by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) A group representing biofuel companies asked a federal judge on Tuesday to force the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to stop exempting small refineries from renewable fuel laws until a lawsuit challenging the agency’s actions is resolved. Producers United
Litigation-Federal
Back TO HOMEHiring an Expert Witness in Bioeconomy Litigation
by Wayne Lee (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) In August 2017, I published an articlewhich focused on important things that attorneys involved in biofuels or biochemical litigation should look for when choosing an expert witness. This article explores the subject of expert
November 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Automakers Fight Trump’s Auto Emissions Rollback
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) Major automakers are pushing the Trump administration to abandon its plan to roll back climate change rules for cars. Companies had emphatically encouraged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) to undo the Obama
November 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Lobbying Is Up, and It Seems to Be Paying Off
Elvin Anawaguna (Roll Call/MSN) Biofuel groups upped their spending on lobbying this year as they pressured lawmakers and the Trump administration on issues related to the Renewable Fuel Standard, which sets minimum volumes of biofuels to be used to power cars
November 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Another Year of Uncertainty for Biofuels
by Michael McAdams (Biomass Magazine/Advanced Biofuels Association) As we approach the end of 2018, we reflect on a year that was full of surprises for the biofuels industry. What stands out the most was former U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s application of
November 06, 2018 Read Full Article
E15 Faces More Speed Bumps EPA’S Rule for Year-Round E15 Sales Is Still Not in Federal Register.
by Dan Looker (Success Farming) When President Donald Trump told a campaign rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa, last month that his administration will approve year-round sales of E15, farmers and the ethanol industry were pleased. They looked forward to more sales of
November 06, 2018 Read Full Article
The Energy 202: California Says Trump's Fuel Standards Plan Will 'Forfeit Our Best Chance to Fight Climate Change'
by Dino Grandoni (Washington Post) California is coming out swinging in its official response to one of the Trump administration's most consequential attempts at rolling back regulations to date — to freeze fuel-efficiency standards for cars and trucks through 2026. In a 400-page
November 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Senators to Trump Administration: Don’t Challenge California’s Clean Car Standards
(Office of Senator Dianne Feinstein) Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today was joined by 22 senators in calling on the Trump administration to end its challenge of California’s authority to set vehicle emission standards. The senators represent states that follow California’s standards. "The changes
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA President Says February Not Soon Enough for E15 Rulemaking
(WNAX) This week, the Environmental Protection Agency published its rule making agenda for 2019 and in it said they’’ll start the rulemaking process for year-round use of E15 in February of next year. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper
October 22, 2018 Read Full Article
President Opens up E15 Sales: Trump Directs EPA to Allow Year-Round E15 and a More Transparent RINs Market
by Chris Clayton and Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Leading into President Donald Trump's trip to Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Tuesday, a senior White House official said Tuesday that the president has directed the Environmental Protection Agency to create a
October 09, 2018 Read Full Article
D.C. Circuit Will Be All Ears for RFS Arguments
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) A panel of D.C. Circuit appellate judges today will hear yet another iteration of arguments over the Renewable Fuel Standard. The court has allowed an hour and 40 minutes to delve into the issues
October 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Biodiesel Tax Conspiracy
(U.S. Department of Justice) A Harrisburg, Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to one count of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division,
October 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Midterm Elections, RVO Decisions, and Lame Duck Tax Relief
by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association) ... When testifying recently before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, the acting administrator was judicious in answering questions about EPA’s small refinery exemptions (SREs). He has publicly stated that there should be more
September 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Company Ordered to Pay $31.9M to SEC for Biofuel Fraud
by Dave Stafford (The Indiana Lawyer) Evansville-based Imperial Petroleum Inc. has been ordered to pay nearly $32 million to the Securities and Exchange Commission after it failed to reply to the SEC’s court filings seeking damages in a biofuels fraud case that
September 21, 2018 Read Full Article
US Court Dismisses Industry Challenge to Oregon Fuel Standards
by Brian Scheid (SP Global/Platts) A federal appeals court on Friday upheld Oregon's low-carbon fuel standards, dismissing a challenge brought by US refiners and truckers. The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, American Trucking Associations and the Consumer Energy Alliance challenged Oregon's standards,
September 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Guest View: Kavanaugh Is No Friend to Midwestern Farmers
by Tammy Duckworth (Quad City Times) ... Time and again, he’s (Judge Brett Kavanaugh) chosen Big Oil over everyday Americans, serving as the lone dissenter in decisions that have pitted the fossil fuel industry against our farmers. In a recent case,
September 10, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Needs to Reallocate Gallons from RFS Waivers
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) : Incoming RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper addresses the small refiner exemptions issued by the U.S. EPA last year, and how they affect the ethanol market -- The U.S. EPA remains committed to
September 07, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA, Growth Energy Demand Transparency for Small Refinery Exemptions in New Lawsuit
