell) On March 9, 2017, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies) published a report entitled Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology, prepared by the Committee on Future Biotechnology Products and Opportunities to Enhance Capabilities
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) ... Glenn Coffee and Crystal Coon, through their firm, Coffee Group, filed paperwork this week with Congress to represent Oklahoma-based gasoline station and convenience store owner QuikTrip Corp. on issues related to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Pruitt
by Ryan Beene (Bloomberg) Regulator report shows U.S. fleet to fall below mileage target; Results may feed debate over Obama auto-efficiency standards -- Cars and light trucks from the 2016 model year will be the first to fall short of U.S.
(Public Citizen) Carl Icahn and His Businesses Haven’t Registered As Lobbyists Yet Continue to Influence Government Policy -- Icahn Enterprises, CVR Energy and their related affiliates appear to be in violation of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (LDA), according
by Jennifer A Dlouhy, Ari Natter, and Bill Allison (Bloomberg) Investor Carl Icahn is also unpaid adviser to White House; Value of Icahn CVR Energy stake grew after biofuel deal -- Carl Icahn’s stake in a Texas refiner grew by as
(National Biodiesel Board) Industry Leaders Showcase biodiesel benefits with key influencers -- When it comes to American biodiesel, jobs and economic opportunities are the hot tickets. In town from across the nation, biodiesel industry leaders are meeting with key influencers
(Argus Media) No one profits from credits used to track compliance with US biofuel mandates, Motiva chief executive Dan Romasko said today, wading into a controversy that has split the industry. Refinery margins rise and fall to offset the cost of
by Chris Prentice (Reuters/Yahoo!) A government watchdog group, Public Citizen, said on Wednesday it will ask lawmakers to investigate whether billionaire investor Carl Icahn should have been subject to lobbying disclosure laws when he advised President Donald Trump to overhaul
by Jonathan H. Harsch (Agri-Pulse) Ethanol already supplies over 10 percent of the U.S. gasoline market and the fuel’s share is growing. Yet Congressman Bill Flores, who wants to see ethanol capped at 9.7 percent of the market, is holding back on
by Susan Olson (BioCycle Magazine) Because of an all-time high waiver credit value paired with strong advanced RIN prices, renewable natural gas could fetch $35/MMBtu in 2017. Since 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has mandated the blending of renewable fuels
(Office of Congressman Adrian Smith) Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA) reintroduced legislation today to broaden fuel choices for retailers and consumers by expanding the existing waiver of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations related to the Reid
by Mike Hughlett (Star Tribune) With production on the rise, there's anxiety over unknown policy shifts. -- ... While there are positive indicators for 2017 — corn prices are forecast to be stable and the federal mandate for ethanol production
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) The Governors' Biofuels Coalition on Monday asked President Donald Trump to support a number of changes to federal law to support biofuels production. In a letter signed by Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, chairman of
(Ethanol Producer Magazine) A bipartisan trio of Senators introduced a bill today that would extend the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver to ethanol blends above 10 percent, a move that would give E15 year-round market presence. Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Joe
by Paul Winters (Biotechnology Innovation Organization/The Wichita Eagle) Kansans deserve a clear picture of the Renewable Fuel Standard’s future, and a recent letter did the RFS a disservice (“Winners, losers in U.S. fuel policy,” Feb. 17 Letters to the Editor). Though
by Andy Eubank (Hoosier Ag Today) Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly (D) joined Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to introduce the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act last week, a bill that would effectively allow the sale of
by Chris Prentis and Jennifer Ablan (Reuters/Yahoo!Finance) The head of the Renewable Fuels Association says billionaire investor Carl Icahn told him last week President Donald Trump was about to issue an order overhauling the U.S. biofuels program - something both
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) Carl Icahn was the administration official who called Bob Dinneen, CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, and told him an executive order changing the Renewable Fuel Standard is on the way, Dinneen told Reuters. Dinneen
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ABLC guests heard Governor Paul LePage from Maine invite all of us to his beautiful Northern state that has many existing and promising biomass projects and even backyard farms that grow tomatoes year round
