by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) A bipartisan group of former EPA and Transportation Department chiefs filed a friend-of-the-court brief this week criticizing the Trump administration's revocation of California's fuel economy waiver as having no "no valid legal, factual, or
Litigation-Federal
Back TO HOMEEthanol’s Rough 2020 Ride: Trade Wars, COVID-19 and Waivers Alter Its Momentum
by Jennifer M. Latzke (High Plains Journal) ... And still, shortly after Trump’s visit, the EPA granted 31 small refinery waivers from the Renewable Fuels Standard in the fall that would have wiped out any traction that year-round E15 approval
July 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Ethanol Ad Urges Visiting Trump to ‘Tear down That (Blend)’ Wall’
by Mikkel Pates (Ag Week) Ethanol proponents try to make some political hay with President Donald Trump when he visits Rapid City. They ask that he “tear down that wall” of 10% ethanol blends, and allow ethanol to climb to
July 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Sen. Cruz to EPA: No Relief for Refinery Workers, No Consent for EPA Nominee
(Office of Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX)) U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued the following statement on the nomination of Doug Benevento to be Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): "The price of RINs has more than quadrupled since
July 02, 2020 Read Full Article
Farming, Biofuels, Health Groups Challenge EPA on SAFE Rule
(Morning Ag Clips/South Dakota Farmers Union) Broad coalition challenges the Safer Affordable Fuel Efficiency Vehicle Rule; In response to EPA’s failure to credibly consider and advance mid-level ethanol fuel blends as an alternative to conventional fuels, the groups filed a
June 30, 2020 Read Full Article
EPA to Propose Splitting 500-Million-Gal RFS Remand in 2021, 2022: Sources
by Jordan Godwin (OPIS/Governors Biofuels Coalition)EPA is expected to propose as early as next month a 250-million-gal increase in the 2021 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) and another 250-million-gal boost in the 2022 RVO to comply with a remand order the
June 30, 2020 Read Full Article
CEO Reflects on Ethanol Industry Crises a Year after Trump Visit
by Glenn Minnis (The Center Square) ... The president was there to help industry executives celebrate his administration’s removal of a regulation that up until then prohibited companies from selling gasoline containing 15% ethanol year-round. “It was a terrific event for
June 25, 2020 Read Full Article
52 Petitions Filed by Refineries Seeking RFS Exemptions
(Renewable Fuels Association/National Biodiesel Board/Farm Progress) Renewable Fuels Association, National Biodiesel Board critical of these petitions, say refiners are trying to circumvent court ruling. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today disclosed that 52 new petitions have been received from small
June 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Biofuel and Oil Seek Federal Help to Deal with Sharp Decline In Production and Prices
(RFD TV) ... Both the oil and ethanol sectors are asking the federal government to step in as each one sees a sharp decline in prices and production. Oil groups say that the pandemic pushed the industry over the edge,
June 18, 2020 Read Full Article
Date Set for Oral Arguments in Small Refinery Exemption RFS Case
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments on Sept. 25 in a case that could determine whether EPA must deeply curtail its program of exemptions from the RFS. The case mirrors
June 18, 2020 Read Full Article
EPA to Propose Splitting 500-Million-Gal RFS Remand in 2021, 2022: Sources
by Jordan Godwin (OPIS) EPA is expected to propose as early as next month a 250-million-gal increase in the 2021 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) and another 250-million-gal boost in the 2022 RVO to comply with a remand order the U.S.
June 17, 2020 Read Full Article
Post-Coronavirus: What’s Next in the Environmental Commodity Markets – 23 Key Takeaways
by Mike Newman (Parhelion Underwriting Inc./Biofuels Digest) ... The focus was on renewable fuels in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RINs) and California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS credits). Stakeholders came from all corners of the market, from the refining industry,
June 16, 2020 Read Full Article
Price Manipulation Suit against ADM Can Proceed
by Andrew Maloney (Chicago Daily Law Bulletin) A federal judge will allow price-manipulation claims against food processing giant Archer Daniels Midland to go forward in a central Illinois courtroom. U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce last week found plaintiffs made plausible claims
June 11, 2020 Read Full Article
44 Members of Congress Urge Trump to Deny RFS Waiver Requests
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A group of 44 members of Congress sent a letter to President Trump on June 8 urging him to deny requests filed with the U.S. EPA by several governors seeking a waiver of 2020 Renewable
June 09, 2020 Read Full Article
Farm, Biofuel Groups Press EPA on Exemptions
(Agri-Pulse/Governors' Biofuels Coalition) Biofuel advocates are asking EPA today to provide more information on requests for retroactive exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard. Citing an appeals court ruling, the Renewable Fuels Association and several other organizations argue in a letter that
June 09, 2020 Read Full Article
Senate Hearing Addresses Wood Stoves, RFS and Biomass Neutrality
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA’s proposed rule to extend the sales deadline for Step 1 wood heaters, rulemaking to classify biomass as carbon neutral and issues associated with the Renewable Fuel Standard and small refinery exemptions (SREs) were
June 02, 2020 Read Full Article
FEATURE: Surging RVO Cost Negligible for US Fuel Producers, Importers Amid Pandemic
by Joshua Brown, Margaret Rogers, Ellie Valencia, Maha Cristina Husseini (S&P Global/Platts) RVO cost highest since March 2018; USGC WTI MEH margin down $6.45/b on year; US fuel exports fall to two-year low -- Fallout from the coronavirus has so disrupted normal refined
June 01, 2020 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog: Ethanol Industry Groups Disappointed in EPA Emissions Study
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) EPA's release of a so-called "anti-backsliding" study on Friday that calls for no further action to mitigate potential adverse air quality effects from renewable fuels, was met with disappointment by two ethanol industry interest groups. The