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Growth Energy today filed a lawsuit in federal district court, alleging that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) have improperly denied agency records requested by RFA, Growth
September 04, 2018 Read Full Article
An Open Letter to EPA Acting Administrator Wheeler
by Brian Jennings (American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Consider this a blueprint for restoring the trust EPA has broken with farmers and rural America. 1. Make good on the president’s promises to allow E15 use year-round. Trump has made three or four
September 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog -- Ethanol Groups Seek EPA Documents on Small Refinery Waivers
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Two leading ethanol interest groups and one of the nation's largest ethanol producers asked a federal court on Thursday to force two federal agencies to hand over records related to the issuance of small
August 31, 2018 Read Full Article
2019 Proposed RFS Volumes: The Deep-Dive Analysis
by Antoine Schellinger (Biofuels Digest) In what has now become the final RFS2 issued policy under Scott Pruitt, there is no change from the policy established in the proposed and final 2018 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO). The use of cellulosic waiver
August 24, 2018 Read Full Article
US Ethanol Industry Razzes 2019 Renewable Fuel Standard Proposal: The Why and the Who
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The 2019 proposed US Renewable Fuel Standard proposed volumes attracted a major raspberry from the ethanol industry. As the American Coalition for Ethanol noted: “Unfortunately, EPA continues to take actions which undermine the letter and spirit of the
August 24, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA's RFS Study Timeline
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) EPA wants 14 months to finish up an air quality study of the Renewable Fuel Standard, saying in a court filing Monday that the timeline "is the most expeditious one for the agency to
August 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Frustration Brews in the Ethanol Industry
by Dan Looker (Successful Farming) Lawsuits and EPA petitions are in the works. -- ... “I would say the status quo right now is unacceptable for the industry,” says Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy. “If he’s (President Donald Trump) supportive
August 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Colorado Business Owner Pleads Guilty to $7 Million Biodiesel Tax Credit Fraud Scheme
(U.S. Department of Justice) A Colorado business owner pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to impair and impede the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for his role in a $7.2 million renewable fuel tax credit scheme, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard
August 09, 2018 Read Full Article
California Schemin'
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) The Trump administration's proposed freeze of vehicle fuel efficiency standards sought by the Obama administration and plan to end California's power to enforce its own rules has placed the spotlight squarely on the state, where
August 03, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA Welcomes Inclusion of High Octane Fuels in 2021-2026 CAFE/GHG Proposal
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) today welcomed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) request for public comments on how high octane fuels could facilitate engine efficiency improvements and reduced emissions under 2021-2026 fuel economy and tailpipe GHG standards
August 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump Administration to Freeze Fuel Efficiency Requirements
by Brady Dennis, Michael Laris and Juliet Eilperin (The Washington Post) The Trump administration on Thursday announced plans to freeze fuel efficiency requirements for the nation’s cars and trucks through 2026 — a massive regulatory rollback likely to spur a legal battle with California
August 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Daily on Energy: Democrats ‘Pleased’ to Hear from Trump’s New EPA Pick: EPA’S Wheeler Promises ‘50-State Solution’ for New Auto Rules
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler confirmed to senators Wednesday that the Trump administration this week will release a proposal to weaken Obama-era fuel efficiency standards. Wheeler, in his first testimony before Congress since replacing Scott
August 01, 2018 Read Full Article
NBB Files Opening Brief Challenging 2018 Renewable Fuel Standards
(National Biodiesel Board) NBB brief is the first to challenge EPA’s accounting for small refinery “hardship” exemptions in the annual RFS volumes -- On Friday July 27, 2018, the National Biodiesel Board filed an opening brief in its lawsuit objecting to EPA’s
August 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Court to Hear RFS Refinery Waivers Case
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Appeals Court to Hear Whether EPA Followed Law Prior to Granting Exemptions -- The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver will hear a Renewable Fuels Standard lawsuit challenging EPA's issuance of small refinery waivers,
July 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Inside the Draft Auto Rule Rollback
by Alex Guillén (Politico's Morning Energy) The Trump administration is expected to formally roll back vehicle fuel economy and emissions requirements later this week, and a draft version of the EPA-NHTSA rule posted Friday evening by The New York Times offers
July 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Judge Throws out New York City's Climate Change Lawsuit against 5 Major Oil Companies
by Tom DiChristopher (CNBC) A federal judge dismissed New York's lawsuit against five big oil and gas companies for their role in climate change. New York argued the companies should compensate the city for the cost of mitigating the effects of global warming. U.S.
July 23, 2018 Read Full Article
U.S. Court of Appeals Rules in Ergon - West Virginia’s Favor in RFS Claim Against EPA
(Ergon - West Virginia, Inc./Business Wire) Ergon - West Virginia, Inc., Wrongfully Denied Small Refinery Hardship Relief -- The United States Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit has vacated and remanded the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) denial
July 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump Admin Moves to Throw out RFS Waivers Suit
by Amanda Reilly (E&E News) The Trump administration on Friday asked a federal court to throw out a lawsuit over EPA's decision to exempt refiners from annual renewable fuel requirements. Government lawyers raised procedural arguments against the suit in the U.S.
