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 economy by including legislation supporting
Legislation-Federal
Back TO HOMEEthanol Industry Focuses on RVP Waiver for E15
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 E15 is the key. “You give
November 15, 2017 Read Full Article
A Carbon Tax by Any Other Name Would Smell “Tax”
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 the Administration’s rejection of any
November 13, 2017 Read Full Article
US Congress Act 'Would' Fix Biogas and AD Tax Credit Inequality
(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, labelled the Renewable Electricity Tax
November 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Republican Tax Package Leaves Out “Orphaned” Renewables, Biodiesel
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 tax incentives offered to the
November 06, 2017 Read Full Article
Team Ethanol Fires Back
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 America, an umbrella group of
November 06, 2017 Read Full Article
NBB Responds to House Republican Comprehensive Tax Reform Proposal
(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. Kevin Brady (R-Texas): “NBB members across
November 02, 2017 Read Full Article
BIO Applauds MLP Parity Act, Thanks Senate and House Sponsors
(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. This bipartisan bill would level
November 01, 2017 Read Full Article
NATSO Statement on Biodiesel Tax Credit Letter
(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 the biodiesel blenders' tax credit,
November 01, 2017 Read Full Article
Biodiesel and the Ever-Changing Political Landscape
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 of Data Availability. -- ... According
October 30, 2017 Read Full Article
If You Build It, They Will Come: Biofuels Industry Sees Renewable Chemicals as New Strategy
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 and products, advanced biofuels will
October 30, 2017 Read Full Article
BIO Applauds Senate Introduction of Renewable Chemicals Tax Credit
(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 Act of 2017 (S.1980). The
October 27, 2017 Read Full Article
BIO Asks for Reauthorization of Section 9003 Program in Farm Bill
(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 Assistance Program (Section 9003). BIO
October 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Lake Erie's Toxic Algae: Does Ethanol Mandate Make it Worse?
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 ethanol mandate, which requires a
October 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Sen. Tammy Duckworth Blocks Key EPA Nominees, Cites Ethanol Stance and Ties to Koch Industries
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 at the Environmental Protection Agency. The move
October 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Industry in Full Court Press on DC Priorities
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 advocacy efforts in Congress, various
October 18, 2017 Read Full Article
5 Years in, Fuel Economy Standards Put Savings in Drivers' Pockets
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 enjoyed record sales and profits
October 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Hirono Secures Federal Funding for Clean Energy Research and Development in Hawaii
(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 source. The funding was awarded
October 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Dem Introduces Bill to Boost Clean Vehicle Technology
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 development of cutting-edge technologies that
October 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Rep. Upton Files Bill to ‘Harmonize’ MPG Rrules
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 with emission rules that require
October 13, 2017 Read Full Article
The Top Legislative Threats Facing Convenience Stores Today
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 convenience store industry selling more
October 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Farm Bill Energy Issues Essential for State, Franken Says
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 benefit from renewable energy sources. The
October 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Asume E15 Bill Dead (for Now)
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 get a committee vote this
October 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Hearing Focuses on Farm Bill Rural Development, Energy Programs
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 now held nine hearings this
October 03, 2017 Read Full Article
The Message Is Clear: We Must Create Demand
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 do beyond that volume will
September 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Republican Senator Endorses 'Price on Carbon' to Fight Climate Change
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 Yale University, the South Carolina
September 25, 2017 Read Full Article
US Biodiesel Supply Looks Thin Moving into Q4 and beyond: Sources
(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 to be a shortage in
September 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Fact Sheet: The Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act: Environmental, Health & Consumer Considerations
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 polluting than gasoline, will require
September 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Are High Ethanol Blends Going to Be Essential, and Mandatory, for Super High Fuel-Efficient Engines?