(Biofuels International) Growth Energy has released economic analysis that it says “identifies numerous problems” associated with changing the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) point of obligation. The US ethanol trade body strongly supports EPA’s proposed denial to move the point of obligation. “Changing the
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Amid an animated discussion of policy issues, one item gained the support of all five panelists: publication of the Renewable Fuels Standard renewable volume obligations for 2017 and 2018 by June, on schedule. Moderated by
(U.S. Department of Energy) With joint funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Strategic Programs, Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), and Vehicle Technologies Office, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) published a report titled Analyzing the Impacts of a Biogas-to-Electricity
by Michael McAdams (Biomass Magazine) ... First, we must finalize the 2017 renewable volume obligation (RVO) rule for the RFS program. Second, we must push for the 2018 mandates to be published before the Nov. 30 deadline to send a strong
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) (R)umors of a deal surfaced between the Renewable Fuels Association and Carl Icahn, shifting renewable fuel obligations away from oil refiners, in return for Icahn’s support for a Reid Vapor Pressure waiver for E15 ethanol that
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The comment period for the U.S. EPA’s rule revisions to the renewable fuel standard (RFS) have closed, with 254 comments posted to regulations.gov regarding the Renewables Enhancements and Growth Support Rule, dubbed REGS. ... In its
(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... The main argument of the petitioners is that they are paying for millions of dollars of RINs to meet their RFS obligations, and that this is somehow unfair and inequitable. Yet, a review
by Josh Pedrick (Platts) The US ethanol market is ready to stand without support from government regulations and the Renewable Fuel Standard should be repealed, Chet Thompson, president of the American Fuel and Petrochemicals Manufacturers organization, said this week in an
by Stephen Rapundalo (Morning Consult/MichBio) The United States Department of Agriculture just dropped a truth bomb. According to the agency’s new landmark report, the carbon benefits associated with homegrown ethanol have far surpassed previous expectations and continue to improve thanks
by Timothy P. Carney (Washington Examiner) ... Ethanol mandate champions, such as Obama Agriculture Secretary and former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack started worrying aloud in December that Trump might abandon the ethanol mandate. The letter President Trump just sent to the National
by Lauren Tyler (NGT News) The Sierra Club has filed a notice of intent to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its failure to conduct the required environmental impact analysis on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), effectively violating Section
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) ... Now, representatives of two ag groups previously at odds over the RFS say they have moved on. The reason, they say, is that the 5 billion bushels of corn demand created by U.S.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Looking to better understand the outlook for the US ethanol industry, but lack the time to wade through the entire 40-page Ethanol Outlook 2017 from RFA (which is right here, for download, in complete form)? Well,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Also appearing this week from the The Urban Air Initiative and several partners were filed comments with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that disrupts the agency’s current rationale for controlling ethanol blends under the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Let’s look at the letter behind the headlines. “Rest assured that your president and this administration values the importance of renewable fuels to America’s economy and to our energy independence. As I emphasized throughout my campaign,
(Green Car Congress) UNICA, Brazil’s Sugarcane Industry Association, has noted with potential concern that a current EPA proposal that would allow, among other things, biofuel producers to partially process renewable feedstocks at one facility and further process them into renewable
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Though there is angst in rural America about the future of the Renewable Fuel Standard and agriculture trade in particular, the leader of the nation's largest ethanol interest group told an ethanol industry
by Rachel Gantz (Renwable Fuels Association) Today (February 17, 2017), five Senators, led by Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), sent a letter to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, asking him to address EPA’s volatility regulation that makes it more difficult to sell ethanol blends
(NATSO/PR Newswire) Truck Drivers, Railroads, Highway Users, Renewable Fuel Groups and Fuel Retailers Unified in Opposition to Fuel Program Changes -- As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) public comment period on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) closes today, NATSO is
