by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  …  In a statement, House Ranking Member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., criticized the legislation, calling it “a flawed bill that is the result of a bad nontransparent process.” Cuts to …

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine)  On April 12, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., introduced the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, bipartisan legislation that aims to legalize and clearly define hemp as an agricultural commodity and …

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  On April 12, House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, released a draft of the 2018 Farm Bill, officially titled the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018. The legislation …

by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer)  Details have yet to emerge from a planned meeting at the White House on Monday between President Donald Trump and members of his cabinet regarding possible changes to the …

by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute)  Since their inception in the 2002 Farm Bill, Energy Title (Title IX) programs have helped farmers, ranchers, small businesses, and rural communities generate thousands of jobs and millions in economic …

by Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News)  The White House plans to hold a Monday meeting to discuss possible changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
Minnesota Corn Growers president Kirby Hettver says it appears EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt …

by Jarrett Renshaw, Chris Prentice  (Reuters)  Lawmakers spearheading efforts to reform U.S. biofuels regulations are considering a blanket waiver for all small refineries, according to four sources familiar with their draft legislation. The move would save some …

(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association)  Rep. Collin Peterson visited the Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC) plant in Benson on March 28 to reiterate his support for Minnesota’s ethanol industry.
“Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company is doing some exciting work and …

(AgNewsWire) American Coalition for Ethanol celebrates 10 years of taking the message of grassroots ethanol producers, retailers, farmers and consumers to Capitol Hill. This year’s theme is Ignite a Movement.
This virtual ag newsroom includes links to photos …

by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters)   President Donald Trump is seriously considering abandoning efforts to remake the nation’s biofuel laws after wading deep into an issue that divides some of his core constituencies, according to three sources …

(Algae Biomass Organization/Globe Newswire)  The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the algae industry, today applauded the introduction of the Algae Agriculture Act of 2018, a bill that would give algae cultivators and harvesters many of …

(National Biodiesel Board)  Congress Reaches Another Deal to Fund the Government That Fails to Reinstate the Biodiesel Tax Credit   —  Today, the U.S. Congress is expected to pass an omnibus spending bill to fund the government that …

by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer)  Leaders of the Senate Agriculture Committee are getting ready to move ahead on drafting a farm bill, ideally in April, and will seek to avoid the rancor over food …

by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer)   A special assistant to President Donald Trump on agriculture said Wednesday, “the search for a win-win continues” in the debate over how to relieve oil refiners of their obligations …

by Kelsey Tamborrino  (Politico’s Morning Energy)  EPA grants rise: The agency’s operational budget would remain pretty much the same, but grant programs get a boost, Alex Guillén and Annie Snider report. That means the Clean Water and …

by Kelsey Tamborrino  (Politico’s Morning Energy)  Sen. John Cornyn and Rep. John Shimkus have some ideas. The two have been working on a bill for well over a year to overhaul the Renewable Fuel Standard, a likely …

by Joshua D. Rhodes (University of Texas at Austin Energy Institute)  Expanded Carbon Credit Could Spur New Coal Power Investment  —  The Furthering carbon capture, Utilization, Technology, Underground storage, and Reduced Emissions (FUTURE) Act, part of the recently …

by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute)  Riding the recent wave of Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) reform talks, Representative Welch (D-VT) and Senator Udall (D-NM) introduced the Growing Renewable Energy through Existing and New Environmentally Responsible …

by Lacey Johnson (Greentech Media)  The Under Secretary of Energy defends a Trump administration proposal to cut $1.3 billion in funding from the DOE’s renewable energy office.  —  The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and …

by Ben Wolfgang (Washington Times)  Green organizations back ending corn ethanol mandate  —  … The intense opposition to the RFS from environmental and conservation groups comes as the White House and congressional leaders work to craft the …

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com)  The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and more than 50 member organizations are urging Congressional leaders to extend the biodiesel tax credit as soon as possible for at least 2018.
In a letter to House and Senate …

by Doug Sombke (The Hill/South Dakota Farmers Union)  As a card carrying Democrat, I resent the broad brush generalization of the Hill’s March 8 headline, “Dem Bill Would Overhaul Ethanol Mandate.”
To imply to readers that the …