July 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Former DuPont Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing Trade Secrets and Lying to the FBI
(U.S. Department of Justice) Took Trade Secrets and Proprietary Information When He Accepted a Job with a Competitor -- Josh Harry Isler, age 55, from St. Ansgar, Iowa, pled guilty today in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids to one count
July 12, 2018 Read Full Article
California Regulator Sees 'Window' for Deal on Fuel Economy Rules
by David Shepardson (Reuters) California is ready to work with major automakers on revisions to greenhouse gas emission vehicle rules through 2025 and sees a “window” for a deal in the coming months, the state’s top clean air regulator told Reuters
July 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Brett Kavanaugh Could Be Good for Ethanol
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) President Trump's nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court could be good news for the ethanol industry and clean energy programs where adherence to the law is often challenged. Trump said Kavanaugh, in his twelve years as
July 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Justice Kennedy’s Retirement Could Reshape the Environment
by Robinson Meyer (The Atlantic) A new justice will likely weaken the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. -- ... With Kennedy gone, a more conservative Supreme Court could overhaul key aspects of the Clean Air Act, the
June 29, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA Chief Knocks EPA Over Failure to Address Illegal Cut in 2016 RVO
by Jeff Barber (Opisnet) PA's failure to include in its proposed 2019 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) an estimated 500 million gal of renewable fuels that a federal appeals court last year said the agency illegally excluded from its 2016 biofuel targets
June 28, 2018 Read Full Article
Colorado Business Owners Indicted For $7 Million Biodiesel Tax Credit Fraud Scheme
(U.S. Department of Justice) A federal grand jury for the District of Colorado has returned an indictment, which was unsealed today, charging two Colorado business owners with conspiring to defraud the United States and to commit money laundering, money laundering and
June 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Box Elder Tax Increment Program for Biofuels Company Is on Hold
by Mark Shenefelt (Standard-Examiner) In 2014, the Box Elder County Redevelopment Agency created a $2.5 million, seven-year tax increment program to support expansions planned at the Washakie Renewable Energy plant in Plymouth. But the county economic development director said Wednesday, June
June 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Senate Ag Committee Restores 2018 Farm Bill Energy Title Funding
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On June 13, the Senate ag committee approved the its version of the 2018 Farm Bill with bipartisan support. The legislation includes an amendment offered by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., that restores mandatory funding to Farm
June 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Farm and Biofuel Coalition Demands that EPA Account for Lost Volumes Due to Secretive, Retroactive Small Refinery Exemptions
(Growth Energy) Coalition Petitions EPA to Revise the Way It Calculates Annual Renewable Fuel Obligations; EPA Is Failing to Comply with Statutory Mandate -- Today a coalition of biofuel and agriculture groups petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to change its regulations to
June 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Exclusive: U.S. EPA Grants Refiners Biofuel Credits to Remedy Obama-Era Waiver Denials
by Jarrett Renshaw and Chris Prentice (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded tens of millions of dollars worth of biofuel blending credits for this year to refiners HollyFrontier and Sinclair Oil after they argued the agency had wrongly denied
May 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Sustain RFS as Important Tool in GHG-Reduction Strategy
(Solutions from the Land) One of the three pillars of climate-smart agriculture is actions that farmers can take to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and simultaneously improve profitability. A principal means by which the agriculture sector can help governments around
May 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol, Farm Groups Sue EPA over Refineries' Biofuels Exemptions
by Chris Prentice and Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) A coalition of ethanol and farm groups sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday, challenging its decision to free three refineries, including one owned by billionaire investor Carl Icahn, from annual biofuels requirements. The
May 30, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Can’t Keep Prior Fuel Economy Data in Its Blind Spot: Critics
by Abby Smith (Bloomberg) Lawsuits seek to force consideration of prior data in fuel economy proposal; Automakers expect fuller analysis, data to back up agencies’ proposed options -- Lawsuits over the EPA’s April fuel economy determination are more than just a preemptive strike,
May 24, 2018 Read Full Article
'Climate Change Is Real,' Automakers Declare To Trump
by Ryan Felton (Jalopnik) Major automakers are still reeling from the sudden realization they’ve collectively succumbed to Stockholm Syndrome, after they buddied up with President Donald Trump to alter fuel economy standards set by his predecessor. Since Trump went waaaay further than the automakers could’ve
May 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Waiver Wire: Why Is the Biofuels Industry up in Arms about Oil Refinery Waivers?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... But they’re part of the Washington dialogue this month, waivers and easy outs, since reports surfaced in media that the US Environmental Protection Agency granted a Renewable Fuel Standard hardship waiver for CVR Energy’s Wynnewood, Oklahoma
May 22, 2018 Read Full Article
The Interaction of the Clean Air Act, California's CAA Waiver, Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards, Renewable Fuel Standards and California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The Trump Administration is taking a new look at Obama Administration era Co2 regulations. On the transportation side, these include reviewing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards; threatening to take away California’s authority to set
May 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Utilities Join with Tesla to Sue EPA over Fuel Standard Rollback
by Gavin Blade (Utility Dive) o A coalition of utilities and electric transportation companies sued the Enviornmental Protection Agency earlier this month over its efforts to roll back automotive fuel efficiency standards set by the Obama administration. The suit, first reported by Axios,
May 21, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA, California Officials Meet on Fuel-Efficiency Rules
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) The Environmental Protection Agency is meeting with California officials this week in Washington to negotiate the creation of a national fuel efficiency standard after the state sued the Trump administration over its proposed easing of the
May 17, 2018 Read Full Article
DSM Wins Patent Infringement Case Against Lallemand Related to Low-Glycerol Yeast Technology Applicable in Ethanol Production
(DSM/PR Newswire) Royal DSM, a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials received unanimous jury verdict in a Federal Court in Wisconsin concluding that all glycerol reducing ethanol yeast products sold by Lallemand infringe DSM's US Patent 8,795,998. After several
May 17, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Slapped With Another Suit Over Vehicle Emissions Standards
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Several environmental and public interest groups have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in response to the agency’s April 2 announcement to roll back vehicle emissions standards. The suit was filed on Tuesday
May 17, 2018 Read Full Article
U.S. Agencies Moving forward with Proposing Fuel Economy Revisions
by David Shepardson (Reuters) The Trump administration is moving ahead with plans to submit a series of options for softening fuel efficiency standards to the White House for approval in the coming week, two officials briefed on the matter Tuesday said. The U.S.
