(Farm Progress) Perkins Cole, a law firm representing small U.S. refineries has urged the Environmental Protection Agency to keep refiners’ applications for waivers from the Renewable Fuel Standard secret from USDA, arguing that the petitions include confidential business information, according to BusinessWorld. A dozen Republican
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
Back TO HOMERFS Reset Plan from EPA Still Not Coming Soon
(DTN Progressive Farmer Washington Insider) The notice of proposed rulemaking for the reset of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is still a ways off as there are now additional meetings scheduled on the topic at the Office of Management and Budget
July 16, 2019 Read Full Article
San Joaquin County Biodiesel Firm Sentenced To Probation, Fines For Clean Water Act Violations
(U.S. Department of Justice) On July 8, 2019, United States District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller sentenced the corporation known as American Biodiesel, Inc. for violations of the Clean Water Act, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. American Biodiesel, Inc., registered in
July 16, 2019 Read Full Article
A Political 'Fight to the Knife' over Ethanol Comes to Wisconsin
by Chris Hubbuch (Wisconsin State Journal) ... “There’s (a) civil war within the Republican Party,” said Scott Irwin, chairman of agricultural marketing at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “It’s pitting two significant Republican constituencies of the president and neither one
July 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump Administration Suspends Obama-Era Fuel Efficiency Penalties
by Jessica Campisi (The Hill) The Trump administration announced late Friday that it will formally suspend an Obama-era regulation that penalized automakers that didn’t meet fuel-efficiency requirements, Reuters reports. After Congress ordered federal agencies to adjust existing penalties in 2015, the National Highway
July 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards / Greenhouse Gas Standards
by Caitlin McCoy, Robin Just (Harvard University Environomental and Energy Law Program) The Environmental & Energy Law Program is tracking the environmental regulatory rollbacks of the Trump administration. ... The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the Department of Transportation (DOT)
July 15, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA to Hold Hearing on 2020 RFS Proposal July 31 in Michigan
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has announced plans to hold a public hearing July 31 in Ypsilanti, Michigan, on its proposed rule to set 2020 renewable volume obligations (RVOs) and the 2021 RVO for biomass-based diesel under
July 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump Intervention Delaying EPA Biofuel Waiver Action, Sources Say
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
July 11, 2019 Read Full Article
NBB Tells EPA, Stop Damaging the Biodiesel Industry
by Donnell Rehagen (National Biodiesel Board/Biofuels Digest) This year has been brutal for the biodiesel industry. As if the absence of the biodiesel tax credit wasn’t enough of a challenge, these unjust retroactive small refinery waivers are destroying the biodiesel market
July 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog: ... Inadequate Domestic Supply
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) ... The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on July 28, 2017, https://www.dtnpf.com/…, ruled the EPA erred in how it interpreted an "inadequate domestic supply" waiver provision in the RFS on 2016
July 10, 2019 Read Full Article
24 Governors Call on Trump to Halt Rollback on Rules for Clean Cars
by Hiroko Tabuchi (New York Times) The opposition to one of President Trump’s most consequential regulatory rollbacks — a plan to weaken pollution standards for automobiles nationwide — widened on Tuesday when 24 governors, including three Republicans, urged the president to abandon his plan. The governors’ plea adds
July 10, 2019 Read Full Article
US Biofuel Makers Expect Weaker Demand from 2020 Blending Mandate
by Meghan Gordon (S&P Global Platts) Ethanol RINs fall after EPA proposes 2020-21 volumes; EPA declines to restore 2016 volumes flagged by court; Platts Analytics sees ethanol inputs above 10% this summer -- The Trump administration's proposed 2020 biofuel mandate -- for refiners to blend
July 09, 2019 Read Full Article
AFPM Launches Ad Campaign Urging the President to Protect Refinery Jobs
(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
July 09, 2019 Read Full Article
All About Algae: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to ABO
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Algae Biomass Organization advocates for algae-advancing policy and funding, serves as a hub for innovation and networking, and drives demand for “made with algae” products and services. Mark Allen, Chairperson of ABO, offers this enlightening overview of
July 09, 2019 Read Full Article
What Happened to Anaerobic Digestion in Rhode Island?
by Michael Eggleston* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Today it seems that the use of anaerobic digestion in the Ocean State is not as widespread as it once was. According to a recent survey conducted by the Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC), owner
July 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Opinion: Retailers and E15 infrastructure
by Cassie Mullen (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) At the end of May, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency removed the key regulatory barrier to using gasoline blended with up to 15% ethanol (E15) during the summer driving season, a significant barrier
July 08, 2019 Read Full Article
The Push for Year-Round E15 Is upon Us, but Is It the Best Biofuel Option?