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 blend in optimized engines would
September 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Democrat Senators Offer Farm Bill Energy Package
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 2023. ... According to the Agriculture Energy Coalition,
September 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Over 150 Biofuels Champions in D.C. Today to Kick Off Industry’s Largest Advocacy Summit
(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 Capitol Hill. During Growth Energy’s Biofuels
September 13, 2017 Read Full Article
All Eyes on Energy
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 Energy Title, which was first
August 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Fischer Expects Fight over Farm Bill
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 debated in Congress. “The Heritage Foundation
August 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Letter: The Economic Consequences of a Post-2022 RFS
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 of the mandate altogether, which
August 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Congressional Research Service Publishes The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): An Overview
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 question whether it is time
August 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Don’t Change Horses in the Middle of the River
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 Time Has Come for RFS
August 22, 2017 Read Full Article
Some Democrats See Tax Overhaul as a Path to Taxing Carbon
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 tax. The plan by the senators, Sheldon
August 18, 2017 Read Full Article
'Imperative' for Fruit and Nut Orchards to Be Included in US Bioenergy Programmes
(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 Alliance of California, explained to
August 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Legislation Aims to Repeal Energy Title of 2014 Farm Bill
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 Lifelines (FUEL) Reform Act,” or
August 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol Fueling Rural Revival
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 because of ethanol. “It’s a cleaner-burning
August 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Column: Keeping Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Communities Strong
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 program, which farmers depend upon
August 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Remembering the Original RFS
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 of his office as a
August 09, 2017 Read Full Article
How Fossil Fuel Money Made Climate Change Denial the Word of God
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. Specifically, the 30-million-member group, which
August 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Summer Farm Bill Road Trips: Ag Secretary Kicks off RV Tour as House Committee Continues its Listening Tour
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 Minnesota on Thursday. Now Agriculture
August 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Assessing the Pulse of the Next Farm Bill Debate
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 setting" and details "farm bill
August 01, 2017 Read Full Article
House Committee Debates Future Federal Support of Biofuels
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 Emily Skor, chief executive officer
July 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Senate Panel Won’t Vote on Bill to Boost Ethanol
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 like Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Sen. John
July 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Senate Passes Ag, Energy Appropriations Bills – Increases Over House Package
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 Department of Energy. Both bills
July 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Driving the News: Democratic Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Brian Schatz of Hawaii Are Introducing a Carbon Tax Bill
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 thing two years ago with another
July 21, 2017 Read Full Article
New York Green Bank Could Go Nationwide
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 successful that some people want
July 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Bill Aims to Establish Tax Credit for Biobased Chemicals
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 2017, or H.R. 3149, was
July 20, 2017 Read Full Article
NATSO, Trade Groups Applaud Biodiesel Blenders’ Tax Credit Legislation
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 Association of America, and the
July 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Get Yer Hot Hot E15 Action Here!
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 like to introduce amendments that
July 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Op-Ed: Renewable Fuel Standard Good For Farmers, Consumers, Environment
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 “next American farm bust” and
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Steelworkers No Fans of E15
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 senators arguing that the RFS
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Iowa Ethanol Supporters Push for Expanded E15 Access
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 a federal regulation that currently
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Taxing Carbon — Letting Markets Work
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 in the Wall Street Journal. The
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
House Appropriators Make Significant Cuts to Farm Energy Programs in FY18 Agriculture Spending Bill
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 than FY2017 and $4.64 billion
June 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump’s Pitch for U.S. ‘Energy Dominance’ Is Dominated by Misleading Claims
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 portray the United States as
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
House Agriculture Appropriations Bill Axes BCAP, Slashes Loan Guarantees and REAP
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 Loan Guarantee program by $65
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
IBB and IRFA Go to Capitol Hill
(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 incentive. The two biodiesel bodies claim
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol Is Not Subsidized, Is Good Choice for All
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 people like Mr. Kosmicki still
June 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Summertime Relief at the Pump
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 from June 1 to Sept.
