(WNAX) Oral arguments have been set for April 24 in a Washington D.C. appeals court where biofuel groups claim the EPA has mismanaged the renewable fuel standard. Renewable Fuels Association Senior Vice President Geoff Cooper says they’re arguing the EPA
Litigation-Federal
Back TO HOMEUS Man Goes to Prison for Biodiesel Tax Fraud Scheme
(Biofuels International) A Washington man was sentenced this week for laundering more than $39 million for a company that bilked federal programs supporting renewable energy, according to Tri-City Herald. Richard Estes, 77, was part of a conspiracy involving Pasco-based Gen-X Energy
February 03, 2017 Read Full Article
BRAG® Biofuels Industry Outlook For 2017
(Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group) ... Throughout his campaign for President, Trump repeatedly pledged his support for biofuels and the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Indeed, it is this support that helped Trump win in key Midwestern battleground states, including
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
How Fiat Chrysler's Diesel Woes Differ from Massive VW Scandal
by Brent Snavely and Nathan Bomey (Detroit Free Press) The U.S. EPA said Thursday it notified Fiat Chrysler Automobiles of Clean Air Act violations for the diesel emissions of 104,000 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs and Ram 1500 EcoDiesel pickups, a move that immediately
January 13, 2017 Read Full Article
The Coming Battle between the Trump Team and Economists over the True Cost of Climate Change
by Chelsea Harvey (The Washington Post) ... It seems increasingly likely that the Trump administration would either alter, or attempt to stop using entirely, an Obama-era metric known as the “social cost of carbon” in its federal rule-making processes. And that could have have
December 22, 2016 Read Full Article
US Biodiesel Producers Lose Court Challenge over Argentinian Imports
by Meghan Gordon (Platts) A US appeals court Tuesday dismissed a challenge by American biodiesel producers to the Environmental Protection Agency's decision allowing Argentinian biodiesel to qualify for US renewable fuel credits. The National Biodiesel Board trade group had argued that EPA
December 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Volkswagen to Recall 83,000 3.0 Liter Diesel Vehicles and Fund Mitigation Projects to Settle Allegations of Cheating Emissions Tests on Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche Vehicles
(Environmental Protection Agency) Settlement requires Volkswagen to offer to buy back older vehicles, and spend $225 million to mitigate NOx pollution. Volkswagen will also repair newer vehicles to comply with the standards to which they were certified In a second partial
December 20, 2016 Read Full Article
Icahn Cheers Trump EPA Pick Amid Calls for Fuel-Rule Revamp
by Mario Parker (Bloomberg) Icahn refiner wants $15 billion renewable-fuels market changed; Cost of credits surged as U.S. mandates on biofuels at record -- Six weeks before he becomes U.S. president, Donald Trump is already disrupting an obscure, $15 billion corner of
December 13, 2016 Read Full Article
Back on Track: EPA Issues On-Time, Robust Renewable Fuel Standard Volumes for 2017-18
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the US Environmental Protection Agency released the 2017 renewable fuel volume obligations (and the 2018 volume obligations for biomass-based diesel), with a strong push beyond what has been termed the “blend wall” and
November 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Emails Show Collusion against Ethanol
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... This one’s about the U.S. EPA and a Freedom of Information Act request that uncovered emails providing evidence of collusion between EPA and the oil industry to make sure ethanol looks bad. Many
November 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Wealthy Florida Businessmen Sentenced to 10-Plus Years in Prison for Biofuel Scam
by Brett Murphy ( Naples Daily News) A federal judge sentenced two Florida men to 10-plus years in prison for their part in a $46 million scheme that defrauded government agencies and the renewable energy industry in 2013 and 2014. Federal Court
November 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Board to Argue against Argentine Imports
by Mark Drajem & Ari Natter (Bloomberg) Early last year the EPA sent a letter to the Argentine biodiesel board that set out how its members could qualify their fuel as having been produced from “qualified land,” allowing them to sell
November 06, 2016 Read Full Article
M&A Transactions Help Define Current US Biodiesel Era
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) For better or worse, the U.S. biodiesel industry continues to consolidate. While 2014-’15 has been a rough period in the sector, the fallout has presented undeniable opportunities for key players with strong balance sheets and
November 02, 2016 Read Full Article
VW Billions to Foster Natural Gas Vehicles?
