by Mark K. Matthews (E&E News) If they stay true to their campaign rhetoric, the class of freshman House Republicans won't be leading any revolutions next year on the issue of climate change. ... In a few cases, there are reasons for climate activists
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) Voters in Washington state on Tuesday rejected a proposed carbon tax that would have been the first such levy in the nation. The policy would have been an effort to fight climate change by mandating that companies using or selling fossil
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) With Democrats preparing to run the House, here's how the committee leadership shuffle is expected to work out. — Energy and Commerce Committee: New Jersey Democrat Frank Pallone will grab the gavel of this panel with
by Humeyra Pamuk and P.J. Huffstutter (Reuters) ... Some of the nation’s 3.2 million farmers and ranchers, traditionally staunch Republicans, are wavering in this election because of the trade dispute with China, the main buyer of U.S. soybeans and pork, interviews with
by Nithin Coca (Sustainable Brands) Next month’s election could potentially be historic for Washington State, where voters will have the choice of enacting the first-in-the-nation carbon fee — a concrete measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state. Measure 1631
by Jeremy Fugleberg (Sioux Falls Argus Leader) Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will visit South Dakota on Thursday morning. An initial schedule from the Department of Agriculture indicates Perdue will visit several locations in the Sioux Falls area. He will: Tour the
(WNAX) This week, the Environmental Protection Agency published its rule making agenda for 2019 and in it said they’’ll start the rulemaking process for year-round use of E15 in February of next year. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper
by Chris Clayton and Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Leading into President Donald Trump's trip to Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Tuesday, a senior White House official said Tuesday that the president has directed the Environmental Protection Agency to create a
by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) President Donald Trump on Monday hinted at a possible upcoming trip to Iowa to announce "something very important" while touting a new U.S. trade deal with Canada and Mexico. The comments came as Trump thanked Sen. Joni Ernst
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... What this country — and every country — needs is a bigger vision so that the friends of energy security are not divided by their differences on technology or feedstock but are united toward a
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The White House is considering imposing restrictions on trading of biofuel credits, hoping to discourage speculation and reduce costs for oil refiners to comply with U.S. biofuels policy, according to three sources familiar with the discussions. ... The move
by Marianne Lavelle and Dan Gearino (Inside Climate News) Governors have the power to set the agenda on renewable energy or throw up roadblocks to its progress. It's become an issue in several races this year. -- Some of the most consequential elections
by Chad Moyer (KTIC Radio) Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) has been recognized as a 2018 High Octane Champion by Renewable Fuels Nebraska, the trade association for Nebraska’s ethanol industry. The award was developed by the RFN membership as a way to
by Bob Bowman (Clinton Herald) The ethanol industry is critical to the Midwest, supporting thousands of jobs and adding billions of dollars to our economy. It also drives corn demand at a time when Iowa farm family income is at the
In a Time Magazine article, Justin Worland reminds us that "For many farmers, Trump appears to have sided with the oil industry, which they believe exerts undue influence on ethanol policy. It’s an argument that Trump himself once used when
by Justin Worland (Time Magazine) On the campaign trail, Donald Trump made two big promises: renegotiating free trade agreements and helping corn growers by supporting ethanol. ... As tensions over trade have proven painful to Midwestern farmers in the short term, demands
by Francine McKenna (Market Watch) The Climate Risk Disclosure Act directs the SEC to issue rules that require every public company to disclose more on climate change exposure -- Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts is spearheading an effort by Democratic senators to bring
by Nick Sobczyk (E&E News) Democrats have long billed themselves as the party of climate science, and if they take back the House in November, they want to put global warming back on the congressional calendar. "It's the 800-pound gorilla," said Rep.