May 16, 2018 Read Full Article
UPDATE 2-Trump Biofuel Policy Overhaul to Include Fewer Refinery Waivers - Source
by Jarrett Renshaw and Chris Prentice (Reuters) The Trump administration will scale back the use of biofuels waivers for small refineries and count ethanol exports toward federal biofuels usage quotas as part of a broad overhaul of the nation’s renewable fuel policy,
May 14, 2018 Read Full Article
US EPA Climate Changing on RFS?
by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biomass Magazine) At ABFA, we’ve been keeping our eyes on the U.S. EPA during the first quarter of 2018. The EPA’s actions over the next several months will have ripple effects through the industry, in the
May 09, 2018 Read Full Article
If at First You Don't Succeed: The Looming Fight between the Trump Administration and the State of California over Climate Change Rules for Cars
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) The looming fight between the Trump administration and the state of California over climate change rules for cars will cover some familiar terrain - where the liberal state and its environmentalist allies have won
May 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Carl Icahn's Refinery Investment Has Rebounded by $1.4 Billion, Boosted by Trump Energy Policy
by Tom DiChristopher (CNBC) -Shares of CVR Energy have more than doubled since August, resulting in a $1.4 billion paper gain for Carl Icahn, who holds an 82-percent stake in the company. -CVR Energy's stock price slumped through much of last
May 07, 2018 Read Full Article
How Trump Might Make SUVs Pricier in Seattle than Omaha
by Camille von Kaenel (E&E News) ... The Trump administration's efforts to weaken vehicle pollution requirements could set up a split U.S. market, concentrating fuel-efficient cars in mostly Democratic states and gas guzzlers in the red states. President Trump's plans could
May 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Former Volkswagen CEO Indicted Over Emission Testing Scandal
by Sonari Glinton (National Public Radio) Martin Winterkorn, the former head of Volkswagen, was indicted on Thursday along with five other former VW executives on charges of conspiracy and fraud in connection with a years-long scheme by the automaker to cheat
May 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog: Is Budget Report Language Cause of RFS Waivers?
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, mentioned on Tuesday he wants to change language in recent appropriations bills approved by Congress in the past three years. Grassley told agricultural journalists the language may be one of the
May 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Update 2-White House Sets Meeting with Senators on Biofuels Next Week -Sources
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters/Successful Farming) The Trump administration has invited a group of U.S. senators to the White House early next week to discuss biofuels policy, the latest in a series of such meetings aimed at helping refiners cope with the Renewable Fuel Standard, according
May 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Trucking Executive Panel Objects to EPA Fuel Economy Rollback Plan
by John O'Dell (Trucks.com) “Stay the course” is the message a panel of leading clean vehicle developers, users and regulators delivered Tuesday in the wake of the Trump Administration’s plan to roll back tough fuel economy and emissions regulations developed under
May 02, 2018 Read Full Article
UPDATE 1-Biofuel Group Asks U.S. Court to Review EPA's Refinery Waivers
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) A biofuels trade group asked a federal court on Tuesday to rule whether the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency violated the law in granting a growing number of small refineries exemptions from renewable fuel laws, according to a
May 02, 2018 Read Full Article
California And 16 Other States Are Suing Trump To Stop Him Destroying Emissions Standards
by Raphael Orlove (Jalopnik) Our emissions standards are probably the biggest booster to automotive performance in the past half century, making our cars not only more eco-friendly but more powerful, too. Trump has been trying to cut it all down, but now California
May 01, 2018 Read Full Article
How Trump Will Go after California's Auto GHG Authority
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) The Trump administration plans to argue that California does not have the authority to enforce stringent greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars, despite the Obama administration's 2009 waiver, according to a source familiar with a forthcoming
April 30, 2018 Read Full Article
States to Sue EPA over Failure to Enforce Landfill Gas Rules
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) A coalition led by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and the California Air Resources board has announced plans to sue the U.S. EPA over its failure to enforce existing landfill methane regulations. The coalition announced its plans
April 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Urban Air Initiative Discredits Sierra Club’s Inaccurate Assumptions About Ethanol
(Urban Air Initiative) In an effort to rebut erroneous assumptions about ethanol's health effects in a lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club, the Urban Air Initiative submitted an amicus brief describing the health benefits of blending ethanol into gasoline. The Sierra Club
April 06, 2018 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
The Houston Chronicle's James Osborne reported an unnamed executive for one refining company describing the feeding frenzy for exemptions from Renewable Fuel Standard biofuels obligations, "Anyone with a brain submitted an application," the executive said. "The EPA was handing out
April 05, 2018 Read Full Article
U.S. Ethanol Groups Bristle as EPA Frees Refiners from Biofuels Law
by Jarrett Renshaw and Chris Prentice (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved the request of 25 small refineries to be exempted from the nation’s biofuels laws, an agency source said on Wednesday, marking a big increase from previous years