by Rich Piellisch (Fleets & Fuels) NGVAmerica Urges States to Take Advantage of Settlement -- States should take advantage of the big diesel emissions settlement with Volkswagen to promote natural gas vehicles to reduce pollution, says NGVAmerica. The association notes that
October 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels Finance Conference Meets in Minneapolis
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... The lame duck Congress offers the next best chance for some movement on one issue important to the ethanol industry, said Brian Jennings, executive vice president of the American Coalition for Ethanol, in his
October 24, 2016 Read Full Article
Owners of Biofuel Company Plead Guilty to Conspiracy and Fraud Charges
(U.S. Department of Justice) The owners of an Indiana biofuel producer pleaded guilty to conspiracy, fraud and false statements for participating in a scheme that generated over $60 million in fraudulent tax credits and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) renewable
October 13, 2016 Read Full Article
U.S. Files Complaint, Announces Settlement to Address Alleged Renewable Fuel Standard Violations by NGL Crude Logistics and Western Dubuque Biodiesel
(Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice today announced the filing of a complaint against NGL Crude Logistics, LLC and Western Dubuque Biodiesel, LLC and a settlement with Western Dubuque to address
October 05, 2016 Read Full Article
Minnesota #Biodiesel Mandate Stands Firm
by Joanna Schroeder (Energy.AgWired.com) Minnesota has been and continues to be a leader in the support of biofuels and was the first state to pass a biodiesel mandate requiring B20 (20 percent biodiesel, 80 percent diesel), to be used in
October 01, 2016 Read Full Article
API Says Biodiesel Groups Can't Weigh In On EPA Fuel Row
by Adam Lidgett (Law360) The American Petroleum Institute said Wednesday a swath of biodiesel industry groups shouldn't be able to chime in on a set of consolidated appeals in the D.C. Circuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's volume obligations
September 30, 2016 Read Full Article
Chemoil Must Pay Largest Settlement in History of EPA's Fuel Programs
(Farm Futures) EPA and DOJ allege Chemoil exported biodiesel, but failed to retire RINs. -- Chemoil Corporation is required to retire 65 million renewable fuel credits to resolve alleged violations of the Renewable Fuel Standard program, according to the terms
September 30, 2016 Read Full Article
SEC Charges Alternative Fuels Company and Former Executive for Key Omissions Regarding Technology
(U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission) On September 26, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Texas-based Mard, Inc., formerly known as KiOR, Inc., ("KiOR"), and its former CEO and President Fred Cannon for failing to disclose important assumptions about the
September 29, 2016 Read Full Article
USDOJ: Owner of Biofuel Company Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Obstruction
(MediaAlerts) The owner and manager of a New Jersey feedstock collector and processor pleaded guilty to conspiracy and obstruction for his role in a scheme that generated over $6 million in fraudulent tax credits and the United States Environmental Protection
September 29, 2016 Read Full Article
RFA President Says There’s No Ethanol Fraud In RINS Program
(WNAX) A report out by a former EPA official says that the RINS market or renewable identification numbers may be ripe for fraud or abuse. In order to comply with the RFS, refiners are required to blend a percentage of
September 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Court Rules Several GS Cleantech Patents Unenforceable
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sept. 15, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana issued an order finding problems with certain GS CleanTech Corp. patents that are subject to multiple lawsuits filed by the company against
September 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Murky Biofuel Market Vulnerable to Fraud, Former EPA Cop Warns
by Jennifer A. Dlouhy (Earth & Water Group/Bloomberg) — A program to boost the use of biofuels in the U.S. has become vulnerable to scams that have bilked victims out of nearly $1 billion so far, warns a former Environmental
September 20, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels Want Level Playing Field
(KTIC/DTN/Progressive Farmer) With all of the political fights about the role ethanol and other biofuels have in the transportation sector, there is common ground for the ethanol, oil and automobile industries that could bode well for the long-term health of the
September 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels Present Solution to Harmful Airborne Chemicals
by David Vandergriend (Sacramento Bee) ... But the day-to-day threat facing many communities doesn’t come from carbon. It comes from airborne chemicals with less attention-grabbing names like volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and ozone. As with carbon,
September 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Court Upholds Obama's Social Cost of Carbon Accounting for Federal Regulations
by Robert Walton (Utility Dive) The Obama Administration has won a significant victory for its use of a social cost metric to determine the impacts of new environmental and efficiency rules, in a unanimous circuit court decision that appeared to leave opponents with little
August 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Environmentalist Jerry Jung Wants Ethanol Policy Change
by Dustin Walsh (Crain's Detroit Business) Jerry Jung, former owner of Michigan CAT and longtime environmentalist, is using his wealth to take down ethanol production. Jung, chairman of the Michigan Colleges Alliance, recently launched RethinkEthanol.com — a website calling for the