June 01, 2020 Read Full Article
States, Greens Sue over Car Rule
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) California and 22 other states sued the Trump administration over its rollback of auto emissions standards and fuel economy rules, Pro's Alex Guillén reports. The Trump administration's final Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient Vehicles rule requires
May 28, 2020 Read Full Article
RFA Calls on EPA to Deny Secretive “Gap Year” Refinery Waiver Requests
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association on Friday urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to deny new petitions submitted by refiners for past-year waivers from their renewable volume obligations. In a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, RFA President and
May 26, 2020 Read Full Article
EPA Biofuel Policy Fight Stalls Out At Supreme Court
(Law360) The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to review a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy that fuel blenders aren't responsible for mixing biofuels into gasoline, in a defeat for refiners who claim the EPA is unlawfully giving blenders a free
May 19, 2020 Read Full Article
EPA’s Anti-Competitive Limits On Ethanol Blending Are Illegal
(Urban Air Initiative) Attorneys for a broad alliance of ethanol, agriculture and clean fuel organizations filed their opening brief arguing that EPA regulatory barriers that prevent ethanol from competing for greater market share are illegal. The brief was filed in the Court of
May 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Brief Filed in Case Over EPA Limits on Higher Blends
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) An alliance of ethanol, agriculture and clean fuel organizations led by the Urban Air Initiative is challenging the EPA over regulatory barriers to higher blends of ethanol they say are illegal. An opening brief in the case was filed this week
May 15, 2020 Read Full Article
POET, EPA Tussle over Cellulosic Ethanol in Appeals Court
by Steve Davies (Agri-Pulse) Lawyers for EPA and POET Biorefining squared off in court Monday over whether the agency’s guidance for measuring production of cellulosic ethanol is tantamount to a rule containing requirements that are impossible to meet. One of the major issues is
May 12, 2020 Read Full Article
Ernst, Grassley, Bipartisan Senators Reject Legality of Waiving the RFS, Call on Administration to Protect Biofuels
(Office of Senator Joni Ernst) Ernst and her colleagues write, “We urge you to direct the EPA to reject all calls to waive the RFS. The RFS is more important now than ever as farmers, the biofuel sector, and rural
May 12, 2020 Read Full Article
The EPA Introduced the First-Ever US Airplane Carbon Regulations
by Dharna Noor (Gizmodo) This week, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed carbon dioxide standards for the airline industry. Yes, the Trump EPA. The standards would be the first time the federal government has ever regulated the airplane emissions. But let’s be clear, this isn’t exactly cause for
May 08, 2020 Read Full Article
CVR Energy to Explore Converting Refining Units for Renewable Diesel Production
by Laura Sanicola (Reuters) CVR Energy Inc is looking to convert certain units in its refineries to renewable diesel production to reduce its exposure to the cost of renewable fuel credits (RINs), the company said on Thursday. The project, which would involve using
May 08, 2020 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Fraud Suit Nets $70 Million for Whistleblower, Feds
(Bloomberg Law) Scheme to defraud EPA renewable fuel program; Criminal cases made damages easy to calculate e-Biofuels LLC and other defendants face a $70 million liability for violating the False Claims Act by engaging in a scheme to defraud the EPA’s renewable
May 04, 2020 Read Full Article
Coalition Opposes API Petition on 2020 RFS Obligations
(Renewable Fuels Association) A coalition of ethanol and farm groups today sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency opposing the American Petroleum Institute’s recent petition requesting reconsideration of the 2020 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) final rule. API claims reconsideration of the
May 01, 2020 Read Full Article
Supreme Court to Consider RFS Point of Obligation Case on May 15
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to consider whether it will review a challenge to the Renewable Fuel Standard point of obligation on May 15. Court documents related to the challenge were distributed to the
April 23, 2020 Read Full Article
A Story for Earth Day: How Mark Abramowitz used the Clean Air Act to Move the South Coast AQMD to Action
by Mark Abramowitz (Coalition for Clean Air) It was the summer of 1984, and I was a young air quality scientist for CBE, then called Citizens for a Better Environment (now Communities for a Better Environment). I had been an active
April 22, 2020 Read Full Article
EPA Weighs Lifting Ethanol Requirements for Oil Refiners
by Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is weighing whether to let oil refineries skip on adding ethanol to their fuels, a move being requested by governors in oil-rich states who say the industry can’t afford the expense of
April 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Coronavirus Spurs New Clash between Big Oil and Big Corn over U.S. Biofuels
by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) ... The oil refining industry and its backers have asked the Trump administration to help the industry weather the pandemic by reducing a regulatory requirement that they blend billions of gallons of corn-based ethanol into their gasoline
April 17, 2020 Read Full Article
The Coronavirus Clean Energy Crisis
by Matt Carr (New Energy America/The Hill) The novel coronavirus pandemic could not have come at a worse time for America’s clean energy industry. After overcoming years of attacks by the Trump administration, the resultant loss of demand is threatening to decimate
April 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Court Rejects Appeal on RFS Exemptions
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a request by refiners for an en banc hearing of the January case that voided three small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard, Pro's Eric Wolff reports. READ
April 08, 2020 Read Full Article
How Badly Is COVID-19 Slamming Biofuels Industry? 30% Reduction of Ethanol Production Capacity, Nearly Half Offline in Coming Weeks?