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AdWired.com)  The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Tax Policy heard from representatives of the biodiesel and advanced biofuels industries Wednesday on the need for “Post Tax Reform of Recently Expired Tax Provisions” that are …

 (Politico’s Morning Energy)  With a settlement between refiner Philadelphia Energy Solutions and EPA in hand and voting in the Pennsylvania special election over, some biofuels observers think the issue may fall off Trump’s radar. A biofuels …

by Tim Albrecht  (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  The American Coalition for Ethanol hosted a webinar Feb. 20 titled “Opportunities and Challenges to Increasing Ethanol Demand in 2018.” The webinar focused on ACE initiatives designed to ensure ethanol …

by Travis J. Tritten (Washington Examiner)  … (Former Navy Secretary Ray) Mabus’ vision is, however, quietly moving forward under the Trump administration. The Pentagon has authorized $140 million to help build two biofuel refineries in …

(National Biodiesel Board)  Biodiesel Tax Credit Requires Reinstatement, Will Be Discussed Tomorrow in Ways and Means Committee  —  Today the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and more than 50 of its member organizations sent a letter to Congressional …

by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer)   A study commissioned by the country’s largest oil refiner explains how a waiver credit would freeze ethanol demand.
Ethanol industry groups are pointing to several statements in the oil industry’s …

(Renewable Fuels Association)  Another White House meeting has been scheduled for Monday, March 12, to continue discussions between oil refinery and biofuels interests over the price of Renewable Identification Numbers, or RINs, which were created under …

by Michael McAdams (Biomass Magazine)  This year is setting up to be a long year for the biofuels industry. First on the agenda is the fate of the biofuels tax extenders, including the biodiesel blenders, renewable diesel …

by Doug Lamb and Durham McCormick (Biomass Magazine/Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas)   …  While the tax code is clearly not responsible for a bulk of the current boom in RNG, the recent tax reform signed into law …

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  On March 8, Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., introduced companion bills that aim to dismantle the Renewable Fuel Standard and sunset blending obligations for conventional, advanced, …

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  In Washington, more than 200 companies and trade associations today wrote House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders, urging them “to reauthorize and maintain stable mandatory funding for energy title programs in the …

by Anngie Steinbarger (The Republic)  I was dismayed to read the Feb. 16 letter from Mark Brown and Travis DeFries, managers at Valero, who want U.S. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., to help oil companies gut the market …

by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters)  A delegation of workers from U.S. oil refining companies that oppose the nation’s biofuels policy will converge on Washington on Wednesday to lobby lawmakers to find a way to lessen the regulation’s …

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy)  Rep. John Shimkus’ E&C energy subcommittee will hold a “future of transportation fuels” hearing next week. “Because of the evolving nature of the Renewable Fuel Standard, the Corporate Average Fuel Economy …

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  In Washington, ABLC 2018 opens amidst a flutter of government rollbacks of deployment support but the hope of regulatory relief, breakthroughs in financial structuring, a decisive shift in early-stage projects to …

(FuelCellsWorks)  The Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA) applauds the passage of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 today, which included a reinstatement of the federal fuel cell investment tax credit (ITC).
“On behalf of America’s …

(Algae Biomass Organization)  In a historic victory for algae and other microbial technologies, Congress late last night approved a two-year budget agreement that establishes a $35 per ton tax incentive for carbon captured and recycled from …

by Amy Harder (Axios) … The effort, called the Carbon Capture Coalition, is a rebranded and broadened version of an earlier group, called the National Enhanced Oil Recovery Initiative, which had a narrower focus. That coalition …

by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Innovation Organization/Biofuels Digest)  …   BIO is the only trade association that advocates for the diverse policies that support the entire biobased economy – the full value chain of technologies and infrastructure …

by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters)  U.S. President Donald Trump has called a meeting early next week with key senators and Cabinet officials to discuss potential changes to biofuels policy, which is coming under increasing pressure after a …

by Emma Foehringer Merchant  (GreenTechMedia)  Expanded credits in the budget bill could “absolutely make the difference” for the economic viability of carbon capture and sequestration.  —  Among the energy credits tucked inside the budget deal eked out in early February lies a …