August 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Court Backs Obama’s Climate Change Accounting
by Timothy Cana (The Hill) A federal appeals court is upholding the Obama administration’s accounting of the costs of greenhouse gas emissions as applied to a Department of Energy (DOE) regulation. In a unanimous decision late Monday, the Chicago-based 7th Circuit
August 15, 2016 Read Full Article
A $2.7 Billion Missed Opportunity
(Diesel Technology Forum) For any level of funding, more near-zero NOx technologies may find their way on the road and at work with clean diesel than other technologies. -- The Volkswagen settlement may be the second biggest environmental settlement in
July 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Three U.S. States Plan Lawsuits over Volkswagen Diesel Pollution
by David Shepardson (Reuters) Three U.S. states plan to unveil new lawsuits against Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) on Tuesday tied to the automaker's sale of diesel vehicles with emissions-cheating software, even after they announced settlements with the German automaker in June. Maryland
July 19, 2016 Read Full Article
Greens Sue EPA to Force New NOx, SOx Standards
by Alex Guillén (Political Pro) ... The two standards were last reviewed in 2010 - meaning EPA is currently a year behind the five-year review schedule for those standards set under the Clean Air Act. The Center for Biological Diversity and the
July 08, 2016 Read Full Article
CEO of Former Michigan Biofuels Company Charged with $2 Million Tax Scheme
by Emily Monacelli (Michigan Live) The chief executive of a former Southwest Michigan biofuels company has been indicted in what federal prosecutors allege was a scheme to defraud the government out of $2 million in tax credits. An 14-count indictment was
June 30, 2016 Read Full Article
Volkswagen's Diesel Settlement Will Fund Range of Clean Air Efforts
by David Shepardson and Joel Schectman (Reuters) German automaker Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) will pay more than $15.3 billion to settle charges that it cheated on U.S. diesel emissions tests, an agreement that will fund buybacks for consumers and provide up to
June 28, 2016 Read Full Article
House Hearing Focuses on RFS Implementation
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On June 22, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy and Power Subcommittee held a hearing on the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The event featured testimony from government officials, biofuel supporters and other stakeholders. During
June 27, 2016 Read Full Article
Two Florida Men Plead Guilty to Multi-State Biodiesel Fraud Scheme
(U.S. Department of Justice) Thomas Davanzo, of Estero, Florida, and Robert Fedyna, of Naples, Florida, pleaded guilty today for their participation in a multi-state scheme to defraud biodiesel buyers and U.S. taxpayers by fraudulently selling biodiesel credits and fraudulently claiming
June 27, 2016 Read Full Article
The Problem and Promise of Ethanol
by Art Cullen (Storm Lake Times) ... So how can we produce ethanol sustainably — that is, a scheme under which farmers can make money without releasing nitrate to the river and help power America while emitting less carbon? First, the federal
June 20, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Blasts EPA 'Hogwash'
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) The ethanol industry will lay into the Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday for proposing a 2017 renewable fuel standard that it says is based on oil industry "hogwash." The industry also will threaten continued litigation if
June 09, 2016 Read Full Article
VW, Porsche Seek To Escape Feds' Emissions Suit
by Dani Meyer (Law 360) Volkswagen and Porsche separately urged a California federal court Monday to toss the government’s allegations that the automakers cheated emissions standards, with Volkswagen arguing that the suit doesn’t show it knowingly committed any misconduct. Volkswagen prefaced
May 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Calif. Carbon Rule Challenge Needs More Oomph, Judge Says
by Kali Hays (Law 360) Fuel and agricultural groups need to make more specific arguments if they want to reassert claims tossed from their challenge to California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard, now that the rule has been updated, a California
May 17, 2016 Read Full Article
BREAKING: High Court Turns Away Exxon's Challenge To $236M MTBE Verdict
by Keith Goldberg (Law 360) The U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to review a $236 million trial judgment against ExxonMobil Corp. in a groundwater contamination case in New Hampshire, leaving in place a verdict the energy giant claims is a violation
May 16, 2016 Read Full Article
UAI Calls Court Decision on MOVES Model a Temporary Setback
(Urban Air Initiative/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The effort to stop the U.S. EPA from implementing a model that unfairly blames ethanol for increased emissions hit a “temporary setback,” according to officials from the Urban Air Initiative in response to action by
May 11, 2016 Read Full Article
The Growing Problem of Patent Trolling
Lauren Cohen, Umit G. Gurun, Scott Duke Kominers (Science Magazine) The last decade has seen a sharp rise in patent litigation in the United States; 2015 has one of the highest patent lawsuit counts on record (1). In theory, this
April 28, 2016 Read Full Article
Food & Ag Groups Urge Support for Biotech Education Provision
by Karen Batra (Biotech Now) As the House Committee on Appropriations marks up the FY2017 agriculture spending bill, the Committee is considering $3 million for consumer education and outreach to “promote understanding and acceptance of” biotechnology, a joint effort by the
April 25, 2016 Read Full Article
Tenacity Required to Secure Advanced Biofuels Future