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... RFA told The Digest that about 4.4 billion gallons of capacity has come offline since March 1, plus what was already idle, the total is about 5.2 billion gallons idle – that’s approximately
April 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Biofuels Industry Seeks Bailout to Weather 'Collapsing Demand'
(Reuters/NewsMax Finance) The U.S. biofuel industry has asked the Trump administration for funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation to help it survive a demand slump triggered by the coronavirus outbreak, according to a letter seen by
April 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Notice Provides Update of MSW Landfill Gas Emissions Guidelines
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA published a notice on March 12 announcing 42 states and territories failed to submit state plans under the 2016 emissions guidelines for existing municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. The March 12 notice represents
April 03, 2020 Read Full Article
EPA Loses Case Seeking Modeling behind Obama Mileage Rollback
by Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was wrong to withhold information about how it devised its new fuel efficiency standards, a panel of judges ruled just a day after the Trump administration rolled back Obama-era mileage standards. The
April 02, 2020 Read Full Article
U.S. EPA Waives Fuel Requirements, Extends Biofuels Deadline to Help Refineries
by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday unveiled measures to help oil refineries cope with fallout from the coronavirus outbreak, including waiving anti-smog requirements for gasoline and extending the deadline for small facilities to show compliance
March 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Biofuels Industry Tackling Challenges
by Susan Reidy (World-Grain.com) Despite a challenging environment, the global biofuels industry is holding steady and driving ahead with new policies, innovations and legislation to promote more robust growth in the future. In the EU, 2020 marks the deadline for certain greenhouse
March 30, 2020 Read Full Article
RFA: EPA Stall Tactic on Tenth Circuit Decision Just Delays the Inevitable
(Renewable Fuels Association) As part of a package intended to “protect the nation’s gasoline supply in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced it intends to wait until “appeals have been resolved and the court’s mandate has been
March 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Top Democratic Law Firm Helps Oil Companies Dodge Climate Regulations
by Donald Shaw and David Moore (Sludge) Perkins Coie, a law firm with deep ties to the Democratic Party, is lobbying for fossil fuel clients to win exemptions from a federal program to limit greenhouse gas emissions. -- ... The
March 26, 2020 Read Full Article
UPDATE 1-U.S. Ethanol Plants Cutting Output Due to Crashing Demand -Trade Group
by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) U.S. ethanol producers are on track to shut about 2 billion gallons of annualized output by the end of this week because of a slump in demand for fuel, the head of the Renewable Fuels Association trade
March 26, 2020 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels Coalition Welcomes Administration’s Decision Not to Seek Re-Hearing of Tenth Circuit SRE Ruling
(Renewable Fuels Association) Ethanol and farm groups today welcomed the Trump administration’s decision not to seek a re-hearing of a recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit that struck down certain small refinery exemptions (SREs) under
March 25, 2020 Read Full Article
Fewer Refineries Able to Get Biofuel Waivers Under Trump Plan
by Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Administration will not appeal court ruling curbing exemptions; Officials directed to look for other ways to help oil refiners -- The Trump administration doesn’t plan to challenge a federal court ruling that dramatically curbs its ability
March 22, 2020 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels Coalition Launches Campaign Calling for EPA Not to Appeal 10th Circuit Decision
(Renewable Fuels Association) With the need for a decision only days away, the coalition that successfully won a unanimous court decision against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continued its call for the agency to not appeal the decision by launching a
March 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Ethanol Prices Hit All-Time Low, Unconfirmed Reports of Plant Shutdowns
by Jerry Perkins (Successful Farming) ... The downturn in demand for ethanol, which is blended at a 10% rate in almost every gallon of gasoline consumed in the U.S., is coming at a time when ethanol plants were already economically
March 18, 2020 Read Full Article
RFA Calls on Trump Administration to Help Struggling Biofuels Industry
by Ken Anderson (Brownfield Ag News) ... With many ethanol plants on the verge of shutting down, we implore the Trump Administration to take action that equitably supports all liquid fuel industries—including ethanol producers—during this time of unprecedented market uncertainty and
March 18, 2020 Read Full Article
Trump Pulled Back into Oil-Ethanol Fight
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Poltico's Morning Energy) JUST WHEN HE THOUGHT HE WAS OUT:The president is once again caught in the middle of a spat between oil refiners and ethanol producers centered around small refinery exemptions under the RFS, Pro's Eric
March 16, 2020 Read Full Article
Why a Good Ethanol Education Program Is Needed Now, More Than Ever
by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) U.S. DOE and EPA are Screwing America (And No One Cares - Do You?) +VIDEO -- ... So, I did a Google search of his name (Daniel R. Simmons) along with the word "ethanol."