by Helena Bottemiller Evich, Catherine Boudreau and Liz Crampton (Politico) The Trump administration on Monday detailed how it will dole out $6.3 billion in aid to assist farmers stung by retaliatory tariffs — and it’s already sparking backlash from some sectors
"The good news is there is an opportunity in 2018 and 2020 for progressives to reconnect with rural voters in a meaningful way. It starts with more listening and far less political rhetoric. It will require an embrace of change
by Patty Judge (Des Moines Register/Focus on Rural America) ... Many of the political elites on the coasts have argued that progressives should simply write off the rural Midwest because it is too white, too old and too conservative to ever
by Rod Boshart (Sioux City Journal) Democratic gubernatorial candidate Fred Hubbell called out Gov. Kim Reynolds Saturday for not taking a more-aggressive public stance on behalf of Iowa farmers and rural interests being hurt by President Trump's trade war with China
by Andy Banker (KPLR11) Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill spent the primary election day visiting biofuel plants in Missouri. “Happy Primary Day,” McCaskill said while getting off her campaign bus to tour MidAmerica Biofuels in Mexico, Missouri. It was her last stop before heading
(WCAX) Both houses of Congress have passed their respective versions of the Farm Bill, a massive piece of legislation that affects farmers around the country. Now, a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, will try to come together to
by Chuck Abbott (Fern's Ag Insider) One-in-seven farmers who voted for President Trump in 2016 would not vote for him today, according to a poll released on Monday. The escalating trade war was the leading cause of erosion for Trump among
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This is the first of a two-part series in which we look at strategic shifts in global commodity prices and policies that could dramatically impact the outlook for biofuels, In this part, we look at grain
by Craig (CJ) Evans (American Diversified Energy Consulting Services/Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) More than almost any other industry, financing for the bioeconomy is heavily influenced by and, in many cases, reliant on favorable public policies. Everyone involved in the bioeconomy – companies, entrepreneurs,
by Hal Bernton (Seattle Times) Proponents of a Washington carbon-fee initiative showed up at the Secretary of State’s office in Olympia with more than 370,000 signatures to put their measure on the November ballot. The signatures tally for Initiative 1631 — backed
by Mark Hand (ThinkProgress) Democratic nominee Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has one of the most ambitious climate plans. -- An impressive list of anti-fossil fuel and pro-climate action candidates won party primaries on Tuesday night, indicating that environmental issues could receive greater attention in
by Robinson Meyer (The Atlantic) A new justice will likely weaken the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. -- ... With Kennedy gone, a more conservative Supreme Court could overhaul key aspects of the Clean Air Act, the
(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) New polling shows that voters across three Midwestern states are disappointed with Trump administration decisions they view as broken promises of support for local agriculture and renewable fuels industries. In a survey of voters in Iowa, Missouri and
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) President Donald Trump will campaign with GOP Rep. Kevin Cramer next week — a trip that could extinguish any lingering tensions between the White House and the Senate hopeful, after the president has treated
by Alexander C. Kaufman (Huffington Post) The Democratic National Committee voted over the weekend to ban donations from fossil fuel companies, HuffPost has learned. The resolution ― proposed by Christine Pelosi, a party activist and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s daughter
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is expected to travel to Kansas this morning, where he'll stop by East Kansas Agri-Energy's ethanol plant in Garnett. The trip comes a week after the White House quashed the release
by Matt Carr (The Hill/New Energy America) If I asked you the most important state for renewable energy, what comes to mind? Is it California? ... Let me make the case for a state that may not have immediately come to mind as
by Alan Bjerga and Mario Parker (Bloomberg) EPA chief seen as betraying Trump’s promises on biofuels; Trade tensions put demand for agricultural goods at risk -- Even as Donald Trump tweets his support for U.S. agriculture, farmer loyalty for the president looks like it’s starting
by Dave VanderGriend (Urban Air Initiative/ICM/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Urban Air Initiative President Dave VanderGriend says increasing the availability of ethanol blender pumps and higher blends will keep ethanol in the Midwest, pumping millions of dollars into the economy. -- ... The problem
by John Tsitrian (Rapid City Journal) ... And forgetting about soybeans for a minute, there's the matter of Trump administration policy on the ethanol mandate, aka the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), a major matter for corn producers. Trump's Environmental Protection
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Trump in a pickle: support his beleaguered EPA Administrator over oil refinery bailouts, or rally his Midwestern farm-state base? -- In Washington, Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa tweeted: “I’ve supported Pruitt but if he pushes changes to RFS
by Katie Rock (Des Moines Register/Center for Rural Affairs) Iowa’s future as a leader in renewable energy is on the ballot in 2018. As legislators head home and campaigns gear up for important primary elections, voters should call attention to key
(4-Traders) Congressman King Pledges Continued Biofuel Support to Iowa Renewable Fuels Association -- Congressman Steve King, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, released the following statement after meeting today with members of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association. During their meeting, Congressman
by David R. Baker (Seattle Times) ... Last week, the California Air Resources Board issued proposed changes that would delay some of the program’s targets, giving fuel providers more time to reach them. Instead of needing to cut the carbon intensity of
by Ben Guarino and Laurie McGinley (The Washington Post) ... “I absolutely feel that science is under attack,” (Joseph) Kopser said. “It’s the opposite of when John F. Kennedy said he wanted to get us to the moon in less than 10
As reported in a National Public Radio article, Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R) about the 2018 mid-term elections: "He recently warned Houston-area Republicans, 'The left is going to show up. They will crawl over broken glass in November to vote.'" READ
The biofuels-related portion of the 2018 election campaign season is off to a quick start with Jeff Broin, founder and CEO of POET, making a case for including the expansion of ethanol markets via year-round consumer choice of E15 across the
(The Fence Post/Hagstrom Report) Jeff Broin, founder and CEO of POET, the South Dakota company that builds and manages ethanol plants, brought his view that the government needs to authorize the sale of E15 blend year-round to a State of the
by James Osborne (Houston Chronicle) Attack on federal biofuels mandate provides chance to appeal to base -- ... But for the junior senator, facing re-election this year as Democrats show new swagger in the age of Trump, ethanol provides the chance to appeal
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