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) Trump sent a letter to the National Ethanol Conference Tuesday again reiterating support for renewable fuels and the Renewable Fuel Standard, Pro's Eric Wolff reports. "Rest assured that your president and this administration value
by Mike Schoonveld (Outdoor News) ... The new administration ran on a plank of rolling back or eliminating federal regulations. It would make sense for the Renewable Fuel Standards’ ethanol mandate to be one of the first to go. Groups representing boaters,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In June 2011, the Secretaries of Agriculture, Energy, and Navy signed MOU to commit $510M (up to $170M from each agency) to produce hydrocarbon jet and diesel biofuels in the near-term. This initiative sought to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (S)omething less than $200 million has been so far positively and affordably earmarked by lenders to revolutionize the entire supply chain of US air transportation fuels. Which is to say, you can just about get
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The ethanol industry sees one-pound waiver for E15 as a no-brainer. -- Perplexed about why E15 does not get a one-pound waiver? That’s a sign you clearly understand the issue, says Monte Shaw, Iowa
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) In comments submitted this week on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Renewables Enhancement and Growth Support (REGS) rule, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) said the proposal fails to address key regulatory barriers that are constraining growth
(Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... “We have a slogan in the renewable fuels family that says ‘Don’t mess with the RFS,’” said IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw. “Let me make this perfectly clear: changing the point of obligation is
by Merle Pochop (Argus Leader) ... Currently, stakeholders have a say in how the current RFS is operated through their congressional delegates since the program is overseen by federal lawmakers. However, in 2022, the RFS will be handed over entirely to the
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer/AgFax) In a point-by-point answer to a number of plaintiffs who filed suit challenging how the Renewable Fuel Standard is implemented, attorneys for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contend in a legal brief filed on
by David Shepardson, Timothy Gardner and Richard Valdmanis (Reuters) Staff at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have been told that President Donald Trump is preparing a handful of executive orders to reshape the agency, to be signed once a new administrator
by Rick Fox (Ohio Ethanol Producers Association/The Courier) ... Back in 1996, well before the Renewable Fuel Standard was ever implemented, corn was $3.67 a bushel. Today it is $3.64 a bushel. Why? Thanks to technology and improvements in farming practices, farmers are
by Tim Meko and Laris Karklis (The Washington Post) There are more than 900,000 active oil and gas wells in the United States, and more than 130,000 have been drilled since 2010, according to Drillinginfo, a company that provides data and
by David Hallberg (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Urban Air Initiative) Candid discussions at the Health Effects Institute offer hope ethanol's positive emissions profile will be taken seriously, writes a UAI advisor and Siouxland Ethanol board member in the Clearing the Air column
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) A biofuels group and two petroleum interest groups have asked a federal appeals court to review the final 2017-2018 biodiesel volumes in the Renewable Fuels Standard published in the Federal Register. A handful of
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) Senate Democrats are investigating the role that President Trump’s adviser Carl Icahn is playing in setting the administration’s ethanol policy. The Democrats are concerned that Icahn, a prolific investor whose holding company owns more than 80
by Nicolas Loris (DownsizingGovernment.org/The Heritage Foundation) ... The problem is not with the voluntary use of biofuels in the marketplace, but rather policies that mandate and subsidize biofuels. ... Congress should end its intervention in the biofuels industry. It should terminate subsidies
by Jessie Stolark (Energy and Environmental Study Institute) The Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), in the Office of Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy (EERE), released its updated strategic plan in January. Revised every five years, the strategic plan refreshes and
(National Corn Growers Association) Members of the National Corn Growers Association’s Ethanol Action Team (ETHAT) gathered last week in Savannah, Ga. to review programs aimed at expanding demand for corn ethanol. “Our agenda covered topics from fuel dispenser infrastructure to
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The comment periods on two U.S. EPA proposals that impact the renewable fuel standard (RFS) close later this month. Members of the public have until Feb. 16 to weigh in on the agency’s proposed