March 13, 2020 Read Full Article
California Wins First Round of Cap-and-Trade Fight
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) A federal judge ruled against the Justice Department on Thursday in the first round of a lawsuit between the Trump administration and California over the state's cap-and-trade program with Quebec, Pro's Debra Kahn reports.
March 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Grassley Doubts Administration Will Appeal 10th Circuit Ruling on SRES
by Ken Anderson (Brownfield Ag News) Earlier this week the Trump Administration was granted a two-week delay in deciding whether to appeal a court ruling on small refinery exemptions. Does that mean an appeal is likely? Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley doesn’t think
March 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Trump, EPA to Appeal Ethanol Blending Decision
(Kallanish Energy) President Donald Trump and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have agreed to appeal a federal appeals court decision on ethanol blending, Kallanish Energy reports. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had invalidated three small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel
March 11, 2020 Read Full Article
Farm Groups Focus on Trade, Biofuels at Commodity Classic
by Michelle Rook (AgWeek) Leaders of the nation’s top commodity organizations were focused on trade, biofuels and the upcoming crop season at this year’s Commodity Classic in San Antonio. -- ...U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told farmers at Commodity Classic that
March 10, 2020 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- Joni Ernst
"So, the President, his point to me was, Joni, it’s not going to be overturned. It’s not going to be overturned. And this way, let Ted Cruz and the oil buddies feel good about what they are doing, but he
March 09, 2020 Read Full Article
Trump’s Biofuel Plan Triggers Fallout in U.S. Farm Country
by Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Appeal would be ‘a stunning betrayal’ of farmers, groups warn; Move allows EPA to keep waiving refineries from biofuel quotas -- President Donald Trump’s decision to defend the U.S. government’s power to broadly exempt oil refineries
March 09, 2020 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog: Inhofe Amendment Would Cap Biofuels Credits Price at 10 Cents
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) Sen. James Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, has offered an amendment to an energy bill to cap the price of Renewable Identification Numbers, or RINs, at 10 cents, as time is running out on the EPA to make
March 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Trump Plans to Appeal Ruling that Imperils Refinery Biofuel Waivers
by Jennifer A. Dlouhy and Mario Parker (Bloomberg News/The Eagle) President Donald Trump has decided to appeal a federal court ruling that jeopardized the U.S. government’s ability to widely exempt refineries from requirements to use renewable fuels. The decision follows an intense
March 06, 2020 Read Full Article
UPDATE 2-U.S. EPA Mulls Ways to Stabilize Biofuel Costs for Refiners, with Waiver Program at Risk
by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Wednesday it is mulling new measures to help oil refiners cope with the cost of complying with the nation’s biofuel policy, as the agency faces a sweeping legal challenge
March 05, 2020 Read Full Article
EPA Board: Trump Replacement of Obama-Era Emissions Rule May Not Be as Good for Society
by Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) The Trump administration's plans for addressing vehicle emissions may not be as good for society as an Obama administration rule, according to a review released Monday by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) independent science board. The analysis
March 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Here We Go Again: Senate Letter Plagued by Myths and Mistruths about RINs
by Scott Richman (Renewable Fuels Association) Yesterday (February 27, 2020), a group of senators wrote a letter to President Trump regarding the January 24 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit that found the EPA improperly exceeded its
March 02, 2020 Read Full Article
EPA Consulting White House over Biofuel Waiver Program: Source
by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking White House guidance on the future of its controversial biofuel waiver program after a court ruling cast doubt over its legitimacy, and aims to announce a decision by early next
February 17, 2020 Read Full Article
El Dorado Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Dumping Industrial Wastewater in Stockton Sewer System
(U.S. Department of Justice) Jeremiah Young, 38, of El Dorado, pleaded guilty today to unlawful discharge of industrial wastewater, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Young was an assistant operator for Community Fuels from 2014 to 2016. Community Fuels is registered in
February 14, 2020 Read Full Article
Ethanol Report 1-31-20 SRE Court Ruling, NEC Preview, Midwest LCFS, Crappie Masters
(Ethanol Report/Renewable Fuels Association) In this episode of The Ethanol Report, we hear about a new court ruling that could be a game changer for Small Refinery Exemptions, get a preview of the 25th annual National Ethanol Conference, learn about
January 31, 2020 Read Full Article
Tenth Circuit Court Strikes Down EPA Small Refinery Exemptions
(Renewable Fuels Association) In a decision that is expected to broadly impact the Environmental Protection Agency’s approach to granting small refinery exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit late on Friday struck
January 27, 2020 Read Full Article
Plan to Gut Obama’s Auto Mileage Rules Is Getting Dialed Back
by Ryan Beene and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Revised proposal will require modest annual efficiency gains; Draft rule is under review by White House budget office -- ... A draft of the final rule, now undergoing a final White House
January 22, 2020 Read Full Article
The RFS: Where Things Stand