by Jeff Wasil (Washington Examiner) ... There's also a better option than E15, one that only requires cutting red tape hindering the widespread usage of a next-generation biofuel: biobutanol. Unlike ethanol, biobutanol contains nearly 90% of the energy content of gasoline (compared
July 08, 2019 Read Full Article
With 2020 Looming, Trump Weighs Boosting Farmers at Refineries’ Expense
by James Osborne (Houston Chronicle) The future of an exemption shielding oil refining companies from a federal mandate that they blend corn-based ethanol into the nation’s fuel supply is looking increasingly uncertain amid increasing political pressure on the Trump administration ahead of
July 08, 2019 Read Full Article
ABA’s Take: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to RVOs & SREs
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In line with today’s top story on the EPA’s RVOs proposal for 2020, here’s the Advanced Biofuels Association’s take from ABLC 2019 on it all from a history perspective. Mike McAdams, President of Advanced Biofuels Association, looks
July 08, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Launches ‘Green Interns Program’ For Fall 2019
(Environmental Protection Agency) EPA’s new program creates pathway to civil service for recent graduates -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is establishing the Green Interns Program to cultivate a collection of the best, qualified candidates to fulfill mission critical occupations
July 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Critical of EPA Proposed Volumes DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS: TBD
(Renewable Fuels Association/AgNewsWire) The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday issued proposed volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard program for calendar year 2020, with a total renewable fuel volume of 20.04 billion gallons, of which 5.04 billion gallons are advanced biofuel, including 540
July 08, 2019 Read Full Article
California Canada Pollution California, Canada Sidestep Trump, Ink Deal on Emissions
(Associated Press) California picked up an important partner its long-running dispute with the Trump administration over vehicle emissions and fuel economy by announcing a deal with Canada to work on pollution reductions. The agreement comes as the state is in a standoff
July 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Pressure Builds on US EPA to Process e-RINs
by Bob Cleaves (Biomass Magazine/U.S. Biomass Power Association) The RFS Power Coalition met with the U.S. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs as part of its public outreach process, to share a few thoughts about electric renewable identification numbers. Across from the
July 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Rooney Introduces Bill to Repeal the RFS
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
July 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Gasolinegate: Three Decades of Flawed Emission Reports Has Endangered Public
(Safe Gasoline Campaign) The 263 million gasoline vehicles on American roadways are emitting significantly more harmful emissions than being reported, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is ignoring the dangers of toxic compounds in gasoline, according to a new
July 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Grassley Statement on New Threats to RFS
(Office of U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)) Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today released the following statement in response to recent media reports on new threats to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “For years, Big Oil and its advocates on and off Capitol
July 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Exxon Working to Push Trade Group on Climate Change
by Amy Harder (Axios) ... At issue here is the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, whose focus is oil and gas refining. Driving the news: Royal Dutch Shell, under pressure from activist investors, announced earlier this year it was leaving AFPM, citing "material
July 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Alternative Oxygenate Effects on Emissions
(Urban Air Institute) The Urban Air Initiative (UAI) would like to thank the Coordinated Research Council (CRC) for its recent study that shows simply adding an oxygenate lowers tailpipe emissions. This recent CRC study, Report No. E-129, titled ALTERNATIVE OXYGENATE EFFECTS ON EMISSIONS,
July 01, 2019 Read Full Article
U.S. Senator Says He's Blocking USDA Nominees over Biofuel Waivers
by Chris Prentice and Richard Valdmanis (Reuters) Senator John Kennedy of oil refining state Louisiana is blocking the confirmation of three senior appointees to the Department of Agriculture until the department butts out of parts of the administration’s biofuels policy, according
July 01, 2019 Read Full Article
How Low Can You Go with Carbon?: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Aemetis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Aemetis is an international renewable fuels and biochemicals company using patented industrial biotechnology for the construction and operation of advanced biorefineries. They own and operate a 60+ million gallon ethanol plant in California, a 50 million gallon
July 01, 2019 Read Full Article
The Energy 202: Ex-EPA Engineer Says Wheeler Is Misleading Congress about Car Rule
by Dino Grandoni (Washington Post) Jeff Alson was sitting in his apartment in Ann Arbor, Mich., when he felt like he was going to explode. ... (Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew) Wheeler said Nichols never offered a counterproposal and accused Nichols of not being “a
June 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Top EPA Official Resigns Amid Scrutiny over Possible Ethics Violations
by Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis (Washington Post) Bill Wehrum’s ties to his former law firm and power sector clients prompted a congressional probe. -- Bill Wehrum spent only a year and a half as the Environmental Protection Agency’s top air official before
June 27, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Rule Lets Political Officials Block FOIA Document Requests
by Meg Cunningham (Roll Call) Rulemaking follows Interior Department actions that drew congressional criticism -- A new EPA rule would allow political appointees to review and withhold documents requested by the public under the Freedom of Information Act. The final rule, published Wednesday
June 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Senators Urge EPA to Update Science on Ethanol
(Feedstuffs) EPA has rejected calls to update GHG calculations based on technological advancements in ethanol production. -- A bipartisan group of senators led by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) and Dick Durbin (D., Ill.), both members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition &
June 26, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Opens Section 610 review of RFS DEADLINE: August 22, 2019 REVISED DEADLINE: September 23, 2019
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA published a notice in the Federal Register June 24 announcing it has opened a review of the Renewable Fuel Standard under Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. According to the notice, section
June 26, 2019 Read Full Article
King Introduces Bills Protecting RFS from Small Refinery Exemptions
(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
June 25, 2019 Read Full Article
NBB Letter to EPA's Wheeler Highlights Economic Damage from Refinery Exemptions
(National Biodiesel Board) Demand destruction for biodiesel producers cannot be made up through E15 rule, NBB says -- The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) today (June 21, 2019) sent a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, highlighting the economic damage to the biodiesel
June 24, 2019 Read Full Article
National Gasoline Public Education and Consumer Awareness Campaign Launched: It’s Time—EPA: Make Gasoline SAFE!