by Jim Talent (Americans for Energy Security and Innovation/Belleville News-Democrat) When Illinois farmers sell wheat, rye or oats on the open market, they can rightly expect that supply and demand will set the price, with no interference from foreign cartels
by Mark Drewes (The Courier) The irony of a recent letter from a think tank policy analyst was compelling. In a reference to the EPA, Greg Lawson (letter, Feb. 6) states that they should discontinue the one size fits all policy
by Mario Parker (Bloomberg) Association of American Railroads argues against Icahn efforts; Renewable fuel paper credits trading at one-week high -- U.S. railroads, including Warren Buffett’s BNSF, are joining a corporate brawl over ethanol mandates that pits American corn farmers and fuel
by Rachel Gantz (Renewable Fuels Association/Biofuels International) ... Some of the largest markets in 2016 were China, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and India, and with more countries around the world recognising the numerous benefits of ethanol, we expect US ethanol exports
(WNAX) Oral arguments have been set for April 24 in a Washington D.C. appeals court where biofuel groups claim the EPA has mismanaged the renewable fuel standard. Renewable Fuels Association Senior Vice President Geoff Cooper says they’re arguing the EPA
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) Auto dealers are joining the call from carmakers for President Trump to roll back his predecessor’s aggressive vehicle emissions rules. At the group’s annual meeting in New Orleans, leaders and members of the National Automobile Dealers
(Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner) Today (January 31, 2017), Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner introduced two bills aimed at reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and the national biofuels mandate. Taken together, these bills call for the additional study and evaluation of our ever-increasing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... And it (the history of fracking) reminds us that one of the great tipping points for world civilization is when technology liberates a value great enough that the fear of the risk fades for
by Barbara Schaal (Science Magazine) ... President Trump should include credible scientists in the administration—at all levels and in all federal agencies—not individuals who reject proven science on issues of critical public importance such as vaccines or climate change.
(Urban Air Initiative) Stakeholders including the states of Kansas and Nebraska joined the Urban Air Initiative (UAI) and the Energy Future Coalition as they petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to correct the agency’s flawed models that limit the use of
(Environmental Defense Fund) Oil and gas operators needlessly waste hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of methane, the main component of natural gas every year through leaks and intentional venting and flaring. This lost American energy resource could be used to
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ethanol industry advocates believe the Trump administration will be friendlier to ethanol than the previous one. -- Last fall, a few weeks before the 2016 presidential election, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob
(Platts) Renewable Identification Numbers traded at 14-month lows Wednesday following news that the Environmental Protection Agency will delay implementation of 30 regulations until March 21, despite industry groups saying 2017 blending mandates are unlikely to change. "When a market is heavily
by Jarrett Renshaw and Chris Prentice (Reuters) BNSF Railway Co will start offering discounts to ethanol shippers this April if they agree to use new, safer train cars, as it pushes to scrub puncture-prone ones from its rail lines at a
by David Williams (Houston County News/Lacrosse Tribune) ... Billionaire investor and Trump confidant Carl Icahn is requesting changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard, the federal law requiring gasoline manufacturers to incorporate renewable fuels into their blends. Coincidently, Icahn would reap
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) ... Every drop of biofuels required by RFS to diversify the U.S. transportation fuel supply means the oil industry loses money through lost market share and its responsibilities as an obligated party in the program. “Money
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) The Renewable Fuels Association said on Tuesday it does not expect a procedural delay to the implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency's Renewable Fuels Standard to lead to any significant change to the rule itself. ... "The deadline
by Mario Parker and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Environmental, Energy nominees have criticized ethanol law; President expressed support for $24 billion industry -- ... (Carl) Icahn, who owns a majority stake in independent refiner CVR Energy Inc., is lobbying the
by Karyn Jones (EcoEngineers/Biodiesel Magazine) The U.S. EPA’s proposed Renewables Enhancement and Growth Support rule, published in the federal register Nov. 16, proposes a wide-range of regulatory and compliance changes that affect the renewable fuel standard (RFS) and the entire range