by Bob Cleaves (Biomass Magazine/Biomass Power Association) As we begin 2020, I thought an update of the Biomass Power Association’s pursuit of electric RINs, or eRINs, would be in order. Last year was big for us, and while we would
January 14, 2020 Read Full Article
Suncor Asks 10th Circuit to Review EPA’s Denial of Controversial Biofuels Exemption
by Michael Karlik (Colorado Politics) Suncor Energy U.S.A. has filed a petition asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit to review a federal decision denying the company a one-year exemption from the country's biofuels requirement at its two refineries
January 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Valero Energy and AFPM Petition Supreme Court on RFS’ Point of Obligation
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, D.C., Valero Energy Corporation and the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to look at whether the EPA is following the law by not considering past petitions to change the point
January 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Report from Growth Energy Debunks Unsupported Claims Regarding Endangered Species
(Growth Energy) Growth Energy, the nation’s largest association of biofuel producers, released a new report demonstrating how claims on the Renewable Fuel Standard’s (RFS) alleged impact on endangered species “relies on unsupported assumptions and speculation.” The report was authored by Ramboll, a global
December 10, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump Says U.S. Will Finalize New Fuel Efficiency Rules Next Year
by David Shepardson (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that his administration will finalize its rollback of Obama-era vehicle emissions standards next year and expected it would provoke a new legal challenge by California. ... Trump said on Friday that
December 10, 2019 Read Full Article
ACE Urges EPA to Get RFS Back on Track
(American Coalition for Ethanol) The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) submitted comments today to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its proposed supplemental rulemaking to the 2020 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). ACE CEO Brian Jennings detailed three areas
November 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Colorado Business Owner Convicted in $7 Million Biodiesel Tax Credit Fraud Scheme
(U.S. Department of Justice) A federal jury in Denver, Colorado, found Martin Fields guilty yesterday of conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit money laundering, making false claims against the United States, and money laundering, announced Principal Deputy Assistant
November 21, 2019 Read Full Article
RNG Advocates Spurned as DC Circuit Upholds EPA Biofuel Refinery Waivers
by Richard Nemec (Natural Gas Intel) The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Tuesday upheld the federal government's waivers for small refineries, which allows them to not include minimum renewables volumes in their transportation fuels to
November 18, 2019 Read Full Article
California and Nearly Two Dozen Other States Sue Trump Administration for the Right to Set Fuel-Efficiency Standards
by Brady Dennis and Juliet Eilperin (Washington Post) Lawsuit marks the latest in an escalating fight over one of the nation’s biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. -- California and 22 other states sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Friday,
November 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Court Dismisses ABFA’s Petition for Review of EPA SRE Methodology
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Nov. 12 dismissed a petition for review filed by the Advanced Biofuels Association challenging the U.S. EPA’s methodology for granting small refinery exemptions (SREs). The
November 13, 2019 Read Full Article
The New Science Fossil Fuel Companies Fear
by Zack Coleman (Politico) Researchers can now link weather events to emissions – and to the companies responsible. A string of lawsuits is about to give “attribution science” a real-life test. -- Richard Heede spent a decade digging through “disheveled, dusty”
November 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Senate Interior Appropriations Bill Requires EPA to Act on eRINs
(RFS Power Coalition/Biomass Magazine) The RFS Power Coalition today applauded the passage of H.R. 3055 (116), the Senate’s Interior Appropriations bill. The Interior-EPA portion of the spending package includes a provision led by Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, requiring the EPA to
November 06, 2019 Read Full Article
DC Circuit Finds That EPA Will Have to Explain Its Rejection of Facts in Rollback of Clean Car Standards
(Sierra Club) (October 25, 2019) the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C Circuit confirmed that EPA cannot ignore the record of facts supporting the conclusion that the clean car standards are achievable. In January 2017, the Obama administration went through a
October 30, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuel Groups File Petition Challenging Trump Administration's Small-Refinery Waivers
by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) Biofuels groups have filed a petition in the U.S. court of appeals in Washington against the Environmental Protection Agency, challenging the agency’s process for granting refineries exemptions to the nation’s biofuel blending mandates, the groups said
October 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Michigan Biodiesel Dealer Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud
(Wisconsin Ag Connection/USAgNet) A Bloomfield, Mich., biodiesel fuel dealer pleaded guilty today to filing a false income tax return, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department's Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider of
October 23, 2019 Read Full Article
New Court Documents Detail Rampant EPA Abuse of Small Refinery Exemption Program
(Renewable Fuels Association) Newly available court documents assert that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency inappropriately granted Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) compliance exemptions to certain small refineries that did not even qualify for the waivers, and that there was division within the