(Safe Gasoline Campaign) Gasoline and its emissions are one of the greatest threats to public health Americans face today. Transportation related pollution accounts for an estimated 50,000 premature deaths annually. When lead was removed from gasoline, it was replaced with benzene-laced
June 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump Orders Review of Controversial Biofuel Waiver Program: Sources
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump has directed members of his Cabinet to review the administration’s expanded use of waivers exempting small refineries from the nation’s biofuel policy, after hearing from farmers angry about the issue during his recent
June 21, 2019 Read Full Article
NCGA Ups Pressure on EPA to Follow President's Lead on Ethanol
(National Corn Growers Association) The National Corn Growers Association today will begin airing an advertisement calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to follow President Trump’s commitment to farmers and stop giving Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) waivers to big oil
June 21, 2019 Read Full Article
The Energy 202: This Former EPA Appointee Wants to Make Climate Change a Winning Issue for Trump
by Dino Grandoni (Washington Post) Democratic contenders for president are trying to make climate change a top electoral issue. But one Trump appointee who recently left the Environmental Protection Agency wants to make sure it is a winning issue for her former boss instead. Since
June 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump Officials Face off on Car Rule: King, Nichols Headline Auto Rule Hearing
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Top EPA and Transportation Department officials will likely face intense grilling from Democrats today at a joint hearing of two House Energy and Commerce subcommittees on the Trump administration's proposed rollback of auto emissions standards.
June 20, 2019 Read Full Article
ABFA: Letter Urges EPA to Finalize Provisions in REGS Rule
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) A group of 15 companies sent a letter to Assistant EPA Administrator for Air and Radiation Bill Wehrum June 12 urging the agency to finalize provisions in the proposed renewable enhancement and growth support (REGS) rule
June 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels Industry Stakeholders Call on EPA to Remove RFS Regulatory Barriers
(Advanced Biofuels Association) Today (June 12, 2019), member companies and organizations from the Advanced Biofuels Association (ABFA), the Coalition to Address Removal of Regulatory Impediments (CARRI), and others with interest in deploying sustainable fuels sent a letter to Assistant EPA Administrator
June 17, 2019 Read Full Article
U.S. Farm State Senators Unveil Bill to Overhaul Biofuel Waiver Program
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
June 17, 2019 Read Full Article
Potential to Decarbonize Long Distance Transport: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Drop-in Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 39, with the help of the National Renewable Energy Lab and University of British Columbia, has been working facilitating the commercialization of conventional and advanced liquid biofuels from biomass drop-in biofuels for quite
June 14, 2019 Read Full Article
NUVU Fuels Making E15 Lead Fuel Product Following Approval of Year-Round E15 Sales
(Growth Energy) Growth Energy announced that the Michigan-based fuel retailer NUVU Fuels will make E15 – a fuel with 15 percent renewable biofuel – the standard blend available to customers at all NUVU Fuels locations beginning this summer. NUVU Fuels will
June 13, 2019 Read Full Article
The Oil Industry and Environmentalists form an Odd Alliance against Trump on Ethanol
by Emily Moon (Pacific Standard) It could be years before farmers see any gains from the rollback of E15 restrictions—or before oil interests and environmental groups see any losses. -- ... For ethanol's biggest opponents, the deregulation could usher in a whole
June 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Growth Energy: American Drivers Reach 10 Billion Miles Driven on E15
(Growth Energy) Growth Energy announced that drivers across the United States have reached a new milestone, logging 10 billion miles on the road using E15. The news comes on the heels of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) approval of year-round sales
June 13, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Solicits Nominations for SAB, Related Committees DEADLINE: June 24, 2019
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA is inviting nominations of scientific experts to be considered for appointment to the agency’s Science Advisory Board and four SAB committees, including the SAB Agricultural Science Committee, which provides advice to the chartered
June 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Letter Urges EPA to Process Pending RFS Fuel Pathway Applications
by Erin Vogele (Biomass Magazine) A bipartisan group of 21 members of Congress, led by Reps. John Shimkus, R-Ill., and Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, sent a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler June 4 urging the agency to take action on
June 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Senators Urge EPA Administrator Wheeler to Stop Issuing RIN Waivers
by Anna-Lisa Laca (AgPro) “We request that you cease issuing any further small refinery exemptions, immediately reallocate the remaining gallons, and make public the information regarding any recipients of these exemptions,” they wrote. ( Farm Journal ) U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and
June 12, 2019 Read Full Article
How Trump (and Iowa) Changed How You Fuel Your Car
by Mario Parker and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Ethanol, the intoxicating alcohol found in beer, wine and liquor, has been powering automobiles in the U.S. since the era of the Model T more than a century ago. Since the 1970s, when oil
June 12, 2019 Read Full Article
What Trump's New Ethanol Rules Mean for You
by Brittany De Lea (Fox Business) President Trump is in Iowa on Tuesday, just weeks after he lifted restrictions on ethanol – which could be a boon to both farmers and some drivers. At the end of May, the Trump administration announced it would allow
June 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump in Iowa Touts Ethanol while Bashing Biden