by Meghan Gordon and Brian Scheid (Platts)  Reforming the US biofuel mandate will be tricky and will likely have to be done by Congress, not by the Trump administration, according to a recent top energy adviser …

by Abby Smith (Bloomberg Environment) Automakers seek consistency in EPA, NHTSA programs as agencies weigh standards’ future;  Environmentalists say push is meant to soften vehicle limits  —  Automakers may already get what they want this spring as …

by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters)  Texas Senator John Cornyn’s plan to overhaul U.S. biofuels policy faces resistance from the oil and ethanol sectors, reducing chances of a reboot to the controversial regulations, sources familiar with the matter said.
The …

by Jeremy Gilpin, Jordan Blanchard, and Cindy Thyfault (National Rural Lenders Association/Biofuels Digest)  There has been a keen focus the last few weeks for President Trump and the USDA with the release of the Task Force on Agriculture …

by Timothy Cama (The Hill)  The Trump administration Monday proposed significantly slashing a handful of controversial loan and research programs at the Department of Energy (DOE).
The cuts to programs meant to help develop innovative energy technologies, …

(Algae Biomass Organization)  In a historic victory for algae and other microbial technologies, Congress late last night approved a two-year budget agreement that establishes a $35 per ton tax incentive for carbon captured and recycled from power plants …

(Wisconsin Clean Cities)  The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, signed into law by President Trump today, included provisions to extend a host of Alternative Fuel Tax Credits. The incentives originally expired on December 31, 2016, …

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the US Congress passed its budget deal, and among the items in the deal was a retroactive restoration of the $1 per gallon biodiesel tax credit for 2017. The …

by David Morgan (Reuters)  … Just weeks after approving a sweeping tax code overhaul, the Republicans said they would examine as many as 35 “tax extender” measures to see if they should remain on the books.
…
“The …

by P.J. Griekspoor (American Agriculturalist)  Sen. Roberts urged farmers to be ready to ‘sound off’ in support of farmer-friendly legislation.  —  March will be the month the 2018 Farm Bill comes to the Senate floor. At least that’s …

(Argus Media)  Marathon Petroleum said it expects US legislators to propose changes to federal fuel mandates this spring.
Senators and US Representatives would soon propose changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), chief executive Gary Heminger said …

by Jennifer A Dlouhy and Mario Parker (Bloomberg)  Biofuel mandate overhaul mulled by Congress after bankruptcy; Unions and Pennsylvania politicians seek immediate action  —  The bankruptcy of Philadelphia Energy Solutions LLC, the biggest refiner on the U.S. East Coast, has invigorated efforts …

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine)  … (B)iodiesel companies are pressing Congress to pass the $1 per gallon biodiesel tax credit, which expired more than a year ago for the fifth time in its existence. On …

by Keith Loria (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  The Washington, D.C., events provide opportunities for constituents to meet with lawmakers and help influence biofuels policy.  — Getting the ear of members of Congress, state legislators or regulatory bodies is …

(Wisconsin State Farmer)  U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will be in Pennsylvania Wednesday, Jan. 24 to roll out the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Bill and legislative principles for 2018.  READ MORE
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue pulls …

by Bob Dinneen (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  … This new era of getting our country back on track has and will continue to extend into the biofuels industry, making sure we are providing the cleanest, lowest-cost and …

by James Osborne (Houston Chronicle) Longstanding efforts to rewrite U.S. energy policy to keep pace with market and technological changes are being revived in Congress once again.
In an interview with Politico, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, chairman …

by Sean Mowbray (Pacific Standard)  While the Trump administration has largely rejected climate change as an issue, the Department of Defense and Congress have identified it as a major potential threat to national security.  —  … On …

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy)  Texas Republican John Cornyn is drawing up ideas for new legislation to overhaul the Renewable Fuel Standard, in a bid to end the stalemate between corn-state lawmakers and oily ones. “Cornyn’s office …

by Pete Kolbenschlag (Post Independent/Citizen Telegram)   …  Rep. Welch from Vermont is leading an effort to rethink ethanol, and to lead Congress to fix this broken policy. Colorado’s congressional delegation should join in this effort before more …

by John Wagner (Washington Post)  With President Trump and Congress turning their attention to infrastructure in the coming weeks, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is preparing for an uphill battle: a push to raise the federal …

by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biomass Magazine)  Last year was among the most active and interesting years we’ve seen in the biofuels space. The industry has confronted multiple challenges over the past 12 months, culminating in …