by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biomass Magazine) Addressing climate continues to be one of the major reasons to support and develop advanced and cellulosic biofuels. -- Once again, we enter spring awaiting the U.S. EPA’s proposal for the renewable volumes obligations
April 21, 2016 Read Full Article
Environmental Groups File Lawsuit over Pollution from U.S. Aircraft
by Valerie Volcovici (PlanetArk) Three environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday to press for faster action in setting limits on greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. aircraft. Earthjustice, the Center for Biological Diversity and Friends of
April 18, 2016 Read Full Article
2016 National Renewable Energy Policy Forum: What's Next? Driving Growth in a New Policy Landscape Explores a World of Clean Power Plans and Favorable Tax Incentives; Exposes Potential Cracks
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) For a meeting about renewable energy held on St. Patrick's Day, EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation, Janet McCabe, began her address with appropriate words from an old Irish
March 19, 2016 Read Full Article
US EPA 'Analyzing' Potential Shift in RFS Obligation from Refiners to Blenders
by Herman Wang (Platts) The US Environmental Protection Agency is considering a request by several independent refiners to shift the responsibility for complying with the federal biofuels mandate to blenders, a top agency official said Wednesday. But any such move would not
March 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Abengoa Bioenergy Files for Chapter 11 for Parent and 5 Subsidiaries
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Missouri, Abengoa Bioenergy US Holding, LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy relief in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri on behalf of itself and 5 of its US bioenergy subsidiaries. The companies
February 25, 2016 Read Full Article
Valero Asks EPA to Redefine RFS Definition of Obligated Party
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Valero Energy Corp. has filed with a petition for reconsideration with the U.S. EPA, asking it to revise its definition of “obligated party” under the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The company has also petitioned
February 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Despite Lawsuits, EPA Investigation, Renewable Fuel Standard ‘Not Doomed’
by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle (Enviromental Leader) In the latest efforts to repeal the US biofuel mandate, last week the American Petroleum Institute and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers both filed lawsuits challenging the Renewable Fuel Standard, which requires refiners to
February 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol Mandate Triggers `Constant Litigation,' USDA Chief Says
by Mario Parker (Bloomberg) EPA reduced ethanol volumes below statutory levels in November; Valero Energy files suit against U.S. government over target --- The conflict between agriculture and petroleum interests over the government’s ethanol mandate shows no signs of abating, U.S. Department
February 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuel Company with Polygamous Ties Spent Big on Utah Politicians even as Frauds Were Found
by Nate Carlisle and Brian Maffly (The Salt Lake Tribune) Federal agents raided offices of Washakie and Kingstons amid claims the company hasn’t actually manufactured its own biofuels. -- The storage tanks Washakie Renewable Energy was planning to build while
February 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Valero Energy Sues U.S. EPA over Biofuels Plan
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) Valero Energy Corp filed lawsuits against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday to push the regulator to alter a U.S. policy designed to boost use of renewables in transportation fuels. The country's top refiner and No.
February 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Following-up on RFS Questions
by Jonathan Coppess (Farm Doc Daily) The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has been a hot topic of late given the release of the final rule and its rather prominent feature leading up to the recent Iowa caucuses. The RFS discussions have
February 11, 2016 Read Full Article
US Files Civil Complaint against VW for Clean Air Act Violations
(Biodiesel Magazine/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. EPA, filed a civil complaint Jan. 4 in federal court in Detroit, Michigan, against Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, Volkswagen Group of America Inc., Volkswagen Group
February 09, 2016 Read Full Article
DuPont Says RFS Volumes Put Company's Cellulosic Ethanol Investments at Risk
(DTN/Progessive Farmer/KTIC Radio) DuPont filed a motion Friday to intervene in a lawsuit seeking review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s latest Renewable Fuel Standard volumes, arguing the final volume requirements put the company’s cellulosic ethanol investments at risk. ... DuPont has completed
February 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol Backers Say Higher Blends Would Reduce Air Toxics
by Renee Schoof (Bloomberg BNA) A group of farm-state governors and some advocates for clean energy are pressing the Environmental Protection Agency to get tougher on toxic air pollution from motor vehicles in a way that could lead to a bigger
February 02, 2016 Read Full Article
Fortune Smiles on Industry, Better Late Than Never
by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biomass Magazine) ... Second, we have both retroactive and forward-facing tax credits. For the first time in years, Congress injected some certainty into the market by extending expired tax provision for 2015 and 2016. The Advanced
January 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol: Does EPA’s RFS Ruling Meet Congress’s Intent?