June 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Emphasis on Oil Has Made Ethanol Unprofitable
by Gerald Kosmicki (Grand Island Independent) ... Why not just say farmers need a higher price for their corn, rather than the posturing concern for the environment? We had $7 corn during the Obama years, but a cry from the GOP
June 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Gasoline Lobbyists Go to Battle to Slow Ethanol's Rise
by James Osborne (Houston Chronicle) ... With the oil industry lobbying vigorously in opposition, the future of the bill, introduced by a bipartisan coalition of Midwestern lawmakers, remains in question. But the proposal, nonetheless, represents the ascendance of an increasingly influential ethanol
June 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Biotechnology Innovation Organization and Advanced Biofuels Business Council Ask Senators to Support Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act
(Biofuels Journal) More than 25 advanced biofuel producers and trade associations today sent a letter to members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, asking them to support the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act (S.517), the Biotechnology Innovation
June 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuel Revamp Debate Powers Up, Includes Higher Ethanol Blends
by Brian Dabbs (Bloomberg BNA) Long-awaited efforts to modify biofuel policy are entering the limelight across Capitol Hill. A Senate panel will host a hearing next week on a bill to allow summer sales of vehicle fuel with high concentrations of
June 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Growth Energy Announces Ad Launch for E15 Fix
(Growth Energy) Growth Energy today announced a seven-figure campaign aimed at promoting legislation that will allow U.S. retailers to offer more biofuel choices to customers year-round. The bipartisan Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act (S. 517) is now awaiting action
June 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Corn Ethanol Faces Its Limits under EPA Fuel Mandate
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) Corn ethanol has reached its official limit under the Environmental Protection Agency's renewable fuel program, which means other less-developed, low-carbon fuels will have to step up to fill a 21 billion-gallon gap by 2022. ... Under the
June 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Forced Summer Hiatus Begins for E15
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) It’s June 1st, which means the kids are out of school, the pools are open, and E15 pumps in two-thirds of the nation are shutting down. Today marks the official beginning of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA)
June 01, 2017 Read Full Article
USDA Bioenergy Programs Gutted in 2018 Trump Budget: The Digest’s 7-Minute Guide
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Rural Business Service to shut down; BCAP, REAP, loan guarantees gone; food stamps, crop insurance slashed. Want to understand what USDA is targeting, cutting, growing or eliminating — but don’t have the time to wade through
May 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Congress: E15 Waiver Hearing Still Coming and First Step on RFS Reform
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) It's not scheduled yet, but Senate EPW Chairman John Barrasso told reporters Wednesday that legislation allow year-round sale of gasoline blends with 15 percent ethanol would still get an EPW markup. "We haven't sent a
May 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Renewables Nuked; Nukes Renewed: Bioenergy Slashed 69% as US DOE Budget Gets Detail; The Digest’s 7-Minute Guide to the DOE Budget
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the US Department of Energy submitted a request for a $1.433B cut, or 69.3 percent to the Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy annual budget, and targeted a $168.4M cut in the budget for
May 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Hope Glimmers in the Garbage for Advanced Biofuels
by John Fialka (E&E News/Climatewire) In May 2016, investigators from the Government Accountability Office assembled a panel of 19 experts in Washington to explore what had happened to a program to develop a commercial market for advanced biofuels. It had been
May 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Peters, Alexander & Stabenow Reintroduce Vehicle Innovation Act Bipartisan Bill Boosts R&D for Fuel Efficient Vehicle Technologies
(Office of Senator Gary Peters) U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today announced they are reintroducing the bipartisan Vehicle Innovation Act to encourage investments in research and development of clean vehicle and advanced safety
May 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Updated Fuel Regulations Would Modernize Options at Gas Pumps
by Mike Lorenz (The Hill/Sheetz) Since the founding of Sheetz in 1952, “choice” for our customers and innovation have been central to our mission. ... Since choice and a total focus on our customers is central to who we are, it only makes
May 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Talking RFS Revamp
By Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) Rep. John Shimkus, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on the Environment, said he expected to begin a series of meetings on how to potentially revamp the Renewable Fuel Standard in the coming
May 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. and ABA Books Release New TSCA: A Guide to the Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act and Its Implementation
(Bergeson & Campbell) Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) is pleased to announce the publication of New TSCA: A Guide to the Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act and Its Implementation, released today by the American Bar Association (ABA). This new book is
May 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol Producers Must Engage in Upcoming Farm Bill Debate
by John Duff (Ethanol Producer Magazine/National Sorghum Producers) A drastically changed farm economy means the next bill will likely be very different than past ones. ... -- It is hard to believe the current Farm Bill expires in less
May 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Senate Republicans Urge Vote on Pro-Ethanol Bill
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) Republican lawmakers from corn-producing states are hoping to get a vote on a pro-ethanol bill as soon as possible after striking a deal ahead of last week's failed repeal of the Obama administration's methane rule
May 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Senate Deregulatory Push Picks Up
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) After months of the House passing bills taking shots at the regulatory reform process, the Senate today kicks off its own overhaul efforts in earnest with a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs business meeting.