(25 x ’25 REsource)  As Congress ratchets up its ongoing budget battles – the continuing resolution that is currently funding the government expires Jan. 19 – clean energy advocates of all stripes must hold lawmakers to …

(North Iowa Today)  Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa marked a series of policy and oversight accomplishments in 2017.  …  Grassley introduced the Food Security is National Security Act of 2017, which would give top U.S. agriculture and food officials …

by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union/Biofuels Digest)  …  I am referring to the mandatory requirements in the Clean Air Act that EPA enforce section 202 (l), the “clean octane” provision designed to reduce the use of …

(Farm Bureau News)  A recently introduced bill would continue several expired tax provisions important to farmers and ranchers.  Offered by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the Tax Extenders Act of 2017 (S. 2256) would …

 New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman became the first New York statewide elected official to back a carbon tax this week, POLITICO New York’s Danielle Muoio reports. “That includes passing legislation to dramatically reduce greenhouse …

by Emily Atkin (The New Republic)  The legislation is a boon to fossil fuel companies not only because of what it includes, but what it doesn’t. — By now, it’s no secret that the sweeping tax …

by Michael Hirtzer  (Reuters)  U.S. renewable fuel credits remained under pressure on Thursday as expectations mounted that lawmakers may soon renew a $1-per-gallon rebate for biodiesel blenders that could curb worries over tight supplies in the thinly-traded …

by Hagstrom Report (The Fence Post) Renewable fuels groups this week issued statements celebrating the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which established the Renewable Fuel Standard and called …

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  President Trump has hosted two meetings in recent weeks with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and others focused on the Renewable Fuel Standard and renewable identification numbers (RINs). Those representing the …

(American Coalition for Ethanol/KTIC)  The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings sent a letter today (December 15, 2017) to Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means Kevin Brady and Chairman of the Committee …

by Jessie Stolark (Enviromental and Energy Study Institute)  On December 12, the House Energy & Commerce Committee held a hearing, “Update on the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Program (CAFE) and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Motor …

by Richard Valdmanis and Jarrett Renshaw  (Reuters)  President Donald Trump’s administration called two lawmakers from the U.S. corn belt to convince them to join talks about potential changes to biofuels policy to ease the burden on oil refineries, …

by Susan Cornwell (Reuters)  U.S. President Donald Trump is open to reforming the country’s biofuels policy if it can be done in a way that protects jobs in both the refining and agriculture industries, senators said on …

by Anthony Adragna (Politico’s Morning Energy) The American Enterprise Institute is out with a report looking at policymaking lessons from the RFS. It argues the biofuels mandate would be better as a rate standard than a …

by Andrew F. Quinlan ( Center for Freedom and Prosperity/The Hill)  … A refiner must earn RIN credits to meet its annual obligation by selling enough gallons of biofuel or by purchasing them — the credits, not the …

by Ari Natter (Bloomberg)  Billions in breaks for energy sought in ‘tax extenders’ bill; Lobbyists are seeking new credits for coal, nuclear plants  — Energy lobbyists, who failed to get a range of expired breaks for biofuels to …

by Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today)  … Another aspect of U.S. agricultural exports that is changing is ethanol and its byproduct DDGs. In the past 3 years, U.S. exports of ethanol have grown significantly. Cary Sifferath, …

by Jarrett Renshaw, Richard Valdmanis (Reuters)  U.S. President Donald Trump has agreed to meet with representatives of the oil refining industry and their legislative backers to discuss the nation’s biofuels program, according to two sources briefed on …

by Ron Paul (Campaign for Liberty/Fox News)  … While I am sure many Republicans would love to see the RFS repealed entirely – myself included – some have proposed a simple compromise that would seemingly benefit …

by Amy Harder (Axios) … That’s how I see things with a carbon tax, despite many economists insisting it’s the best, simplest way to combat climate change. There’s four big problems, as I explained at the Brookings InstitutionTuesday:

Most Republicans …

(National Biodiesel Board)  Starting today, nearly 100 members of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) are in Washington, D.C., to participate in their biannual fly-in to the Nation’s Capital. NBB members plan to storm the Hill to …

by Devin Henry (The Hill)  The Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday introduced an Interior Department and environment spending bill that would cut nearly $150 million in funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) next year.
The legislation …

by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Innovation Organization)  … BIO has led the effort to prompt Congress to recognize the important and emerging biobased sector. Congress’ current effort to reform taxes can revitalize U.S. manufacturing and grow the …

by Ken Anderson (Brownfield Ag News)  Giving consumers year-round access to E15 fuel is a major focus of the ethanol industry.  Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, says getting the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver extended to …

by Richard Gilmore (Biofuels Digest/GIC Group)  … The carbon tax alliance is led by prominent Republicans along with some fence sitting Dems and their respective linesmen from public policy think tanks. While seemingly counter-intuitive in light of …

(Bioenergy Insight)  The American Biogas Council (ABC) has welcomed the introduction of a new bill in Congress which would extend the renewable electricity tax credit to include anaerobic digestion (AD) and biogas technology.
Congresswoman Elise Stefanik’s bill, …

by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute)  On November 2, House leaders announced their Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1).  Among the major proposed changes to the U.S. tax code, there are significant changes to the …

by Anthony Adragna (Politico’s Morning Energy) If Trump watches the ads on Fox & Friends, then he’s getting an earful on the Renewable Fuels Standard these days. Starting today and through the Nov. 20, Fuels …

(National Biodiesel Board) Republicans Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives Unveil New Tax Reform Proposal  —  Today the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) responded to the release of the comprehensive tax reform proposal issued by U.S. Rep. …

(Digital Journal/BusinessWire)  The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) today thanked Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Representatives Ted Poe (R-TX) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) for reintroducing the Master Limited Partnerships Parity Act of 2017. …

(PR Newswire/NATSO)  On October 31, a diverse group of biodiesel producers, fuel retailers, and trucking interests sent a letter to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee in support of extending and phasing out …

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine)  Industry stakeholders and legal experts discuss the recent RFS court ruling, the ongoing U.S. trade cases against Argentina and Indonesia, and the biodiesel tax credit in context of U.S. EPA’s Notice …

by Jesse Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute)  To create additional value in the biobased economy, companies and investors are turning toward the production of renewable chemicals and products. They argue that in prioritizing higher-value chemicals …

(Biotechnology Innovation Organization/Business Wire)  The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) today thanked Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and co-sponsors Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Al Franken (D-MN) for introducing the Renewable Chemicals …

(Biotechnology Innovation Organization/Ethanol Producer Magazine)  The Biotechnology Innovation Organization and 66 renewable chemical producers recently asked leaders of the House and Senate Committees on Agriculture to reauthorize the Farm Bill’s Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Manufacturing …

by Mary Kuhlman (Public News Service)  The huge algal bloom in Lake Erie is receding, but clean water advocates say the annual problem won’t go away without changes in federal policies. 
One measure raising concerns is the …

by Ben Wolfgang (The Washington Times)  Citing one nominee’s stance on the federal ethanol mandate and another’s supposed ties to Koch Industries, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Democrat, on Wednesday placed holds on two key nominations for top-level jobs …

by Donnell Rehagen (National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine)  … Our big three in D.C. remain the Renewable Fuel Standard, the trade case and the biodiesel tax incentive. All three issues require a comprehensive, multifaceted approach made up of …

by David Friedman (The Hill/Consumers Union)  What if our government rolled back a program that saved consumers over $45 billion on fuel since 2010? What if they did this despite the fact that the industry involved …