by Robert Rapier (Forbes) ... Trump’s pick to head the EPA -- Scott Pruitt -- has repeatedly fought against the RFS. As EPA Administrator, Pruitt would have the authority to invoke a waiver to lower the volume of ethanol that
by Ilari Kauppila (Biofuels International) US President Donald Trump has selected former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue to serve as the Secretary of Agriculture. Perdue previously ran a grains and fertiliser company, and said he was chosen based on his business and
by Valerie Volcovici, Timothy Gardner and Chris Prentice (Reuters) Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, said on Wednesday he would honor the intent of the U.S. biofuels program, but remained open
(Forum News Service/The Daily Journal) Minnesota’s plant-based fuel industries of ethanol and biodiesel are success stories, but their future depends on the new Trump administration. “We are a little nervous,” Assistant Commissioner Andrea Vaubel of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... This Administration is a team, so long as you generally understand that there’s one guy with the ball, he’s calling all the plays, and members of the Cabinet can block and tackle and get to
(Environmental Protection Agency) On January 18, 2017, EPA issued a notice of opportunity to comment on the Agency’s analysis of the greenhouse gas emissions attributable to the production and transport of sugar beets for use as a biofuel feedstock. The
(Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group) ... Throughout his campaign for President, Trump repeatedly pledged his support for biofuels and the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Indeed, it is this support that helped Trump win in key Midwestern battleground states, including
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) U.S. environmental regulators have denied a request from oil refiners to waive some of their advanced biofuels use requirements from 2016, in what is likely to be one of the Obama administration's final decisions on the
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) During the second half of more than six hours of questioning for Scott Pruitt, the EPA pick said he saw no reason to review the agency’s 2009 endangerment finding, the scientific conclusion that climate
(Gevo) Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ:GEVO), announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) has approved the pathway for isobutanol produced at Gevo’s Luverne, MN plant to be an advanced biofuel under the Renewable Fuel Standard Program (“RFS”). This is the first
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) Railroads and truckers are joining the fight to leave refiners as the obligated party under the Renewable Fuel Standard. As ME readers are keenly aware, a few independent refiners, led by Valero and Carl
by Chris Kahn (Reuters/Ipsos) More than 60 percent of Americans would like to see the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's powers preserved or strengthened under incoming President Donald Trump, and the drilling of oil on public lands to hold steady or drop,
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) A USDA report this week showing corn ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 43% compared to gasoline, came with a silver lining for a Washington, D.C., group that has been pressing the U.S. Environmental
by Lauren Tyler (Next-Gen Transportation News) The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has announced its support for the EPA administrator’s determination that the adopted light-duty vehicle greenhouse-gas (GHG) emission standards for model years 2022-2025 are appropriate. In 2012, CARB agreed to a
by David Williams (The Gilmer Mirror) Incoming President Donald Trump's promise to "drain the swamp" is getting an early test from one of his closest friends. Billionaire investor and Trump confidant Carl Icahn is requesting changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard,
by Chelsea Harvey (The Washington Post) How we view the costs of future climate change, and more importantly how we quantify them, may soon be changing. A much-anticipated new report, just released by the National Academy of Sciences, recommends major
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the Competitive Enterprises Institute has put forth proposals for the next session of Congress including freezing the Renewable Fuel Standard below the blend wall while setting a sunset period for 2022. The CEI
by Brent Snavely and Nathan Bomey (Detroit Free Press) The U.S. EPA said Thursday it notified Fiat Chrysler Automobiles of Clean Air Act violations for the diesel emissions of 104,000 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs and Ram 1500 EcoDiesel pickups, a move that immediately
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy has signed a final determination, finding that the light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for Model Years 2022-2025, adopted in 2012, are feasible and appropriate under section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act and do
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