by Miranda Green (The Hill) President Trump gave rallygoers in Iowa on Tuesday a sign of what might come in 2020, speaking to them about ethanol while taking hard jabs at Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Speaking in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to celebrate his administration’s
June 12, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA's Internal Advisory Board Recommends Investigating Science behind Auto Emission Rollback
by Miranda Green (The Hill) The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Science Advisory Board (SAB) is recommending a review of the agency's decision to roll back a prominent Obama-era policy on auto emissions. The independent group made up of researchers and scientists wrote in a
June 12, 2019 Read Full Article
All I Need Is the Air that I Breathe: The Search for Better Sources for Octane and Better Uses for Aromatics
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, a new report concludes that emissions from petroleum-based gasoline “are one of the biggest health threats facing the American public”. The report links a wide range of respiratory and even neurological diseases to toxic
June 12, 2019 Read Full Article
US EPA Readies Proposal for 2020-21 Biofuel Mandate
by Meghan Gordon (S&P Global Platts) EPA says on track to release final volumes on time; Trump to tour Iowa ethanol plant Tuesday; Warren criticizes small refinery waivers -- The US Environmental Protection Agency is close to releasing its proposal for how much biofuel
June 11, 2019 Read Full Article
As Biden Tours Iowa, Farmers Want to Know Where He Stands on Ethanol
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) Joe Biden may have an ethanol problem. The former U.S. vice president has pledged support for advanced biofuels as part of his bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. But Biden, who leads the crowded Democratic field in opinion
June 11, 2019 Read Full Article
U.S. Refiner Group Sues Trump EPA over High-Ethanol Gasoline
by Richard Valdmanis (Reuters) The main U.S. refining industry association said on Monday it sued to block the Trump administration’s effort to expand sales of higher ethanol blends of gasoline, arguing the move exceeded the administration’s authority. The legal challenge from the
June 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Climate Policy Foes Seize on New White House Rule to Challenge Endangerment Finding
by Marianne Lavelle (Inside Climate Today) The rule opened new ways for the fossil fuel industry to challenge science-based policy. One group is using it to try to shatter the foundation of climate policy. -- ... The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), a
June 07, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Switches Career Officials Running Auto, Climate Offices
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Chris Grundler, the career official who heads the EPA office that oversees vehicle emissions and the Renewable Fuel Standard, will switch jobs with the head of another division that works on climate change as
June 07, 2019 Read Full Article
Top Automakers Warn Trump about Plan to Rollback Emissions Standards
by John Bowden (The Hill) Many top-selling automakers around the world sent a letter to President Trump on Thursday urging the Trump administration to scrap plans to roll back fuel efficiency standards set during the Obama administration. In a letter signed by 17 major automakers
June 07, 2019 Read Full Article
Expanding E15 Availability Is Only a Step Toward Best Use of Biofuels
(Solutions from the Land) At long last, after years of appeals from biofuel interests, clean air advocates and rural Americans, EPA has lifted the summertime ban on the sale of 15-percent ethanol-blended gasoline (E15). The rule lifting the selective, if not
June 07, 2019 Read Full Article
RFA: Your Source for E15 Information That Matters
(Renewable Fuels Association) ... The following key RFA resources on E15 are available publicly: RFA’s Model Misfuelling Mitigation Plan, which has become the de-facto gold standard approved and promoted by the EPA. Prior to selling E15, retailers must have plans in
June 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Attorney: E15 Rule on Solid Ground Ethanol Groups Predict Year-Round E15 Sales Will Lead to Long-Term Market Growth
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) Predicting how a legal case plays out can be dangerous territory, but an attorney representing ethanol interests in an expected petroleum industry challenge to EPA's final E15 rule said the agency appears to be on
June 04, 2019 Read Full Article
IMSA Expands Green Racing Initiatives
by John Dagys (Sportscar 365) IMSA expands Green Racing initiatives amid ramped up electrification plans… IMSA has announced an expanded set of initiatives for its IMSA Green program, which extends its affiliation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and SAE International. According
June 02, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Finalizes E15 Rule Agency Leaves Potential Biofuel Credit Reforms on Table for Later Time
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) EPA beat the clock in finalizing year-round E15 on Friday, one day ahead of the beginning of the summer driving season. The agency announced a final rule that also takes a much softer approach on
June 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels Program Hobbled by Small Refinery Exemptions
by William C. Schillaci (EHS Daily Advisor) The EPA’s implementation of the small refinery exemption is one of the more disputed aspects of the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. The major question associated with the exemption appears to be how does
June 02, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Allows Year-Round Sales of E15
by Eric Pfeiffer (Hoosier Ag Today) The EPA announced Friday morning that they have met the deadline for the summer driving season to allow year-round sales of E15, a fuel blended with 15 percent ethanol. “Corn farmers have been long-time advocates of higher blends
May 31, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Ready to Scrap Biofuel Market Reform in Bid to Boost Ethanol
by Jennifer A Dlouhy and Mario Parker (Bloomberg) Agency initially planned to bar some traders and cap positions; Rush to propel high-ethanol fuel by June 1 complicated effort -- The Environmental Protection Agency is poised to jettison proposed trading restrictions on a $5.2 billion market
May 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Report: RNG Production to Keep up with Rapidly Growing Demand for Renewable Fuels