(Office of Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI))  Senator Mazie K. Hirono today announced that two Hawaii businesses will receive $1.5 million in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding to develop offshore seaweed as a potential clean energy …

by Melanie Zanona (The Hill)  … Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), who has also been leading a House push to pave the way for autonomous vehicles, reintroduced a bill that would promote investments in the research and …

by Keith Laing (Detroit News)  U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, has introduced legislation that would allow automakers to apply credits for gas mileage improvements from model years as far back as 2009 to help comply …

by Tammy Mastroberte (Convenience Store News)  …  One of the top issues right now is the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which provides for the inclusion of increasing volumes of renewable fuel into the marketplace each year.
With the …

by Trey Mewes (Mankato Free Press)  As federal officials back off of the Obama-era Clean Power Plan, U.S. Sen. Al Franken believes there’s going to be more work to do to ensure farmers and rural communities …

by Anthony Adragna (Politico’s Morning Energy) Both Senate EPW Chairman John Barrasso and bill sponsor Deb Fischer now say a measure S. 517 (115) that would allow year-round sales of higher blends of ethanol won’t even …

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  On Sept. 28, the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry held a hearing on the 2018 Farm Bill focused on rural development and energy programs. The committee has …

by Doug Durante (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  Growth above 15 billion gallons will require new markets and widespread understanding of ethanol’s carbon-reduction value.  —  … The guaranteed market for 15 billion gallons has been achieved and anything we …

by Justin Worland (Time Magazine)  Sen. Lindsey Graham endorsed a “price on carbon” to fight climate change, breaking with much of the Republican Establishment.
Speaking at a climate change conference held by former Secretary of State John Kerry at …

(Platts/UkrAgroConsult)  The US could have trouble meeting its biodiesel blending mandate as imports from Argentina and Indonesia have been cut off by duties, sources have said.
“Without Argentina this year or early next year there’s going …

by Jesse Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute)  Today, 10 percent of the U.S. gasoline supply is provided by renewable fuel, primarily ethanol. Increasing the use of renewable fuel, which is more sustainable and less …

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  … Now, war is surely about to break out over E25-E30 blending, now that RFA CEO Bob Dinneen testified in DC in his courtly but adamant manner that a high-octane, low-carbon ethanol …

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com)  Senator Al Franken (D-MN), together with Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) have introduced the Agricultural Energy Programs Reauthorization Act of 2017, to reauthorize Title IX programs and funding through …

(Growth Energy)  Growth Energy is holding its annual advocacy conference in Washington, D.C., this week, bringing together over 150 leaders in the ethanol industry from across the country to champion the association’s policy priorities on …

by Keith Loria  (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  The 2014 Farm Bill—otherwise known as the Agricultural Act of 2014—places a larger emphasis on energy than past farm bills have. It includes the most recent version of the …

by Liz Morales (Columbus Telegram)  Agriculture was a main topic of discussion Wednesday during U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer’s listening session in Albion.  Fischer said she expects a big fight when the 2018 farm bill is …

by Lon Carrier (Argus Leader)  …  The ethanol volume requirements will likely remain at this level until the EPA takes over the program entirely in 2023. At that point, the agency could cut corn ethanol out …

by Kelsi Bracmort (Congressional Research Service; posted by OurEnergyPolicy.org)  Congress has expressed ongoing interest in the RFS, particularly the challenges associated with implementing the RFS and with compliance for entities required to use renewable fuels. Some …

by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Innovation Organization/Biofuels Digest)  We were disappointed, but not surprised, to see Mike McAdams and his members come out in support of changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard in Biofuels Digest (July 26 – The …

by Lisa Friedman (The New York Times)  With a sweeping overhaul of the tax code on the horizon, two Senate Democrats believe this is the moment to broach the third rail of climate change policy: a carbon …

(Bioenergy Insight) The Almond Alliance of California has called for increased funding from the Farm Bill in order to help develop bioenergy outlets for almond biomass and byproducts in the state.
Kelly Covello, president of the Almond …

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine)  In late July, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., introduced legislation that aims to repeal bioenergy programs contained under Title IX of the 2014 Farm Bill.
The bill, titled “Farewell to Unnecessary Energy …

by Erica Quinlan (AgriNews) … Kip Tom, a corn and soybean farmer in Kosciusko County, thinks the benefits of ethanol need to be talked about more. …  “The consumer is saving money in their transportation fuel …

by Senator Al Franken (D-MN) (The Globe) … That’s why I pushed back hard when President Trump recently proposed more than $230 billion in Farm Bill cuts, including $29 billion in cuts to the crop insurance …

by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com)  Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen keeps a signed copy of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which included the original Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), hanging on the wall …