by Jonathan Coppess (University of Illinois/AgFax) Today’s article completes the discussion of EPA’s final rule for the RFS. The previous articles in this series provided background on the RFS, a general review of the final rule and questioned EPA’s definition of the
January 25, 2016 Read Full Article
National Biodiesel Board Challenge to Rules on Argentinian Biodiesel Imports Continues
(American Soybean Association) The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) this week filed a legal brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit regarding their petition for review of EPA rules on Argentinian biodiesel imports under the Renewable Fuel
January 19, 2016 Read Full Article
American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers Files Motion to Intervene in Ethanol Industry Lawsuit
(American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers) American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) President Chet Thompson announces the association’s decision to intervene in the lawsuit brought by the ethanol industry against the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) use of its general waiver authority
January 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Facing U.S. Storm, VW Set for Easier Ride in Europe on Emissions Scandal
by Barbara Lewis and Kirstin Ridley (Reuters) Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) is unlikely to face U.S.-style fines in Europe over its emissions scandal because of a softer regulatory regime and its home country Germany's determination to protect its car industry, EU sources and
January 11, 2016 Read Full Article
UPDATE 1-Groups Kick off Legal Challenge to U.S. Biofuels Standard
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) Jan 8 Seven biofuel and agriculture groups have asked a U.S. court to a review the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standards for 2014, 2015, and 2016, according to a court filing on Friday, kicking off a widely-expected
January 11, 2016 Read Full Article
United States Files Complaint Against Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche for Alleged Clean Air Act Violations
(U.S. Department of Justice) The Department of Justice, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), today filed a civil complaint in federal court in Detroit, Michigan, against Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, Volkswagen Group of America Inc., Volkswagen Group of
January 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Paper, Wood Products Manufacturers File Biomass Litigation on CPP
(American Forest & Paper Association, American Wood Council/Biomass Magazine) American Forest & Paper Association President and CEO Donna Harman and American Wood Council President and CEO Robert Glowinski have issued the following statements after filing a joint petition for review in the
December 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Solazyme Chops Roquette (again) in the Great Algae Flour Fight
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... a judgment for Solazyme and against Roquette, confirming an earlier arbitration award we covered last February in The Great Algae Robbery, here. ... Just before Christmas, Robinson (Judge Sue Robinson, Federal District Judge for the District
December 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Lehigh Valley Biofuel Entrepreneurs Charged in $50M Federal Scam
by Kurt Bresswein (Lehigh Valley Live) The owners of a Lehigh Valley company are accused of scamming taxpayers out of about $50 million in payments, subsidies and other benefits paid out for purportedly turning cooking oil into biofuel. David Dunham, 35,
December 22, 2015 Read Full Article
Grassley Expects Challenges to EPA's RFS Ruling
by Mike Peterson (KMALand) The Environmental Protection Agency faces congressional and legal action following its recent decision on the Renewable Fuel Standard for 2016. That's according to Iowa Senator Charles Grassley, who is among those not happy with the EPA's
December 14, 2015 Read Full Article
EPA’s Contradictory Rule Is a Gut Punch to Advanced Biofuels
by Brent Erickson (Biofuels Digest/Biotechnology Industry Organization) After a painful and damaging two-year delay, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week published Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) for 2014, 2015 and 2016. Unfortunately, the agency finalized a rule riddled with contradictions and
December 10, 2015 Read Full Article
Volkswagen Allocates 20 Billion Bridge Loan to 13 Banks: Sources
by Arno Schuetze (Reuters) Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) has split a 20 billion euro ($21.1 billion) bridge loan between 13 banks to help shoulder the costs of its emissions scandal, two people familiar with the matter said. Eight banks which had initially offered tranches
December 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Will Congressional Opposition to RFS Rule Lead to Reform?