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) A new report authored by Washington, D.C.-based Bates White Economic Consulting forecasts that demand for renewable natural gas (RNG, or biomethane) fuel in the U.S. transportation sector will continue growing rapidly over the next five years
May 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Commentary: The Trade Barriers You Don’t Hear About
by Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today) ... While we are struggling to export corn, there is a market that is ready buy U.S. corn just in a different form. Ethanol exports have been booming and could expand even more if the
May 28, 2019 Read Full Article
The Daily 202: Trump Keeps Trying to Pick Winners and Losers – from the Bailout for Farmers to a Border Wall Contract
by James Hohmann (Washington Post) ... Trump proceeded to tout initiatives he’s taken to help corn growers. He noted that he directed the EPA to make it easier to sell more ethanol in vehicle fuel, lifting summertime fueling restrictions on E15
May 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog Biofuels Group's Small Refinery Waivers Lawsuit Runs into Trouble in Court of Appeals
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) The EPA and a handful of small refiners won a partial victory in federal court on Friday, in a lawsuit filed by a biofuels interest group calling itself Producers of Renewables United for Integrity, Truth
May 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Houston We Have a Problem…
by Doug Durante (Biofuels Digest/Clean Fuels Development Coalition) and Dave VanderGriend (Urban Air Initiative) Floods, horrible chemical fires, and now a barge accident in the port resulting in a chemical spill that further reveals the dirty little secret of gasoline — that
May 27, 2019 Read Full Article
All For One: The American Coalition for Ethanol’s Annual Washington, D.C., Fly-In
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) During a meeting with three attendees of the American Coalition for Ethanol’s 2019 Washington, D.C., fly-in, Jaqueline Schmitz, senior policy advisor for Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said New Jersey voters are against ethanol. They don’t
May 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Duckworth Accuses EPA of Deception, Calls for Probe into Ethanol Waivers
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
May 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Bill Would Increase SRE Transparency, Reallocate Waived Volumes
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
May 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Exclusive: EPA to Unveil Less Ambitious U.S. Biofuel Credit Reform - Sources
Humeyra Pamuk and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to unveil a narrowed-down version of its proposed biofuel credit market reform this month after regulators concluded many of the agency’s initial ideas required more time to study,
May 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Dems Say Wheeler Misled Congress
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Senate Environment and Public Works ranking member Tom Carper and House Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone are calling on Wheeler to provide documents related to the agency's public defense of its proposed Safer
May 24, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Sends RFS Reset Plan to OMB For Review
(DTN Progressive Farmer) EPA has sent its proposed plan for a reset of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), one of the final stages before the plan will be released. There are no indications regarding
May 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Possible Trump Visit to Iowa Ethanol Mill Signals E15 Win
by Mario Parker and Jennifer Jacobs (Bloomberg) President Donald Trump is considering visiting an ethanol refinery in Iowa in the coming weeks, according to people familiar with the matter, a signal that the administration will fulfill a pledge to permit the year-round sale
May 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Federal Court Grants Oil Refiners a Victory in Ethanol Waiver Battle
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) A federal appeals court granted oil refiners a victory Friday by denying a renewable fuel group's attempt to block the Environmental Protection Agency from exempting oil companies from blending ethanol in gasoline. The U.S. Court of Appeals
May 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Pathways Await Priority:The U.S. EPA Hasn't Issued a New Pathway Approval in over a Year, but Technology Providers for Corn Kernel Fiber-to-Cellulosic Ethanol Remain Optimistic.
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Pathway approvals by the U.S. EPA came to a screeching halt in 2018, putting the expansion of corn kernel fiber cellulosic ethanol in limbo. The EPA Part 80 Fuels Program List shows no new
May 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Governor Ricketts Pumps E15, Promotes Ethanol while Proclaiming May as Renewable Fuels Month
(Office of Governor Pete Ricketts/KTIC) On Friday, Governor Pete Ricketts proclaimed May as Renewable Fuels Month in Nebraska during a ceremony at Casey’s General Store on N 156th Street. Following the official proclamation, the Governor stepped up to the pump to fill
May 21, 2019 Read Full Article
US Fuel Mandates No Salve for Farm Trade Losses
(Argus Media) Higher US biofuel blending mandates cannot make up for lost export trade opportunities, according to farm groups caught in the crossfire of the country's trade war with China. US independent refiners show little concern that the administration will blunt sharply
May 21, 2019 Read Full Article
ABC 2019: EPA Administrator Says Year-Round E15 to Be Approved
by Michael Verdon (Soundings Trade Only Today) Andrew R. Wheeler, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, told participants of the American Boating Congress that his agency plans to issue at the end of this month a final rule that
May 17, 2019 Read Full Article
Taxes and Bans: That Was the Threat California's Top Air Regulator Leveled
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Taxes and Bans: That was the threat California's top air regulator leveled Thursday in the ongoing war over the future of the state's aggressive auto efficiency rules. The Trump administration is seeking to dramatically
May 17, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol: Let’s Ride the Wave--Making Ethanol Part of the "Green Wave" by Debunking Environmental Misinformation.