May 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Rising Conservative Voices Call for Climate Change Action
by Saskia de Melker and Laura Fong (PBS News Hour) STEPHANIE SY: In the rising Eco-Right movement, you could say these are the Eco-Righteous. EVANGELICAL MARCHERS: Hey, hey! ho, ho! Fossil fuels have got to go! STEPHANIE SY: Among the throngs of environmentalists
May 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Next Steps for Ethanol Waiver
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) Bipartisan legislation from Sen. Deb Fischer that would allow year-round sale of gasoline blends with 15 percent ethanol will get a Senate EPW markup and hearing, your host and Pro's Eric Wolff report. Chairman
May 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Senate Unexpectedly Rejects Bid to Repeal a Key Obama-Era Environmental Regulation
by Chelsea Harvey and Juliet Eilperin (The Washington Post) The U.S. Senate narrowly voted down a resolution on Wednesday to repeal an Obama-era rule restricting methane emissions from drilling on public lands — with three Republicans joining every Democrat to
May 10, 2017 Read Full Article
NATSO, Others Urge Congress to Extend, Phase Out Biodiesel Tax Credit
(NATSO, Inc./PR Newswire) NATSO, the national association representing truckstops and travel plazas, and a coalition of trade associations representing the entire biodiesel supply chain, urged Congress to extend the biodiesel blenders' tax credit as it considers tax reform legislation and
May 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Wyden Introduces Clean Energy for America Act
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Democrat Ron Wyden (Ore.) and colleagues introduced a clean energy tax reform package that includes a proposal for a technology neutral tax credit designed to encourage the development and
May 08, 2017 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels Are Part of an ‘America First’ Energy Plan
by Brian Jennings (The Hill/American Coalition for Ethanol) ... By every measure, increasing the production and use of homegrown renewable fuels has spurred economic growth for U.S. farmers and supported high-skill, high-wage jobs in rural communities. When the use of renewable
May 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuel Grows, Sets Records
by Lynn Grooms (Agri-View) Supply and demand of renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel are expected to continue their rise this year despite continued challenges and uncertainties. Executives from organizations representing renewable-fuel producers recently provided insights into the opportunities and
May 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Methane Rule Repeal Hits Snag in Senate Over Ethanol
by Jennifer A Dlouhy and Ari Natter (Bloomberg Markets) Midwest Republicans didn’t get policy change in omnibus; Lawmakers now withholding support for methane rule repeal -- A top oil industry priority on Capitol Hill may fall victim to an unrelated dispute
May 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump Says He’d Consider Increasing the Gas Tax
by Damian Paletta (The Washington Post) President Trump on Monday said he was open to raising the federal tax on gasoline and using the new revenue for his infrastructure package, a potentially major policy change as his top advisers try to
May 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Laying a Road Map for States, Liberal Senators Introduce Bill to End U.S. Fossil Fuel Use by 2050
by Juliet Eilperin (The Washington Post) Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) introduced legislation Thursday that calls on the U.S. to transition off fossil fuels by 2050, hoping to spur action on the state
April 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Group Promotes Carbon Fee to Encourage Use of Renewable Energy Sources in Manufacturing
by Christopher Stephens (CNHI News Indiana/Tribune Star) ... The Citizens' Climate Lobby is advocating for a fee to be charged against carbon at the point it enters the U.S. economy. The group's single mission is to lobby all 535 members
April 26, 2017 Read Full Article
ACI: Bill Would Permanently End Biofuel Subsidies That Distort Soap Industry Marketplace
(American Cleaning Institute) ACI praises Rep. Randy Weber’s "Stop Animal Fat Tax Credits Act," Urges Its Inclusion in Tax Reform Package -- Legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX) would permanently put a stop to federal tax credits for
April 26, 2017 Read Full Article
One Step Forward
by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biomass Magazine) ... I can tell you firsthand that for the first time in four years, both House and Senate staff are pushing all stakeholders to come to the table to discuss RFS reform. In a
April 26, 2017 Read Full Article
National Biodiesel Board Applauds New Biodiesel Tax Credit Bill
(National Biodiesel Board) Grassley-Cantwell bill would modify the biodiesel tax credit to a production credit -- Today the National Biodiesel Board applauded the introduction of a bipartisan biodiesel tax credit bill that would convert the blender’s credit for biodiesel to
April 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Letter: Renewable Fuel Standard Vital to Indiana
by Ralph Kauffmann (Kokomo Tribune) ... So many of these factors can take a big chunk out of my bottom line, and at the same time, so many of these factors are completely out of my control. But the Renewable Fuel
April 25, 2017 Read Full Article
An Alternative View of Biodiesel Production Profits: The Role of Retroactively Reinstated Blender Tax Credits
by Scott Irwin (Farm Doc Daily/University of Illinois) Previous farmdoc daily articles (e.g. January 28, 2015; February 11, 2016; March 1, 2017) have documented a "feast or famine" pattern in production profitability of the U.S. biodiesel production industry. The feast or
April 13, 2017 Read Full Article
It’s Not the Tax, It’s the EPA.