by Brendan O’Connor (Splinter News/Special Projects Desk of Gizmodo Media Group)  In 2005, at its annual meeting in Washington, D.C., the National Association of Evangelicals was on the verge of doing something novel: affirming science. …

by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer)  … The House Agriculture Committee has its road trip, labeled “Conversations in the Field,” which included a field hearing in Texas on Monday and another one at Farmfest in …

by Carl Zulauf, Gary Schnitkey, David Orden (FarmDocDaily)   Thirteen agricultural economists put together short papers describing issues that will surface during the writing of the next farm bill. For each issue, the author describes the “policy …

by Sara Taginawa (Environmental and Energy Study Institute)  On Tuesday, July 25, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing examining the future of biofuels and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). According to …

by Timothy Cama (The Hill)  A Senate committee won’t hold a vote next week on legislation that would have allowed higher ethanol concentrations in some gasoline.
The legislation had been pushed for months by corn-state senators …

by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute)  On Thursday, July 20, Senate Appropriators reported several spending bills for FY2018 out of committee, including budget proposals for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the …

by Amy Harder (Axios) Democratic Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Brian Schatz of Hawaii are introducing a carbon tax bill next Wednesday at the American Enterprise Institute. If that sounds familiar, that’s because they did the same …

by Bill Morris (Habitat Magazine)  Bills before Congress would devote $10 billion to clean-energy projects. — The New York Green Bank, which has been financing solar, wind and other sustainable-energy projects statewide since 2014, has proven so …

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine)  Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., recently introduced legislation that aims to establish a 15-cent-per-pound production tax credit for renewable chemicals made from biomass.
The bill, known as the Renewable Chemicals Act of …

by Lauren Tyler (NGT News)  NATSO, the national association representing truckstops and travel plazas, along with the Advanced Biofuels Association, National Association of Convenience Stores, Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (SIGMA), Petroleum Marketers …

by Anthony Adragna (Politico’s Morning Energy)   Sen. Jim Inhofe will take to the Senate floor to opine on the need for Republicans to work together to support fossil fuels. Sources familiar with Inhofe’s thinking say he’d …

by Dale McCall (Rocky Mountain Farmers Union/Brian Allmer Radio Network)  America’s farming communities are facing an economic crisis. Not since the 1980s have farm incomes declined so far so fast. The Wall Street Journal called it the …

by Anthony Adragna (Politico’s Morning Energy)  The United Steelworkers fear Sen. Deb Fischer’s bill to allow year-round sale of 15 percent ethanol fuel could allow more smog. The union sent a letter Thursday to all 100 …

by Rod Swoboda (Wallaces Farmer)  Proponents call on Congress to support legislation to remove barriers to make E15 ethanol blend available year-round.  —  The U.S. Senate is considering legislation that would change the language in …

by Tom Ewing (Renewable Energy World) A new business-based climate advocacy group stepped into the CO2 spotlight this summer. The Climate Leadership Council (CLC) took center stage with op-eds in the nation’s biggest dailies and a full-page ad …

by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute)  On June 29, the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee approved a spending bill for FY2018 providing $144.0 billion to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), $876 million lower …

by  Steven Mufson and Chris Mooney (The Washington Post)  The White House has branded this week “energy week,” rolling out a buzzword, “dominance,” and replaying lines from last year’s Trump campaign in an effort to …

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)  In Washington, the draft House Appropriations Committee’s FY2018 Agriculture Appropriations bill was released, and cut the Rural Energy for America Program from $50 million to $9 million, cut the Section 9003 …

(Biofuels International)  Members of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) and Iowa Biodiesel Board (IBB) have gone to Capitol Hill in Washington to urge Iowa’s Congressional delegation to keep fighting for a reformed biodiesel tax …

by Mark M. Palmer (Renewable Fuels Nebraska/The Grand Island Independent)  Gerald Kosmicki’s June 25 letter attacking U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer for supporting ethanol displayed a complete lack of knowledge regarding current fuel economics. Unfortunately, many …

by Emily Skor  (Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) … Federal fuel regulations play a major role. That’s because warm summer weather makes it tougher to hold down automotive emissions, so the U.S. EPA requires cleaner fuel blends …