April 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Bankruptcy Judge Lets Refiner off the RFS Hook
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) A Delaware Bankruptcy judge approved a consent decree between EPA and bankrupt refiner Philadelphia Energy Solutions, allowing PES to get out of much of its obligation under the Renewable Fuel Standard for 2016, 2017 and
April 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Calif. to Fight Trump’s ‘Politically Motivated’ Car Standards Plan
by Timothy Cama and Miranda Green (The Hill) California officials promised Monday to put up a fight against the Trump administration’s newly announced decision to lower standards for car tailpipe emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared Monday afternoon that the Obama-era greenhouse
April 03, 2018 Read Full Article
How EPA Is Destroying Demand for Ethanol and Corn
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Recent actions by EPA have effectively reduced the Renewable Fuel Standard conventional renewable volume obligation (RVO) for 2016 by more than 1 billion gallons, and the agency appears poised to take similar actions to effectively reduce the
April 02, 2018 Read Full Article
BIO Comments on Proposed Settlement Agreement Between EPA and Philadelphia Energy Solutions on RFS Obligations
(Biotechnology Innovation Organization) BIO is greatly concerned by the Department of Justice's and Environmental Protection Agency's proposed Settlement Agreement to resolve a dispute about the PES Holdings' obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard. ... This Settlement Agreement undermines the goals of the
April 02, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA Leader: EPA Eroding RFS -- Assistant to President Says Search Continues for a Win-Win Proposal
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) A special assistant to President Donald Trump on agriculture said Wednesday, "the search for a win-win continues" in the debate over how to relieve oil refiners of their obligations under the Renewable Fuels Standard. Ray
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
10-Day Comment Period on PES Settlement Agreement Closes March 26
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) The public comment period opened March 16 after publication in the Federal Register on the proposed consent decree and environmental settlement agreement lodged by the U.S. Department of Justice with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of
March 21, 2018 Read Full Article
UPDATE 2-Pennsylvania Says Bankrupt Refiner Owes $3.8 bln in Taxes - Filing
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The state of Pennsylvania wants a federal judge to halt the bankruptcy of Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES), arguing the refiner owes an estimated $3.8 billion in fuel taxes, according to a court filing on Friday. The state’s Department
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Big Oil Faces Big Test in Climate-Change Court Showdown with SF, Oakland
by Kurtis Alexander (San Francisco Chronicle) A San Francisco judge who must decide whether to hold the world’s largest oil companies responsible for global warming is ordering up what many are calling the most comprehensive, and unusual, debate on climate change
March 20, 2018 Read Full Article
$1.5 Billion Settlement Reached in Syngenta GMO Class Action Suit
by Susan Reidy (World-Grain.com) A $1.5 billion settlement has been reached in the nationwide class action suit over Syngenta’s genetically modified corn seed. It is believed to be one of the largest agricultural settlements in U.S. history. The settlement covers all U.S.
March 14, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Spares Philly Refiner in Bankruptcy Settlement
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) EPA will allow bankrupt refinery Philadelphia Energy Solutions to meet only a portion of its outstanding obligation under the Renewable Fuel Standard as part of a settlement filed with the Bankruptcy Court in Delaware
March 13, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Says Fuel Retailers Can't Fight Renewable Mandates
by Cara Bayles (Law 360) A trade group representing small fuel retailers can't challenge U.S. Environmental Protection Agency benchmarks for renewable fuels blended into the nation's gas and diesel supply because its members aren’t subject to the rule, the agency told the
February 22, 2018 Read Full Article
NBB Coalition Secures Affirmative Final Decision on Dumping of Biodiesel Imports
(National Biodiesel Board) Commerce Department Finds That Argentina and Indonesia Sell Biodiesel Imports Below Fair Value in US -- The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) Fair Trade Coalition won a final antidumping determination from the Commerce Department. The department found that biodiesel imports
February 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Environmentalists Sue The EPA Over Pollution From Biofuels
by Tim Pearce (Daily Caller) Two environmental groups sued the Trump administration Friday over the threat that the 2018 renewable fuel volume standards pose to endangered species. The Sierra Club and the Gulf Restoration Network are targeting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
February 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Indonesia to File Case against U.S. Anti-Subsidy Duty on Biodiesel
by Bernadette Christina Munthe, Maximiliano Rizzi and Fransiska Nangoy (Reuters) Indonesia plans to file a case against the U.S. Department of Commerce at the U.S. Court of International Trade over anti-subsidy duties imposed on Indonesian biodiesel shipments, a Trade Ministry
February 06, 2018 Read Full Article
RFS Lawsuit Advances -- Refiners: EPA Required to Review Point of Obligation Annually
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) The biofuel and petroleum industries are back in court as both sides argue the Environmental Protection Agency should have implemented the Renewable Fuel Standard differently in 2017. Attorneys for biofuels and petroleum interests filed court
January 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Refiners Slam EPA Renewable Fuel Mandates In DC Circ.