by Ben Geman (Axios-Axios Generate) Axios' Amy Harder asked an administration official about the prospects of a carbon tax, given that it has been rumored as a possible policy the White House could embrace. The official said the biggest reason it
April 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Feature: Ethanol RINs Rebound as Prospects Fade of Quick RFS Reform
by Meghan Gordon and Wes Swift (Platts) RINs bottom out March 2 after four-month slide; EPA may hold 2018 mandate steady, start easing in 2019; Point of obligation debate fades into background -- Refiners' and petroleum marketers' hopes for a quick rollback of
April 06, 2017 Read Full Article
The Imports Cometh
by Ron Kotrba (Biomass Magazine) U.S. imports of biomass-based diesel hit extreme heights in 2016, fulfilling a third of the consumption market, driving the domestic biodiesel industry to more actively seek counteracting measures to protect its own investments. --
April 05, 2017 Read Full Article
US Biodiesel Blenders Tax Credit Should Be Considered Despite Lapse: Expert
by Eric Janssen (Platts) The US biodiesel blenders tax credit should be taken into consideration even though the credits have lapsed because it is likely to be retroactively reinstated, according to a recent analysis from an agricultural economist. Sharing agreements of the
April 04, 2017 Read Full Article
ACE Takes RVP Message to Hill
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The American Coalition for Ethanol 9th annual DC fly-in last week brought the “Power by People” message to Capitol Hill, focused on allowing the sale of 15 percent ethanol blends all year long in every part of
April 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Plant Manager Launches Petition to Reform US Tax Credit
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) A biodiesel plant manager in Mississippi is doing his part to bring attention to the growing momentum to reinstate the expired $1-per-gallon biodiesel tax credit, and to reform the incentive so that only domestic producers
April 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Multiple State, Federal Bills Introduced to Stop the Spread of E15
by Daniel Strohl (Hemmings Daily) ... The most extreme of those bills, H.R. 1314, which Virginia Representative Robert Goodlatte introduced, calls for the elimination of the Renewable Fuel Standard, the portion of the Clean Air Act enacted in 2005
March 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Big Bird, You’re Fired! And All of You Enviros, too! Trump Thumps, Dumps in New Budget
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Good-bye ARPA-E, DOE, Loan Guarantee program, Energy Star, OPIC, USTDA, NEA, and the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program. Even Big Bird gets the guillotine. In Washington, the White House released its budget requests for 2018,
March 20, 2017 Read Full Article
Now is the Time to Act on RFS Reform: Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Re-introduce Bill to Reform Ethanol Mandate
(Office of Congressman Bob Goodlatte) (R-Va 6)) Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Steve Womack (R-Ark.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) released the following statement today after reintroducing the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Reform Act (H.R. 1315): “The Renewable Fuel Standard
March 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Jobs and Money Take Top Billing with American Biodiesel
(National Biodiesel Board) Industry Leaders Showcase biodiesel benefits with key influencers -- When it comes to American biodiesel, jobs and economic opportunities are the hot tickets. In town from across the nation, biodiesel industry leaders are meeting with key influencers
March 08, 2017 Read Full Article
Battle Brewing over Ethanol Program Post 2022
by Jonathan H. Harsch (Agri-Pulse) Ethanol already supplies over 10 percent of the U.S. gasoline market and the fuel’s share is growing. Yet Congressman Bill Flores, who wants to see ethanol capped at 9.7 percent of the market, is holding back on
March 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Smith and Loebsack Introduce Bill to Broaden Fuel Choices for Retailers and Consumers
(Office of Congressman Adrian Smith) Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA) reintroduced legislation today to broaden fuel choices for retailers and consumers by expanding the existing waiver of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations related to the Reid
March 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Senate Bill Introduced to Give E15 Year-Round Market Presence
(Ethanol Producer Magazine) A bipartisan trio of Senators introduced a bill today that would extend the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver to ethanol blends above 10 percent, a move that would give E15 year-round market presence. Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Joe
March 06, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol a Hot Topic at ’17 Classic