by Tiffany Stecker (E&E/Governors' Biofuels Coalition) The ink on U.S. EPA’s final rule for the renewable fuel standard is barely dry, but long-standing foes in Congress are already aiming to block the biofuels program. Yesterday, Rep. Bill Flores (R-Texas), who spearheaded
December 01, 2015 Read Full Article
EPA Bumps up US Renewable Fuel Standard Volumes for 2015-2016, in Final Ruling
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced final volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard program today for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016, and final volume requirements for biomass-based diesel for 2014 to
December 01, 2015 Read Full Article
2015: A Missed Opportunity for Biofuels
by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biomass Magazine) To say that 2015 was an overall disappointment for the biofuels industry would be an understatement. With the price of oil hovering from the high $30s to the mid-$50s all year long, the
November 30, 2015 Read Full Article
EPA Expected to Nudge Higher Biofuels Mandates: Sources
by Chris Prentice (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is widely expected to increase requirements for biofuels use through 2016 due to higher total fuel demand, when it publishes a final Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) rule in the coming
November 26, 2015 Read Full Article
Washington State Judge Rules that States Have a “Mandatory Duty” to “Preserve, Protect, and Enhance the Air Quality for the Current and Future Generations”
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington state, King County Superior Court Judge Hollis R. Hill issued a groundbreaking ruling that the “scientific evidence is clear that the current rates of (emissions) reduction mandated by Washington law. . . cannot
November 23, 2015 Read Full Article
Gevo Targets Marine Market, Cuts to Isobutanol Production Cost
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Based on the clarity provided by the resolution of the lawsuits, and based on the most recent results of the isobutanol fermentation campaigns conducted at the company’s production plant in Luverne, Minn, Gevo announced its
November 09, 2015 Read Full Article
Biofuel Groups Debate Fate of Renewable Fuel Standard
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) Agreeing to respectfully disagree was one of very few assenting points reached by association heads representing the biodiesel, ethanol and advanced biofuel groups during a candid debate about the renewable fuel standard (RFS), policy amendments
October 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Multifunctional Landscapes: Site Characterization and Field-Scale Design to Incorporate Biomass Production into an Agricultural System
by Herbert Ssegane, M. Cristina Negri, John Quinn, Meltem Urgun-Demirtas (Biomass and Bioenergy) Design of a multifunctional landscape by integrating cellulosic biofuel production into an existing agricultural system. The design does not adversely offset current grain production for bioenergy crops. Maps of
October 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Volkswagen’s Woes Could Affect Ethanol Plants
by James L. Pray (Ethanol Producer Magazine/BrownWinick Law Firm) ... Diesel-powered Volkswagen cars and ethanol plants share more than their common tie to the auto industry. Both must meet rigorous emission standards: For Volkswagen cars, it is the exhaust from the
October 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Judge Dismisses Challenge to Oregon Climate Change Program
by Jonathan J. Cooper (Associated Press/MMC News) A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed by oil companies challenging an Oregon carbon-reduction mandate. U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken said Oregon’s low-carbon fuel standard does not violate federal law or
September 30, 2015 Read Full Article
CARB Re-Adopts State’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The California Air Resources Board has re-adopted a Low Carbon Fuel Standard requiring a 10 percent reduction in the carbon intensity of transportation fuels by 2020. “Unlike the EPA, California's Air Resources Board has consistently
September 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Suspected Biodiesel Fraud Scheme on 3 Continents Puts Man before Portland Jury
by Bryan Denson (The Oregonian/Oregon Live) Jack Holden is either a big-dreaming businessman whose failure to cash in on the biodiesel wave separated investors from more than $1 million, or he's a skilled con man who used God and greed
September 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Third Person Sentenced in Las Vegas for International Biofuel Fraud Conspiracy
(Federal Bureau of Investigation) Alex Jariv, 28, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced today in federal court to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in illegal schemes to generate and sell fraudulent biodiesel
September 29, 2015 Read Full Article
West Virginia Engineer Presented VW Emissions Findings a Year Ago
by David Morgan (Automotive News/Reuters) Daniel Carder, an unassuming 45-year-old engineer with gray hair and blue jeans, appears an unlikely type to take down one of the world's most powerful companies. But he and his small research team at West Virginia
September 23, 2015 Read Full Article
Oregon's Clean Fuels Law Ignites More Political Wrangling
by Ian K. Kullgren (The Oregonian/Oregon Live) ... One of the law's biggest advocates threatened to join forces with opponents this week over proposed changes. A new environmental coalition launched ads attacking proposed ballot measures. Lawsuits are pending in state and
September 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Your Guide To Dieselgate: Volkswagen's Diesel Cheating Catastrophe
by Patrick George (Jalopnik) Yes, it’s a catastrophe. There’s no other way to describe the allegations from the Environmental Protection Agency that Volkswagen cheated on their emissions tests with nearly half a million TDI diesel cars. What’s at stake here?