by Adam Lidgett (Law 360) Refiners and a biodiesel trade group have taken aim at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule that set the levels of renewable fuel that must be blended into the nation’s fuel supply, with the refiners telling the
January 24, 2018 Read Full Article
The Greenhouse Gas Pruitt Worries about
by Scott Waldman (E&E News) Scott Pruitt is one of the Trump administration's most aggressive critics of climate change science, but lately he's been talking about the dangers of greenhouse gas. Well, one greenhouse gas in particular: methane. ... But when it comes to
January 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Bill de Blasio: This Is Why New York Is Suing and Divesting from Big Oil
by Bill de Blasio (New York City Mayor/Washington Post) ... America’s largest city, 8.5 million strong, is taking decisive action on two separate fronts. We are demanding compensation from those who profit from climate change. And we plan to withdraw our
January 14, 2018 Read Full Article
2017 Wrap-Up: Maintaining the Status Quo
by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biomass Magazine) Last year was among the most active and interesting years we’ve seen in the biofuels space. The industry has confronted multiple challenges over the past 12 months, culminating in meetings between senators supportive of
January 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Summary of Accomplishments
by Brian Jennings (American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... ACE believes the best way to grow demand well into the future is to harness the low-carbon, high-octane value of ethanol. That’s why we were very encouraged that for the first
January 03, 2018 Read Full Article
VW Settlement Should Fund Clean Air Today — Not Years Down the Road
by Allen Schaeffer (Diesel Technology Forum/The Hill) ... The Sierra Club’s has offered a one size, all-electrification-fits-all recommendation — that would just be another bad choice that would actually lead to dirtier air for a longer time. There is more than one way
January 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Meet the Lawyer Trying to Make Big Oil Pay for Climate Change
by Geoff Dembicki (Vice.com) The attorney who won a $200 billion settlement from tobacco companies in the 90s has set his sights on an even bigger target. When you want to sue the largest, most powerful companies on the planet,
January 02, 2018 Read Full Article
International Trade Commission Votes 4-0 In Support of the Biodiesel Industry
(National Biodiesel Board) NBB Fair Trade Coalition Filed Cases on Harm from Biodiesel Imports from Argentina and Indonesia -- Today the International Trade Commission (ITC) voted 4-0 in favor of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) Fair Trade Coalition’s position that the industry
December 05, 2017 Read Full Article
VW Bosses Coached Me to Lie, Jailed Manager Tells U.S. Judge
by Christie Smythe (Bloomberg Technology) (Oliver) Schmidt to be sentenced on Dec. 6 over emissions scandal; ‘Regrettably, I agreed to follow it’; faces 7 years in prison -- ... In a letter to the judge last week, Schmidt, former general manager of Volkswagen’s
December 04, 2017 Read Full Article
SCOTUS Watch: Can Tribunals Replace Juries in Nixing Patents?
by Lisa V. Mueller (Michael, Best & Friedrich/Biofuels Digest) On November 27, 2017, the Supreme Court of the United States will hear arguments in Oil States Energy Services LLC. v. Greene’s Energy Group. It’s no “ho-hum” case. If you or your company has
November 30, 2017 Read Full Article
U.S. Subpoenas Icahn Over Biofuel Action While Trump Adviser
by Miles Weiss, Jennifer A Dlouhy, and Mario Parker (Bloomberg) U.S. Attorney for Southern District of N.Y. seeks information; Icahn Enterprises discloses request in securities filing -- Federal investigators have issued subpoenas for information on Carl Icahn’s efforts to change biofuel policy while
November 09, 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
U.S. Sets Antidumping Duties on Argentine, Indonesian Biodiesel
by Eric Walsh (Reuters) The U.S. Commerce Department set preliminary antidumping duties on imports of biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia, after an initial finding that the products used as motor fuel were being sold at prices below market value in the
October 25, 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
Renewable Fuel Standard Program: Standards for 2018 and Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2019; Availability of Supplemental Information and Request for Further Comment (Deadline October 19, 2017)
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Federal Register) This document provides additional data and an opportunity to comment on that data and potential options for reductions in the 2018 biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel volumes, and/or the 2019 biomass-based diesel volume
October 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Refiners Make America-First Pitch to Cut Biofuels
(Argus Media) US independent refiners seized on protectionist themes and two key biofuel industry victories this year to argue regulators must reduce federally mandated blending of renewable fuels. Refiners framed a US-first pitch to slash more than 1bn USG — almost 7pc
October 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Judge Rules EPA to Release More Documents on Ethanol Test Fuels
(Urban Air Initiative/Ethanol Producer Magazine) A judge rules that the Urban Air Initiative should have access to more EPA documents discussing test fuels. The D.C Federal Judge made the ruling in regards to a Freedom of Information Request (FOIA) Urban Air filed for
October 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Financing Bioeconomy Ventures: Part 5, Competitive Technology & Market Assessment: IP & Patent Analysis
by Terry Mazanec, Bob Kodrzycki, and Lorenz Bauer (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... In the “bio” sectors of our economy in particular – whether it be fuels and chemicals, manufacturing and sensors, or health and pharma – the value of intellectual property
October 02, 2017 Read Full Article
U-Turn on Climate Rule
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) Reversing course, DOT told a federal judge in New York in a letter it will publish a regulation requiring states to track emissions from highways and craft reduction goals, Pro’s Alex Guillén reports. Once published, the regulation takes effect
September 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Oakland and San Francisco Lawsuits to Hold Fossil Fuel Companies Accountable for Their Contributions to Sea Level Rise a 'Bold and Necessary Step to Protect Their Communities,' Says Science Group
by Ken Kimmell (Union of Concerned Scientists) Oakland and San Francisco today (September 20, 2017) announced lawsuits against fossil fuel companies seeking compensation for current and future costs of adapting to climate-related sea level rise. These lawsuits come on the
September 21, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA Stops Work on Airline Emissions Standards
(Summit County Citizens Voice) Agency’s move could violate federal environmental laws -- A little more than a year after determining that greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft are a threat to public health, the EPA has stopped working on developing new
September 20, 2017 Read Full Article
New U.S. Duties on Biodiesel Will Create Void
by Sean Pratt (The Western Producer) If the U.S. plans to fill the gap created by slamming the door on Argentina and Indonesia, it may need Canadian canola -- A biodiesel dispute involving the United States and other countries could
September 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Risk on the Horizon for RFS Advanced Pool?