by Andy Eubank (Hoosier Ag Today) Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly (D) joined Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to introduce the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act last week, a bill that would effectively allow the sale of
March 06, 2017 Read Full Article
Icahn on Point on RFS
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) Carl Icahn was the administration official who called Bob Dinneen, CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, and told him an executive order changing the Renewable Fuel Standard is on the way, Dinneen told Reuters. Dinneen
March 06, 2017 Read Full Article
Heard on the Floor at ABLC 2017 – Day 2
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ABLC guests heard Governor Paul LePage from Maine invite all of us to his beautiful Northern state that has many existing and promising biomass projects and even backyard farms that grow tomatoes year round
March 06, 2017 Read Full Article
RVO Clarity by June Top Priority for Biofuels Industry Leaders
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Amid an animated discussion of policy issues, one item gained the support of all five panelists: publication of the Renewable Fuels Standard renewable volume obligations for 2017 and 2018 by June, on schedule. Moderated by
March 02, 2017 Read Full Article
The RFS in 2017: A Brave New World
by Michael McAdams (Biomass Magazine) ... First, we must finalize the 2017 renewable volume obligation (RVO) rule for the RFS program. Second, we must push for the 2018 mandates to be published before the Nov. 30 deadline to send a strong
February 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Interview: AFPM President Calls for Biofuels Regulation Reform, End of RFS
by Josh Pedrick (Platts) The US ethanol market is ready to stand without support from government regulations and the Renewable Fuel Standard should be repealed, Chet Thompson, president of the American Fuel and Petrochemicals Manufacturers organization, said this week in an
February 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Dipping a Toe into RFS Reform
By Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) A bipartisan group of lawmakers have begun discussing how to craft a compromise to update the decade-old rules governing the nation's biofuel market and hope to draft a bill this summer, Pro's Eric Wolff
February 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Rocky Road Ahead for Farm Bill’s Energy Title
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The Farm Bill’s Energy Title provides loans and grants to farmers, ranchers and small businesses to encourage investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency and the production of renewable bioproducts such as fuels
February 20, 2017 Read Full Article
No Waiver? No Sense.
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The ethanol industry sees one-pound waiver for E15 as a no-brainer. -- Perplexed about why E15 does not get a one-pound waiver? That’s a sign you clearly understand the issue, says Monte Shaw, Iowa
February 20, 2017 Read Full Article
The Republican Carbon Tax Is Republican, Say Republicans
by Robinson Meyer (The Atlantic) There’s just one problem: other Republicans. ... But in an unregulated market, there’s no mechanism to keep people from emitting carbon dioxide, because it is cheap. So, et voilà, you invent just such a mechanism. You
February 18, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA Staff Told to Prepare for Trump Executive Orders: Sources
by David Shepardson, Timothy Gardner and Richard Valdmanis (Reuters) Staff at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have been told that President Donald Trump is preparing a handful of executive orders to reshape the agency, to be signed once a new administrator
February 16, 2017 Read Full Article
The Next Step in the Bioeconomy – Looking Beyond Fuels
by Jessie Stolark (Energy and Environmental Study Institute) The Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), in the Office of Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy (EERE), released its updated strategic plan in January. Revised every five years, the strategic plan refreshes and
February 13, 2017 Read Full Article
The $40 Carbon Tax Is Dead as a Doornail, and Here’s Why
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This past week, a group headed by former Secretaries of State George Shultz and Jim Baker proposed dramatically to introduce a $40 per ton carbon tax in order to address the rising threat from global
February 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Who's Still Fighting Climate Change? The U.S. Military
by Laura Parker (National Geographic) Ten times a year, the Naval Station Norfolk floods. The entry road swamps. Connecting roads become impassable. Crossing from one side of the base to the other becomes impossible. Dockside, floodwaters overtop the concrete piers, shorting
February 08, 2017 Read Full Article
A Taxing Issue for Ethanol Producers?