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
May 17, 2019 Read Full Article
Exclusive: Trump EPA Did Not Await Court Ruling to Loosen Biofuel Rules for Refiners - Documents
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,
May 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol, the Fix the Ag Economy Needs
(WOWO News/Hoosier Ag Today) The key to improving the farm economy and raising grain prices is not trade, but renewable fuels. Jeff Broin, with POET, says farmers must stop thinking of themselves as food producers but think of themselves as energy
May 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Tired of Hearing About the GND and NOPEC? Here Are Energy Policy Moves That Have a Real Chance in Next 12-18 Months
(Raymond James & Associates) ... The EPA is moving forward on year-round E15, while concurrently reforming RINs. As a long-standing political matter, federal ethanol policy (under the umbrella of the Renewable Fuel Standard) involves divisions not along party lines but rather regional
May 14, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Handout Recipients Reap Windfall Profits
(Growth Energy) A new report from the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that net income for oil and gas companies hit a five-year high last year – in stark contrast to claims of “hardship” oil giants have used to
May 14, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Issues Guidance on Registration of Corn Kernel Fiber Pathways
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has published a document that provides guidance on how to demonstrate that an analytical method for determining the cellulosic converted fraction of corn kernel fiber co-processed with starch at a traditional ethanol
May 14, 2019 Read Full Article
Letter from Washington – Taxes, Blends, RINs, Jobs and “The Year of the Tree”
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
May 14, 2019 Read Full Article
House Members Call on EPA to End Refiner Exemptions
(St. Joseph Post) A bipartisan coalition of 35 members of the House of Representatives says the Environmental Protection Agency should stop issuing small refiner exemptions to large or unqualified refiners. The EPA has approved 54 waivers through the Renewable Fuel Standard,
May 10, 2019 Read Full Article
Flores and Welch Reintroduce Bill to Limit Ethanol Quotas under RFS
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
May 10, 2019 Read Full Article
U.S. EPA Proposes Hike in Biofuel Mandate to 20.04 Billion Gallons in 2020: Sources
by Humeyra Pamuk, Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed increasing the volume of biofuels refiners must blend into their fuel annually to 20.04 billion gallons in 2020, from 19.92 billion gallons in 2019, according to two sources
May 10, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Delivers Proposed Rule with 2020 RVOs, ‘Other Changes’ to OMB
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has delivered a proposed rule to set 2020 renewable blending obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard to the White House Office of Management and Budget. The proposed rule also includes the
May 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Growth Energy Comments Urge EPA to Finalize E15 Year-Round Rule by June 1
(Growth Energy) Growth Energy, the nation’s leading association of ethanol producers and supporters, filed comments with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in support of a proposed rule allowing year-round sales of E15 – gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol. “Unless the EPA
May 03, 2019 Read Full Article
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith Says EPA Plan to Hide Which Refineries Are Allowed to Stop Blending Renewable Fuels Would Hurt Farmers, Rural Communities
(Office of Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said today the Trump Administration’s plan to go back on its promise to name which U.S. oil refineries are allowed to avoid requirements to blend renewable fuels into the nation’s
May 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Green Energy Fraudster Convicted at Trial for Scamming Multiple Federal Agencies and His Customers
(U.S. Department of Justice) Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and United States Attorney William M. McSwain for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced today that a federal jury in
May 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Inhofe, Senators Urge RFS Policy to Reflect Market Realities
(Office of Senator James N. Inhofe (R-OK)) In advance of the upcoming proposed rulemaking for the 2020 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO) of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) led a letter urging Administrator Wheeler to reset
May 02, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Said To Halt Work on Revealing More Info for Small Refiner Waivers
(DTN Progressive Farmer) An EPA plan to reopen comments on a plan it put forth in 2016 to reveal more information on refiners relative to small refiner exemptions from Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) obligations has been put on hold, according to
May 02, 2019 Read Full Article
The Energy 202: Why Some Climate Activists Are Cooling on a Carbon Tax
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
May 01, 2019 Read Full Article
NACS, Fuel Marketers, Comment on EPA’s RIN Market Proposal
(National Association of Convenience Stores) ...(P)roposed RIN Market Reform regulations are unnecessary solutions in search of problems, and that EPA should finalize only those aspects of the proposal that enhance disclosure requirements and set aside for future reconsideration those aspects
May 01, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Stalls Biofuel Waiver Transparency Plan after White House Blowback: Sources
by Jarrett Renshaw, Chris Prentice, Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has suspended work on its plan to publish the names of refineries securing exemptions from federal biofuels law after receiving blowback from the White House and parts of the
May 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Donald J. Trump, Our Blue-Collar President
by Curtis Ellis (WND) ... Last week, members of the International Union of Operating Engineers stood alongside President Trump at a union job-training center as he signed executive orders to expedite the construction of oil and gas pipelines and energy infrastructure projects,
May 01, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Can Go Further than E15
(Urban Air Initiative) The Urban Air Initiative submitted comments to the EPA supporting the agency’s proposal to make E15 available year round. While this is a critical step forward and needs to happen, UAI asked EPA to not stop at E15 and
May 01, 2019 Read Full Article
U.S. EPA Stalls Biofuel Waiver Transparency Plan after White House Blowback
by Jarrett Renshaw, Chris Prentice and Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has suspended work on its plan to publish the names of refineries securing exemptions from federal biofuels law after receiving blowback from the White House and parts of
April 30, 2019 Read Full Article