October 23, 2019 Read Full Article
“EPA Reneges on Trump’s Biofuels Deal”: Shocker Details Emerge on US Oil Industry Waivers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “EPA Reneges on Trump’s Biofuels Deal”, said the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association in reacting to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s new plans for fulfilling federal renewable fuel requirements. EPA released a proposed supplemental rule for the Renewable Fuel
October 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Trial Aims to Explain How a Utah Polygamist Used an Alleged Armenian Gangster to Launder Biofuel Money to Turkey
by Nate Carlisle (Salt Lake Tribune) The possible witness list for the trial of Lev Aslan Dermen includes the Utah polygamist prosecutors say the defendant both conspired with and extorted, the businessman who laundered money to a Turkish airline and
October 14, 2019 Read Full Article
President Trump's 'Giant' Biofuels Package Is Decidedly Small
by Tristan R. Brown (Seeking Alpha) Summary -- The "giant package" that President Donald Trump had promised to the U.S. biofuels sector back in August was finally unveiled late last week. While the plan's details continue to be scarce, those
October 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Court: EPA Must Consider Environmental Impact When Setting Ethanol Mandate
by Chuck Abbott (Successful Farming) The U.S. appeals court in Washington unanimously ordered the EPA to reconsider its Renewable Fuel Standard for 2018 because it failed to account for the potential impact of full-throttle corn production on endangered species and
October 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Groups Sue Federal Government over Move to Block CA Emission Standards
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Nine environmental advocacy groups are suing the Trump administration over its attempt to prevent California and other states from setting their own vehicle emission standards. The complaint challenges a final rule recently issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic
October 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Small Refineries Petition Courts: Agriculture, Biofuel Groups Await Announcement on White House RFS Deal
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) Two small refiners not receiving exemptions to the Renewable Fuel Standard in EPA's latest round of waivers announced on Aug. 9, continue to fight the agency's rejection in federal court. At the same time, agriculture
October 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Audio of Private Meeting Shows Oil Industry Ripping into Trump Administration
by Ben Lefebvre (Politico) At a closed-door meeting this summer, oil and gas industry lawyers criticized the Trump administration's failure to recruit enough qualified people to secure policy victories that would outlast this presidency, according to a recording of the gathering. The
September 30, 2019 Read Full Article
Trump Tweets He's Revoking California's Tailpipe Emissions Waiver while Visiting State
by Miranda Green (The Hill) President Trump announced on Wednesday that his administration will be removing California's tailpipe emissions waiver under the Clean Air Act, a decision likely to face fierce backlash in courts. Trump made the announcement via Twitter while touring
September 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Korein Tillery Files Class Action Lawsuit Alleging Market Manipulation of Ethanol Futures and Options Prices by Archer Daniels Midland
(Korein Tillery/Cision) Korein Tillery attorneys filed a class action lawsuit against Archer Daniels Midland Company ("ADM") in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, alleging that ADM has manipulated a key benchmark for the settlement and pricing of ethanol futures
September 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Justice Dept. Launches Antitrust Probe of Automakers over Their Fuel Efficiency Deal with California
by Juliet Eilperin and Steven Mufson (Washington Post) The Justice Department has launched an antitrust investigation of four leading automakers over an agreement they forged with the state of California to maintain higher fuel efficiency standards than those sought by the
September 06, 2019 Read Full Article
California, Trump Clash over Cars
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) California and the Trump administration will duke it out in court today over EPA's initial decision to undo Obama-era auto emissions standards. ... It's California vs. Donald Trump today at the D.C. Circuit in an
September 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Circuit Court Rejects Challenges to EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standards
by Tim Ryan (Court House News) The D.C. Circuit on Friday upheld the Environmental Protection Agency’s renewable fuel standards in the face of challenges from energy companies, biofuel producers and industry groups. Under longstanding EPA policy, the burden of introducing more
September 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Internal White House Documents: EPA Ignored Trump Administration Recommendations to Redistribute Small Refinery Waived Volumes
(Renewable Fuels Association) Documents obtained by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) show that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ignored strong recommendations from within the Trump Administration to redistribute Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending obligations lost to small refinery exemptions in the
August 27, 2019 Read Full Article
ACE Conference: An Update on Litigation Affecting the Industry
by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Bryan Stockton gave attendees of the American Coalition for Ethanol’s annual conference in Omaha, Nebraska, an update on some of the litigation affecting the ethanol industry. Stockton is an attorney at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
August 26, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Mulling Ethanol Reallocation, Sources Say