by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biomass Magazine) The time is now to make sure policymakers in Washington, D.C., understand the importance of staying the course on fuels of the future. -- On July 28, the U.S. Court of Appeals for
September 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Icahn Sees Biofuels Fight Deepening as Refinery Losses Mount
by Mario Parker and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Billionaire Carl Icahn says an oil industry push for structural changes to the U.S. biofuels mandate will persist, even if the Environmental Protection Agency rebuffs requests from refiners to relieve them of the regulatory
August 30, 2017 Read Full Article
New Biofuel Exemption Prospects Spur Oil Giant Concern
by Brian Dabbs (Bloomberg BNA) An era of relaxed biofuel blending requirements may be dawning for small oil refineries nationwide following a watershed court decision and new congressional direction for regulators. That prospect is cheered on by many companies that operate
August 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Failure to Set Cost of Carbon Hampers Trump’s Effort to Expand Use of Fossil Fuels
by Andrew Revkin (ProPublica) The Trump administration plans to sharply reduce the government’s estimate of how much each ton of carbon emissions harms the planet. It hasn’t done so yet, and that delay is slowing Trump’s effort to expand coal mining
August 28, 2017 Read Full Article
NBB Fair Trade Coalition Succeeds in Latest Stage of Biodiesel Import Cases
(National Biodiesel Board) Department Finds That Argentina and Indonesia Unfairly Subsidize Biodiesel They Export to US -- The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) Fair Trade Coalition won a preliminary countervailing duty determination from the Commerce Department regarding subsidized biodiesel imports from
August 22, 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
Biofuels Are Good for Iowa by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) (River Cities' Reader) Q: How has your support for renewable fuels helped Iowa? A: Iowans breathe cleaner air and can chalk up a stronger, healthier economy thanks to renewable fuels. My long-held support for public policies
August 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Pruitt, EPA Should Heed Court Ruling, Boost RFS Biofuel Blending Levels
(25 x '25 REsource) In a radio interview in Iowa late last week, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt made pretty clear the rational that went into his agency proposing lower levels of cellulosic biofuels, advanced biofuels, and total renewable fuels that would be required
August 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Biodiesel From Argentina and Indonesia: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations of Antidumping Duty Investigations
(Federal Register/International Trade Administration) On April 12, 2017, the Department of Commerce (Department) initiated antidumping duty (AD) investigations on biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia.[1] Currently, the preliminary determinations of these investigations are due no later than August 30, 2017. Postponement of
August 17, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA Erred in Denying Renewable Fuel Hardship Exemption: Courts
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency used too strict of a test when it denied Sinclair Oil Corp's request for an exemption from the country's biofuel regulations, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Tuesday. The ruling could broaden
August 16, 2017 Read Full Article
Acton Couple Arrested for Defrauding the Treasury Department of Over $50 Million in Tax Free Energy Grants
(U.S. Department of Justice) An Acton couple was arrested today and charged with defrauding the U.S. Treasury Department of more than $50 million in tax free energy grants as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Christopher N.
August 15, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA Interpretation of the "Inadequate Domestic Supply" Waiver for Renewable Fuels Ruled Invalid: Where to from Here?
by Scott Irwin and Darrel Good (FarmDocDaily/University of Illinois) Three words--inadequate domestic supply--have taken center stage in the implementation of the RFS since 2014. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) used a controversial definition of this term to reduce the (implied)
August 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Court Tells EPA to Enforce Obama Methane Pollution Rule
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) A federal court told the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Monday that it has to enforce an Obama administration methane pollution rule. The order from Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit came after the judges
August 07, 2017 Read Full Article
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Multi-State Biodiesel Fraud Scheme
(Department of Justice) Andre Bernard, of Mount Kisco, New York, pleaded guilty today for his participation in a multi-state scheme to defraud biodiesel buyers and U.S. taxpayers by fraudulently selling biodiesel credits and fraudulently claiming tax credits, announced Acting Assistant
August 04, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA Will Reject Change that Trump Backer Icahn Sought
by Eric Wolff (Politico) The Trump administration plans to reject a proposal that would let oil refiners off the hook for complying with the federal ethanol mandate, a senior administration official told POLITICO, dashing the hopes of billionaire Carl Icahn
August 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Federal Court Hands Ethanol Industry Big Victory on EPA Fuel Mandate
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) A federal appeals court on Friday handed the ethanol industry a major victory, ruling that the Environmental Protection Agency under the Obama administration fundamentally misinterpreted its authority under the national renewable fuel mandate by reducing
July 28, 2017 Read Full Article
NBB Considers Legal Options Regarding Surging Argentinian Biodiesel Imports Since Filing of Trade Petition
(National Biodiesel Board) New data show that dumped and subsidized biodiesel imports from Argentina continue unabated and, in fact, have further surged into the United States. In March of 2017, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) Fair Trade Coalition filed petitions
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA Targets Biofuel Imports and Biodiesel, HUH?