September 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Dean And Brenda Daniels To Prison For Biodiesel Fraud
(Southwest Florida Online) Dean Daniels, 52, Richard Smith, 57, Brenda Daniels, 45 and William Bradley, 58, all of Florida, pleaded guilty and were sentenced today in U.S. district court for charges related to a scheme involving the false production of
August 28, 2015 Read Full Article
Butamax, Gevo Settle, Will Work Together on Market Development
(Gevo/Butamax/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Gevo Inc. and Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC, a joint venture between BP and DuPont, announced that they have entered into worldwide patent cross-license and settlement agreements, ending a patent dispute related to technologies for the production of
August 24, 2015 Read Full Article
New Data Shows EPA’s Emissions Model Regarding Ethanol is Flawed
by Kim Trinchet (Urban Air Initiative) New documents filed with the U.S Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington D.C. show that the model used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to measure tailpipe emissions inaccurately blames ethanol for increased air
August 21, 2015 Read Full Article
EPA’s 'MOVES' Could Cripple Higher Ethanol Blends
by Dave VanderGriend (Ethanol Producer Magazine/ICM/Urban Air Initiative) ... The RFS is very important to our industry, but focusing on it alone, has caused us to take our eye off the dealer. The down card trumps everything in the deck and it’s
August 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Two Men Sentenced and Another Pleads Guilty in Las Vegas in International Biofuels Fraud Scheme
(US Federal Bureau of Investigation) James Jariv, 64, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced in federal court in Las Vegas today to ten years in prison for his role in illegal schemes to generate fraudulent biodiesel credits and to export
August 07, 2015 Read Full Article
Gevo’s Losses Narrow, Revenue up 15% as Courts Issue Favorable Ruling in Betamax vs Gevo Patent Cases
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The increase in revenue during 2015 is primarily a result of the production and sale of approximately $8.0 million of ethanol, isobutanol and distiller’s grains at the Luverne plant. Hydrocarbon revenues were $0.8 million, primarily
August 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Industry’s Withering Critique of EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard Proposals for 2014, 2015, 2016: The Digested Version
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Heard dire comments like “POET expects to stop all future U.S. cellulosic investments if EPA’s proposed base renewable fuel requirements are not strengthened.” Want to understand the substantive concerns on the Renewable Fuel Standard, but
July 31, 2015 Read Full Article
RFS Deadline Nears / Move to Expand Biodiesel Questioned
by Todd Nealey (DTN/The Progressive Farmer) ... Both biofuels and oil industry officials offered hints as to the direction potential lawsuits could take once EPA finalizes the rule that would provide a bump to biomass-based diesel volumes while still cutting the
July 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Court Dismisses E30 Test Fuel Case, But Decision Could Help Open Door for Mid-Level Blends
by Laura Small (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On July 14, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals denied a petition from the Energy Future Coalition and other biofuel interests to review an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation requiring test fuels
July 17, 2015 Read Full Article
A Look at EPA’s RVO Proposal
by Michael McAdams (Biomass Magazine) ... For the next-generation biofuels industry, this proposed rule represents a solid improvement, especially for those in the advanced and biomass-based diesel pool, as well as those in the cellulosic pool seeking a concrete signal of
June 30, 2015 Read Full Article
U.S. EPA Moves toward Regulating Aircraft Emissions
by Valerie Volcovici (Planet Ark) Agency announces an Aug. 11 hearing, a 60-day window for the public to weigh in -- The Obama administration on Wednesday released a scientific finding that greenhouse gases from aircraft pose a risk to human health,
June 11, 2015 Read Full Article
U.S. May Take First Step to Curb Airline Emissions This Week: Sources
by Valerie Volcovici (Planet Ark/Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans as soon as Friday to determine whether carbon dioxide from aircraft endangers public health, a first step to regulating emissions from the aviation sector, sources familiar with the rulemaking
June 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Follow the Money
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) After a period of incredible profitability, leaders in the ethanol industry are better positioned for thinner margins. In an industry ruled by volatility, it’s important for producers to position themselves to take advantage of favorable
May 19, 2015 Read Full Article
Renewable Isobutanol: It’s Time for a Truce
by James Evangelow (Chemical Strategies) & Sam Nejame (Promotum) (Biofuels Digest) If an advertising professional were writing the copy, renewable isobutanol would be called “The new and improved ethanol”. It overcomes essentially all the major deficiencies of ethanol as a fuel and
May 19, 2015 Read Full Article
Green Power CEO to Go to Trial for Fraud
by Kristi Pihl (Tri-City Herald) A serial fraudster charged with swindling investors in his failed Pasco biofuel company will stand trial after all. U.S. District Court Judge Sal Mendoza Jr. rejected on Thursday a plea deal to allow Michael Spitzauer
May 15, 2015 Read Full Article
With Clean Fuels as Law, Oregon Biofuel Maker Prepares for Major Expansion
by Wendy Culverwell (Portland Business Journal) A Eugene biofuel company that converts used cooking oil into fuel is in expansion mode thanks to Oregon’s Clean Fuels program. SeQuential Pacific Biofuels expanded its production capacity in anticipation the new law will
May 13, 2015 Read Full Article
Lawsuit Filed Challenging Minnesota's Biodiesel Mandate