Urban Air Initiative Comments on E15 Proposed Regulations focus on Sub-Sim
(Urban Air Initiative, et al.) EPA’s proposed rule is inconsistent with the text of the sub-sim law, because ethanol is now a fuel additive used in vehicle certification. The proposed rule would codify a “no more than 15%” ethanol limit for the 1
April 30, 2019 Read Full Article
Inside California's Fight against Pollution
by Miranda Green (The Hill) ... Asked who she (Mary Nichols, head of the California Air Resources Board (CARB)) thought would benefit the most from the Trump rule change, which she has argued automakers are largely opposed to, Nichols points to
April 30, 2019 Read Full Article
Oil and Renewable Industries Locked in Tug of War over Trump's Ethanol Plan
by John Siciliano and Josh Siegel (Washington Examiner) The deadline for comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed plan to allow year-round sales of 15% ethanol fuel closes at midnight, but neither side in the fight — that is, the oil and
April 30, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol’s Tightening Tough Spot
by Alan Guebert (Beatrice Daily Sun) ... “U.S. farmers, particularly cornbelt farmers, have gotten a really bad deal from the Trump Administration on the biofuels front.” Both statements are true, according to Scott Irwin, an agricultural economist at the University
April 26, 2019 Read Full Article
ABFA Files for Injunction against EPA to Prevent Additional SREs
(Advanced Biofuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Advanced Biofuels Association filed a motion April 24 for a preliminary injunction to prevent U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler from granting any additional small refinery exemptions (SREs) to release obligated parties from compliance with the
April 25, 2019 Read Full Article
Guest Column: Read the Fine Print on the New E15 Rule
by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union) and Jim Seurer (Glacial Lakes Energy) (Farm Forum) ... It does in fact, propose to provide year-round exemption from vapor pressure limits for blends of 15 percent ethanol, but does no more. The EPA proposal
April 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Time to Keep the Promises for Farmers to Compete in Energy
by James Talent (The Hill/Americans for Energy Security and Innovation) ... (Environmental Protection Agency head Andrew) Wheeler announced more oil industry handouts last month, bringing the total to 2.6 billion gallons over two years, which is enough to eliminate the market for
April 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Jury Finds Pennsylvania Biofuel Company Owners Guilty of Tax and False Statements Conspiracy
(U.S. Department of Justice) Following a 14-day jury trial in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Ben T. Wootton, of Enola, Pennsylvania, and Race A. Miner, of Buena Vista, Colorado, were found guilty of one count of conspiracy to make false statements to the Environmental
April 24, 2019 Read Full Article
NFU Urges Implementatin of E15 Waiver, Common-Sense Provisions for Higher Level Blends
(National Farmers Union/KTIC Radio) As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) works towards allowing year-round use of E15 gasoline, National Farmers Union (NFU) is concerned EPA’s proposed rule will make it harder for retailers to sell higher level blends of ethanol. In
April 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Thank You, Biodiesel Industry
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
April 17, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Seeks Comments on SRE Portion of Proposed REGS Rule DEADLINE: TBD
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA announced April 12 that it will reopen the comment period on one aspect of proposed rule issued in 2016 in an effort to “expand transparency surrounding the small refinery exemption program and provide
April 17, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA to Propose Rule on Biomass Carbon Neutrality This Summer
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler recently informed federal lawmakers that the agency is working on a rulemaking that will define biomass as carbon neutral. A proposed rule is expected to be released this summer. ... During the hearing,
April 17, 2019 Read Full Article
U.S. EPA to Revise Proposed Freeze of Vehicle Fuel Economy Rules
by David Shepardson (Reuters) The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Thursday the agency would revise its proposed freeze of vehicle fuel economy standards before unveiling its final regulation in the coming months. In August, the EPA and National Highway
April 12, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA’s Latest Effort on SRE Transparency Helpful Progress But Not Enough
(Growth Energy) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced they will take comment on the current process for issuing small refinery exemptions, allowing EPA to post the names of refineries who have applied for and received small refinery exemptions, an
April 12, 2019 Read Full Article
U.S. EPA May Grant Fewer Biofuel Waivers Due to Low Credit Prices: Wheeler
by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could grant fewer waivers exempting small refineries from the country’s biofuel policy as lower prices for blending credits have reduced the cost of compliance, the agency’s administrator Andrew Wheeler told Reuters on Thursday. The
April 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Gets Welcome News: USDA Study Shows It’s More Environmentally Friendly than Gasoline
(The Messenger) ... The United States Department of Agriculture has just released the findings of a USDA study about the environmental impact of the corn-ethanol industry. The conclusions are superb news — ethanol has significant greenhouse gas benefits when compared to
April 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Study Shows Ethanol’s Impact
by John Huthmacher (Hastings Tribune) Ethanol continues to be a driving force in Nebraska’s economy, affecting a sizable portion of the state’s business sector. This, according to a recent impact study released by University of Nebraska-Lincoln economists. The report examines the economic impact
April 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Emissions from Low- and Mid-Level Blends of Anhydrous Ethanol in Gasoline 2019-01-0997
(SAE International) Typically ethanol is present in gasoline as a 10% blend by volume (E10), although E15, E85 (51 to 83%), and E0 are also available at selected stations. Numerous studies of tailpipe regulated emissions have been conducted to compare emissions
April 08, 2019 Read Full Article
California Sues Trump Administration over Rollback of Emissions Standards
by Bob Egelko (San Francisco Chronicle) California’s Air Resources Board sued the Trump administration Friday for information that might support the federal government’s claim that its proposed weakening of auto emissions standards would save lives. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency introduced regulations
April 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Sen. Grassley Honored for Lifetime Achievement in Bioenergy