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) EPA wants to cut imports of biofuels, but the biodiesel and advanced biofuels industries are mystified as to why it's getting into that arena, Pro's Eric Wolff reports . EPA cut back advanced biofuels,
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
150+: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Renewable Energy Group
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGI) is the US’ biggest producer of biomass-based diesel, and leading provider of cleaner, lower carbon intensity products and services. REG utilizes an integrated procurement, distribution, and logistics network to
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA Announces Proposed Volume Standards for 2018, and the Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2019
(Environmental Protection Agency) On July 5, 2017 EPA issued proposed volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard program for cellulosic biofuel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel for calendar year 2018. EPA also proposed biomass-based diesel volume standards for calendar year 2019. The proposed volume requirements
July 05, 2017 Read Full Article
NBB Considers Legal Options Regarding Surging Argentinian Biodiesel Imports Since Filing of Trade Petition
(National Biodiesel Board) New data show that dumped and subsidized biodiesel imports from Argentina continue unabated and, in fact, have further surged into the United States. In March of 2017, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) Fair Trade Coalition filed petitions
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Watchdog Group Sues EPA to Access Communications with Icahn
by Valerie Volcovici (Reuters) A U.S. watchdog group filed a lawsuit in a federal court on Tuesday to force the Environmental Protection Agency to release communications with billionaire investor Carl Icahn, who it says tried to influence biofuels policy for personal
June 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuel Case: $4.5M for Investors under Federal Settlement
by Jeff Amy (Fox Business/Associated Press) A federal judge has approved a $4.5 million settlement for private shareholders of failed biofuel maker KiOR, and a lawsuit by the state of Mississippi seeking to recover a much larger amount continues. U.S. District
June 12, 2017 Read Full Article
$45B Annual Windfall for US Consumers with a Gasoline-Engine Overhaul? EPA Is Getting a Patent Worth Knowing about
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the US Patent & Trademark Office has just issued a “notice of allowance” for a patent by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency for a high efficiency, high compression engine that would reduce
June 09, 2017 Read Full Article
US Advances Biodiesel Dumping Case against Imports from Argentina, Indonesia
by Meghan Gordon (Platts) The US International Trade Commission voted Friday to allow US biodiesel producers' petition against Argentina and Indonesia to go forward. The National Biodiesel Board filed the petition in March, seeking antidumping and countervailing duty measures against Argentina 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
Biofuels Promoter Faces Federal Fraud Charges
by Mikkel Pates (Agweek) An Iowa biofuels promoter who came to North Dakota in 2012 and sought investments in factories, including a proposed beets-to-ethanol plant Grafton, N.D., has been accused of violating federal wire fraud, mail fraud, identity theft, racketeering
May 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Argentina to Try to Revive Exports of Biodiesel and Lemons at the Bilateral Meeting between Macri and Trump
(telam.com) The meeting between the presidents will be an opportunity for the country to try to recover the market for agroindustrial exports that are paralyzed. Bilateral trade in 2016 reached US $ 10,472 million, with a favorable balance for the United
April 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Judges Give EPA the Side Eye on Waiver Authority
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) EPA got caught in a cross-fire of skepticism at the D.C. Circuit Monday over its use of general waiver authority to lower RFS volumes for 2016, Pro's Eric Wolff reports . The RFS typically defies
April 25, 2017 Read Full Article
NBB Argues for Higher Advanced-Biofuel Volumes Before the D.C. Court of Appeals
(National Biodiesel Board) Americans for Clean Energy, et al., v. Environmental Protection Agency -- Today the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for
April 24, 2017 Read Full Article
N.J. Man Sentenced to 5 Years Prison for Biodiesel Fraud
(Reuters) The owner of a New Jersey feedstock processor was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a scheme that generated fraudulent tax and renewable fuel credits, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Friday. In addition to
April 10, 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
Dumping Complaint Could Kill Argentine Biodiesel Exports, Groups Says
by Maximiliano Rizzi (Reuters) Argentina's biodiesel exports could be devastated if the U.S. government imposed anti-dumping duties on the coutrtry based on a complaint by the U.S. National Biodiesel Board, the heads of two local industry chambers said. The board last week
April 04, 2017 Read Full Article
U.S. National Biodiesel Board Petitions against 'Illegal' Biodiesel Imports
by Christine Prentice and Michael Hirtzer (Reuters) The National Biodiesel Board said on Thursday it has filed a petition to the U.S. government to investigate imports from Argentina and Indonesia, saying they have violated trade laws by flooding the U.S. market
March 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Public Citizen Files Complaint Alleging Trump Adviser’s Activities May Have Violated Federal Lobbying Laws
(Public Citizen) Carl Icahn and His Businesses Haven’t Registered As Lobbyists Yet Continue to Influence Government Policy -- Icahn Enterprises, CVR Energy and their related affiliates appear to be in violation of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (LDA), according
March 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Lawsuit Limits Demolition at Former Great Northern Mill Site
by Darren Fishell and Nick Sambides Jr. (Bangor Daily News) Investors seeking to build a biofuel refinery that they say would employ more than 100 people at the former Great Northern Paper Co. mill site were granted a temporary restraining order
March 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol Co. Says Ex-Employee Gave Its Tech To Competitor
(Law 360) Ethanol production conglomerate Poet LLC slapped its competitor Nelson Engineering and an ex-employee with a lawsuit in South Dakota federal court Monday, claiming the employee violated a confidentiality agreement by sharing proprietary fermentation tech with Nelson. In a complaint
March 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Attorney: $50M Biofuel Tax Scam Charges Should Be Dismissed
by Rudy Miller (Lehigh Valley Live) The attorney for a man charged with participating in a $50 million biofuel scam says the charges should be dismissed because his client got bad legal advice. David Dunham, of Bethlehem, allegedly claimed $50 million in tax credits
February 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Sierra Club Threatens to Sue EPA Over Clean Air Act Violations
by Lauren Tyler (NGT News) The Sierra Club has filed a notice of intent to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its failure to conduct the required environmental impact analysis on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), effectively violating Section
February 24, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA Answers Renewable Fuel Standard Lawsuit – DTN
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer/AgFax) In a point-by-point answer to a number of plaintiffs who filed suit challenging how the Renewable Fuel Standard is implemented, attorneys for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contend in a legal brief filed on
February 16, 2017 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Volumes Challenged
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) A biofuels group and two petroleum interest groups have asked a federal appeals court to review the final 2017-2018 biodiesel volumes in the Renewable Fuels Standard published in the Federal Register. A handful of