by Brian Kuehl and Donna Funk (K·Coe Isom) Will a possible US tax reform and border adjustability affect ethanol producers in the US? -- ... There is a high likelihood that comprehensive tax reform legislation will become law during 2018 and that
February 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Florida Congressman Drafts Bill To ‘Completely Abolish’ The EPA
by Alexander C. Kaufman (Huffington Post) And here you thought Donald Trump’s plans would devastate the agency. -- Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) has drafted a bill to “completely abolish” the Environmental Protection Agency, according to an email obtained by The
February 06, 2017 Read Full Article
Republican Party Congressman Introduces Two Bills Aimed at Reforming Renewable Fuel Standard
(Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner) Today (January 31, 2017), Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner introduced two bills aimed at reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and the national biofuels mandate. Taken together, these bills call for the additional study and evaluation of our ever-increasing
February 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Farm Bill: Lower Expectations
by Jerry Hagstrom (DTN Progressive Farmer) About two-thirds of a bipartisan group of around 50 lobbyists said this week they expect Congress not to finish the farm bill until 2019 and think that it will spend 10% below the current
February 03, 2017 Read Full Article
What Blend Wall? Why Facts Trump Rhetoric Every Time
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association) Half of U.S. states blended more than 10 percent ethanol, RFA's president and CEO points out in his View from the Hill column -- Reps. Bill Flores, R-Texas, and Peter Welch, D-Vt., introduced legislation
January 25, 2017 Read Full Article
A 20-Year-Old Startup
by Gene Gebolys (World Energy/Biodiesel Magazine) ... Trying to make a living in biodiesel for two decades now, the hard way is about the only way it happens. ... 2016 was a breakthrough year for the biodiesel industry, and for World Energy. We brought
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump Era Biodiesel? What’s Going to Happen?
(Triangle Biofuels Industries, Inc.) For most, it’s hard to guess what is going to happen for biodiesel under the Trump administration. On the one hand, President Trump appears to be in favor of conventional petroleum for fuel and against the
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Quo Vadis, Mr. President-Elect?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... This Administration is a team, so long as you generally understand that there’s one guy with the ball, he’s calling all the plays, and members of the Cabinet can block and tackle and get to
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
BRAG® Biofuels Industry Outlook For 2017
(Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group) ... Throughout his campaign for President, Trump repeatedly pledged his support for biofuels and the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Indeed, it is this support that helped Trump win in key Midwestern battleground states, including
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Gearing Up for Farm Bill Season
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) EESI will take periodic looks at the ongoing debate surrounding the anticipated 2018 Farm Bill. This article is the first in the series. -- ... Amidst a backdrop of plunging commodity prices and
January 06, 2017 Read Full Article
Republicans Can Cancel Some Obama Environment Rules. But They’ll Have to Choose Carefully.