by Alex Guillén (Politico's Morning Energy) The Trump administration is considering reallocating the volumes of ethanol that were reduced when it allowed dozens of refineries to waive their Renewable Fuel Standard requirements to blend the biofuel with gasoline, four industry
August 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuel Lobby Sues EPA Over Renewable Fuel Standard Exemptions
by Michael McGrady (Inside Sources) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is facing a legal challenge from a coalition of biofuel and agriculture industry groups regarding the agency’s proposal for reduced renewable fuel volumes. According to a press release from the coalition, the organizations filed a
August 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Report: Trump Ordered Waivers: Ongoing Court Challenges May Be Only Avenue Left for Biofuels
by By Todd Neeley and Chris Clayton (DTN Progressive Farmer) ...The president sided with oil refiners over ethanol producers and corn farmers, just two months after reiterating his support for ethanol at a rally held at Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy
August 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Coalition Pushes EPA to Reconsider Limits on Higher Ethanol Blends
(Urban Air Initiative) In a joint petition filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals, a broad alliance of ethanol, agriculture, and clean fuel organizations requested judicial review of a recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rulemaking that would limit ethanol blending and
August 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Small Fuel Retailers Sue Trump EPA over E15 Gasoline Rule - Filing
by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) A group representing the country’s small fuel retailers has filed a lawsuit this week against the Environmental Protection Agency over its rule lifting a ban on the year-round sales of higher ethanol blends of gasoline, a court
August 12, 2019 Read Full Article
States Sue Trump Administration for Reduced Penalties on Fuel Efficiency
by Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) Thirteen states filed suit against the Trump administration Friday, arguing it was breaking the law by cutting penalties for automakers that do not meet Obama-era fuel efficiency standards. The suit, led by California's and New York’s attorneys general, goes
August 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Coalition Seeks Court Action Forcing EPA to Account for Lost Biofuel Volumes
(Renewable Fuels Association) An agriculture and biofuels coalition has petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to lift a stay it placed on a joint 2018 petition asking the court to protect the renewable fuels industry
July 31, 2019 Read Full Article
RFA Urges EPA To Address RFS Small Refiner Waivers and Court Remand
(Renewable Fuels Association) In oral testimony presented at a public hearing today in Ypsilanti, Mich., the Renewable Fuels Association urged the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that its 2020 Renewable Fuel Standard final rule prospectively accounts for expected small refinery exemptions
July 31, 2019 Read Full Article
RFA Extends Ethanol Invite as EPA Head Visits Oil Refinery
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association has invited U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler to visit an ethanol plant as a follow-up to his tour of a Pennsylvania oil refinery. Wheeler was scheduled to visit Monroe Energy’s plant in Trainer,
July 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Small U.S. Refiners Vow to Sue EPA If It Fails to Issue 2018 Waiver Rulings in 60 Days
by Humeyra Pamuk (National Post/Reuters) Small U.S. refineries plan to sue Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 60 days, if the agency by then fails to issue its decisions on 2018 petitions for waivers from the nation’s biofuel laws, refiners said in a
July 19, 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Twenty-One Individuals Indicted on Charges of Conspiracy to Commit Interstate Transportation of Stolen Used Cooking Oil, Money Laundering, Harboring Aliens, and Immigration-Related Entrepreneurship Fraud
(U.S. Department of Justice) Robert J. Higdon Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned a Superseding Indictment charging the following individuals with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation
June 25, 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Former DuPont Employee Gets 42 Months in Prison for Stealing Trade Secrets
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) ... As part of his guilty plea, Isler (Josh Harry Isler) admitted that, during August 2013, while employed with DuPont, and after having accepted an offer of employment with a smaller competitor, he stole and misappropriated,
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
Sioux Falls-Based Ethanol Producer Poet Awarded Millions by Arbitration Panel
by Jonathan Ellis (Argus Leader) Sioux Falls-based Poet has asked a federal judge to confirm a multi-million dollar arbitration award it received from a company that it claims botched an ethanol production system at a plant in Iowa. A panel of three
April 12, 2019 Read Full Article
ABLC 2019 Round-Up
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... ABLC 2019 kicked off on Wednesday with about 540 delegates in Washington, D.C. at the U.S. Department of Agriculture building complete with secret service protection and escorts for some big-name super star speakers, with
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
EPA Wants Refinery Information Sealed Agency Asks Court Not to Disclose Waivers Brief, Documents to Public
by Todd Neeeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) The EPA wants to keep from the public eye an opening brief and some records to be filed in a small-refinery waivers case, claiming in a court motion the information is subject to a
March 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Court Brief: EPA Strayed on RFS Waivers -- EPA Changed Course on Small-Refinery Waivers Without Public Input