by Cindy Zimmerman (AgWired.com) Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was honored at the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference (ABLC) in Washington DC this week with the Holmberg Award for Lifetime Achievement in Bioenergy. Accepting the award, Grassley said he was honored, but noted that his
April 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Wheeler Addresses SREs, RVO Reallocation during Recent Hearings
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler told federal lawmakers in early April that it would be difficult for the agency to reallocate biofuel volumes waived by small refinery exemptions (SREs), even if Congress provided a legislative
April 05, 2019 Read Full Article
UPDATE 1-EPA Waits on DOE Input to Process Small Refinery Waivers for 2018 from U.S. Biofuel Law
by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is waiting to receive input from the Department of Energy to process 2018 applications exempting small refineries from U.S. biofuel laws, the agency’s administrator Andrew Wheeler said on Tuesday. Speaking at a hearing
April 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Advocates Worry RIN Reform Proposals Will Derail E15 Expansion
by Jordan Godwin (Oil Price Information Service) With about two months to go before the start of the summer driving season, ethanol advocates are growing increasingly worried that EPA's decision to combine in the same proposed rulemaking changes to how Renewable Identification
April 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Democrats Still Need Rural Voters to Defeat Trump
by J.D. Scholten (The Hill) ... To win back the White House, Democrats can’t just rely on “Whole Foods” districts of educated, affluent suburbanites. Democrats can do well in “Dollar General” districts if they show up and address the issues. No one gave me much
April 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels Advocates Testify at EPA Hearing
(Ag News Wire) The Environmental Protection Agency held a hearing Friday on proposed regulatory changes related to retail sales of 15% ethanol blended fuel (E15) and the renewable identification number (RIN) compliance system Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. Biofuels advocates, organization representatives and
March 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Backstabbing the Ethanol Industry
by David Kruse (The Daily Reporter) I was told by a director of the Iowa Corn Growers that at a meeting they discussed my recent reports where I had noted that the National Corn Growers Association is dropping the ball in
March 29, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Grants Additional 2017 Small Refinery Waiver from Nation's Biofuel Laws
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted an additional 2017 small refinery waiver from the nation’s biofuel laws, bringing the tally to 35, the agency disclosed on Thursday. READ MORE EPA Grants Another Small Refinery Waiver (Energy.AgWired.com) US EPA approves
March 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Fuel Standards to Prevent Overdependence on Foreign Oil Are Out of Date
by Merrill Matthews (The Hill/Institute for Policy Innovation) ... President Trump wants to roll back unattainable Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards imposed by President Obama. And he wants those revised fuel efficiency ratings to apply nationwide, including California, according to The Hill. But
March 28, 2019 Read Full Article
South Dakota Farmers Union: Say No to E15 Rule; Farmer Leader Says We Can Do Better
(South Dakota Farmers Union) On the eve of a public hearing to receive comments on the long awaited ruling to allow year round rvp relief for E15, the South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) called the rule a backdoor effort to limit
March 28, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Seeks Input on E15 Information Collection Request Extension DEADLINE: May 17, 2019
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of a proposed extension of an existing information collection request (ICR) related to E15 it plans to submit to the Office of Management and Budget. A
March 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Petrochemical Fire in Houston Reveals Much Larger Issue.
(Urban Air Initiative) On Sunday, March 17, tanks of toluene and xylene caught fire at Intercontinental Terminal in the Houston, TX area, releasing plumes of black smoke into the air. As a result, incomplete combustion of toluene and xylene combined to form benzene, a
March 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels: Recent Stability and Future Uncertainty
by Pat Westhoff (Columbia Daily Tribune) ... Long-term changes in the vehicle fleet could result in even larger changes in biofuel demand. If electric cars and trucks become widespread, the demand for both petroleum-based fuels and liquid biofuels could decline. How the
March 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Gaetz Drafting ‘Green Real Deal’ Climate Resolution
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
March 26, 2019 Read Full Article
E15 Ethanol Is Coming, Like It or Not. Here’s What You Need to Know
by Jim Koscs (Hagerty) ... In the United States, ninety-eight percent of gasoline sold already contains some amount of ethanol. Cars produced in the past two decades or so generally have no problem burning the common E10 blend, which contains 10 percent
March 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Comment Period for E15 Underway
by Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News) The EPA has given stakeholders a little more than a month to weigh in on the proposed rule that would allow year-round sales of E15. The proposal is being published in the Federal Register today, and the
March 22, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Likely to Grant Partial Waivers from U.S. Biofuel Laws for 2018: Sources
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is likely to issue partial waivers to some of the 39 small refineries seeking relief from the nation’s biofuel laws for 2018, in an unusual option to balance the competing interests of
March 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Study Shows Biofuels Are 3 Percent of Iowa GDP
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) has released a new study that shows biofuels are responsible for over $5 billion of Iowa’s GDP, or roughly three percent. The study, authored by John Urbanchuk of ABF Economics and commissioned by IRFA, also found
March 20, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Waivers Reduce Incentive to Produce Biofuels
(KCRG) Between 2017 and 2018, U.S. ethanol consumption dropped for the first time in a decade and the Renewable Fuels Association says that's because of the Environmental Protection Agency hurting demand. One of the reasons former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned from
March 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Come Together: At NEC, a GM Executive Outlined Some Controversial Advice for the Ethanol Industry.
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,
March 20, 2019 Read Full Article
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