by Chelsea Harvey (The Washington Post) ... Two bills under consideration in Congress, each expected to go to a swift vote, could help expedite the process of undoing recent regulations — or even make it more difficult to pass them in the
January 06, 2017 Read Full Article
The Clean Tech Primer 2017
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, Raymond James released its Clean Tech Primer 2017, arguably the most cogent and concise summary of activity and prospects across the gamut from solar power through to water technology, including all biofuels,
January 06, 2017 Read Full Article
API Wants to 'Change the Conversation' under Trump, Pruitt
by Spencer Chase (Agri-Pulse) American Petroleum Institute CEO Jack Gerard sees 2017 as a big moment in the life of the energy industry, and he hopes he has allies in the incoming administration. Speaking at API's annual state of American energy
January 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Welch Outlines Ethanol Reform Agenda for New Congress
(Vermont Business Magazine) ... Welch (Representative Peter Welch (D-VT)) will reintroduce the bipartisan Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Reform Act, which will reform the corn ethanol mandate while continuing to promote advanced biofuels, as well as the bipartisan Food and Fuel
December 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Nebraska Congressman to Continue Push for More E-15 Sales
by Brent Martin (Nebraska Radio Network) ... Congressman Adrian Smith says the move helps the ethanol industry, but he adds more can be done. “I’m continuing to work on a bill that I introduced some time ago that would allow, not mandate,
December 13, 2016 Read Full Article
Recent Renewables Required Reading: What Can You Skip, What d’ya Gotta Read?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This week, in Washington and Brussels, four news flashes on global renewable fuel volumes appeared on the radar. Can you safely ignore them and get on with other work, or is there something to get deeply
December 02, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuel Mandate Opponents Build Overhaul Momentum
by Brian Dabbs (Bloomberg) A Trump administration and new leadership of the Senate’s environment committee may breathe new life into efforts to roll back the Environmental Protection Agency’s renewable fuel standard, lawmakers and advocates say. House members are continuing to build
November 25, 2016 Read Full Article
Dems Shouldn’t Toss-Out Clean Energy Options. Especially Not Now
by Ryan Fitzpatrick (Real Clear Energy) ... The latest attempt to tie our own hands behind our back is H.R. 5180, a bill that would neuter America’s most effective mechanism for bringing low-carbon liquid fuels to market—the Renewable Fuel Standard.
November 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuel Mandate Opponents Build Overhaul Momentum
by Brian Dabbs (Bloomberg BNA) A Trump administration and new leadership of the Senate’s environment committee may breathe new life into efforts to roll back the Environmental Protection Agency’s renewable fuel standard, lawmakers and advocates say. House members are continuing to build
November 18, 2016 Read Full Article
New Survey: Vast Majority of Environmentalists Want RFS Corn Ethanol Mandates Reduced
(American Council for Capital Formation) With Incoming Trump Administration, Reforms to Ethanol Mandates Could Provide Early, Bipartisan Win -- As the Trump administration readies to take the reins, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) could serve as one of the first
November 14, 2016 Read Full Article
US Elections: Who Wins, Who Loses - What Trump's Victory Means for the Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digests) In Washington, Donald Trump captured the US Presidency in an upset victory that confounded pollsters and political pundits even as it delighted supporters of his maverick candidacy based on themes of immigration and trade reform
November 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Reject Backward Thinking on Carbon
by Carol Werner (Environmental and Energy Study Institute/Morning Consult) ... H.R. 5180, a proposal introduced by U.S. Representative Bill Flores (R-Texas), would place a 9.7 percent cap on consumption of homegrown biofuels, rolling back 11 years of progress under the Renewable
November 07, 2016 Read Full Article
My Turn: EPA Effort to Increase Amount of Ethanol in Gas Misguided
by Lee Lajoie (Concord Monitor) Monday’s Monitor included a very interesting article on the cost of upgrading gasoline pumps to accept microchip-enabled credit cards. The article placed the average price of a new pump at approximately $17,000 and highlighted the
November 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Get Ready for Divided Government, Again
by Douglas L. Faulkner (The Cleantech Conservative/Biofuels Digest) ... America is divided in so many ways: by ideology, class, gender, education and race, and even by geography. There is a political and economic chasm between the coasts and the interior as
November 06, 2016 Read Full Article
NBB Urges Congress to Act on Biodiesel Tax Incentive
(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) The National Biodiesel Board sent a letter to House and Senate tax committee leaders urging extension of the biodiesel tax incentive before it expires Dec. 31. The letter was sent on behalf of U.S. biodiesel producers nationwide. “We
November 02, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels Finance Conference Meets in Minneapolis
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... The lame duck Congress offers the next best chance for some movement on one issue important to the ethanol industry, said Brian Jennings, executive vice president of the American Coalition for Ethanol, in his