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) The EPA broke away from Renewable Fuel Standard requirements for granting small-refinery waivers starting in May 2017 and continued to deny a congressional order regarding which refiners qualify, according to a 97-page brief filed
March 09, 2019 Read Full Article
White House Presses Automakers to Back Fuel-Efficiency Rollback
by Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis (Washington Post) As the Trump administration races to roll back Obama’s most ambitious climate rule, it lobbies to get industry on board -- Trump officials thought they were doing the auto industry a favor when they decided to
March 08, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Changed Rules to Help Profitable Refiners Get Biofuel Waivers: Lawsuit
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) U.S. environmental regulators quietly changed the way they assess applications from refineries for waivers from the nation’s biofuels law, making it possible for highly profitable plants to secure lucrative exemptions, according to court documents filed by a
March 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Eugene Man Resentenced in Biodiesel Fraud Case
by Maxine Bernstein (The Oregonian/OregonLive) Jack Holden and co-defendant Lloyd Benton Sharp together defrauded 12 people who invested in a project to produce biodiesel fuel in the West African nation of Ghana. When the project failed, the two men duped the investors
February 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Icahn-Backed Refiner Saves $189 Million on EPA's Biofuel Tweaks
by Mario Parker and Jennifer A. Dlouhy (Bloomberg) CVR Energy Inc., backed by billionaire investor Carl Icahn, saved $189 million under the U.S. biofuels mandate last year. That’s largely thanks to a campaign he helped ignite to lower costs for compliance. CVR Energy,
February 26, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Will Study Ethanol's Impact on Air Quality after Long Delay
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Friday it has agreed to conduct a long-delayed study to assess the impact that burning ethanol as a motor vehicle fuel has on air quality. The Sierra Club had filed a
February 23, 2019 Read Full Article
RFS Power Coalition Launched by BPA, ABC, ERC
(Biomass Power Association, American Biogas Council and Energy Recovery Council/Biomass Magazine) Three trade associations representing renewable electricity producers today announced the launch of the RFS Power Coalition. The coalition’s purpose is to get the EPA to implement a law passed by
February 13, 2019 Read Full Article
National Wildlife Federation Files Lawsuit over Habitat Destruction from Biofuels Policy
by Mike Saccone (National Wildlife Federation) The National Wildlife Federation, represented by Earthjustice, filed a lawsuit today against the Environmental Protection Agency alleging that it illegally approved expanded volume production of largely corn- and soy-based biofuels despite evidence that such production
February 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels Group Growth Energy Sues U.S. EPA over Small RefineryExemptions
by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) Biofuels group Growth Energy filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday, challenging the agency’s renewable fuel mandate for 2019 as failing to address rising waived biofuel volumes. “EPA’s inaction on addressing lost gallons
February 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Prepares for a ‘Crazy Year’ Trying to Sway the Trump Administration
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) Ethanol producers are preparing for major action at the federal level in the months ahead, both in terms of litigation against Trump administration actions on the nation’s renewable fuel mandate and lobbying to finalize rules regarding
January 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Upholds California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard
(Environmental Defense Fund/WebWire) The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decisive ruling upholding California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard – the state’s landmark program to reduce climate pollution from the fuel used in cars and trucks. The court sided with California on all issues
January 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Metro East Fuel Plant Owner Admits Doctoring Tests to Get $500,000 in Biodiesel Tax Credits
by Robert Patrick (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) The former operator of a South Roxana biodiesel plant pleaded guilty in federal court here Thursday and admitted doctoring test results to fraudulently receive $531,000 in tax credits. Terry L. Zintel pleaded guilty to three
January 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Recognizing Today’s Reality to Shape a Better Tomorrow
by Brian Jennings (American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Looking back to one year ago, ethanol renewable identification numbers (RINs) were fetching nearly 70 cents (a valuable incentive for ethanol blending), exports were swelling to record volumes, and EPA was promising
January 02, 2019 Read Full Article
The RFA Annual In/Out List of 2019
(Renewable Fuels Association) With the benefit of hindsight, 2018 is now widely seen as a transformative year in both politics and ethanol. So as 2018 comes to a close and we look back with nostalgia and toward 2019 with hope, we
December 28, 2018 Read Full Article
Throttled and Greens Sue for Auto Proposal Docs
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) THROTTLED: An administration official told Pro's Zack Colman that EPA and NHTSA would reduce its projection for saved lives in its forthcoming finalized fuel economy rule. The reason: The agencies are revising estimates for
December 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Court Won’t Dismiss Challenge to Part of Trump’s Car Efficiency Rollback
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) A federal court won’t dismiss a challenge by Democratic states and green groups to a key part of the Trump administration’s plan to roll back car fuel efficiency and emissions standards. At issue is the Environmental Protection