(Minnesota Trucking Association) A coalition of vehicle and fuel industry organizations have stood up for Minnesota consumers and small businesses by filing suit in federal court alleging that Minnesota’s Biodiesel Content Mandate could create significant harm to vehicles that are not
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Three Brothers Plead Guilty to $145 Million Biofuels Fraud Scheme in Indiana
(Department of Justice) Chad Ducey, 39, of Fishers, Indiana, pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a multi-state scheme to defraud biodiesel buyers and U.S. taxpayers by fraudulently selling biodiesel incentives. His two brothers, Chris Ducey, 48, of North Webster,
April 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Algae Sees Profit Where EPA and Industry See Cost
(Algae Biomass Organization) The U.S. Supreme Court is currently hearing arguments related to its review of three consolidated cases regarding the EPA’s regulation of toxic emissions from power plants: Michigan v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 14-46; Utility Air Regulatory Group v. Environmental
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Truckers Sue to End Biodiesel Mandate
by David Shaffer (Star Tribune) Minnesota truckers and other interests sued Minnesota on Friday seeking to end the state’s requirement that diesel sold at the pump contain 10 percent biodiesel. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Minnesota alleges that
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
2015 Ethanol RINs Prices Rise to Three-Month High after EPA Announcement
by Jordan Godwin and Wes Swift (Platts) Corn-based (D6) ethanol RINs for 2015 firmed up to their highest level in more than three months Tuesday as the market continued to show a revival of aggressive bid interest, sources said. ... Market participants
April 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Setting The Table For The Big Score
by David VanderGriend (Ethanol Producer Magazine/ ICM Inc./Urban Air Initiative) The RFS is important and worthy of support, writes David VanderGriend. However, it should not be viewed as what defines the value of biofuels, a value which can only be
April 13, 2015 Read Full Article
EPA to Finalize 2014, 2015 and 2016 RFS Rules by November
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA has posted a notice to its website announcing that the volume requirements for the 2014, 2015 and 2016 renewable fuel standard (RFS), along with the 2017 volume requirement for biomass-based diesel, will
April 10, 2015 Read Full Article
Businesses Fight Oregon’s New Rule on Clean Fuels
by Ilene Aleshire (The Register-Guard) Energy and manufacturing groups file a lawsuit challenging the state’s standard ... The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, the American Trucking Associations and the Consumer Energy Alliance, whose backers include oil companies and large manufacturers, filed suit
April 07, 2015 Read Full Article
API, AFPM Sue EPA over RFS Delays
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On March 18, the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers and American Petroleum Institute filed a new lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia against the U.S. EPA regarding delays in finalizing
March 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Supreme Court Sides with Gevo in Long-Standing Patent Dispute
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Gevo’s favor and overturned an earlier Federal Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on the interpretation of key patent claims. On April 11, 2013, the Delaware District Court (District Court)
February 06, 2015 Read Full Article
The 4 Smarter Things Congress Could Be Doing than Voting on Keystone Again
by Chris Mooney (The Washington Post) ... For environmentalists, it symbolizes the increasingly urgent need to keep fossil fuels in the ground. For Republicans, it symbolizes everything they hate about how environmentalists seek to block industrial projects. But when Congress focuses
January 08, 2015 Read Full Article
The Year That Wasn’t
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Ethanol production and blending broke records. Exports picked up. E15 and E85 sales increased. And the first cellulosic ethanol gallons were produced. So here, in satiric tribute to the year that wasn’t,
January 07, 2015 Read Full Article
Crooked Brothers Sentenced over Huge Waste Cooking Oil for Biofuel Scam in Rhode Islanld
by Ben Messenger (Waste Management World) Two brothers in their 70s have been sentenced for conspiring to sell and transport used cooking oil stolen from restaurants in Rhode Island and Massachusetts to a processing plant in New Hampshire for
December 12, 2014 Read Full Article
AG Schmidt Challenges EPA Ethanol Emissions Model
(Office of Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt) Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has asked a federal appeals court to block new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations that discourage the use of ethanol by requiring states to adopt conclusions about ethanol
December 10, 2014 Read Full Article
RFA Not Surprised Oil Companies Suing EPA
(WNAX.com) Renewable Fuels Association officials are not surprised oil industry groups are looking at suing EPA over their delay in getting out the 2015 RFS volumes. RFA Senior Vice President Geoff Cooper doesn’t think the American Petroleum Institute or American
December 08, 2014 Read Full Article
Billionaire Vinod Khosla’s Big Dreams for Biofuels Fail to Catch Fire
by Steven Mufson (The Washington Post) Just over a year ago, billionaire venture capitalist Vinod Khosla was bubbling with optimism about one of his latest investments: KiOR, a biofuel outfit he said would turn wood chips into hydrocarbons that could
November 30, 2014 Read Full Article
Impasse over RFS Underscores Need for Biofuel Value Chain and Partner Unity
(25 x '25) Federal regulators have stumbled again in following the congressionally approved roadmap for expanding and accelerating biofuel development and use, announcing Friday they will not finalize 2014 blending requirements under the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) until sometime next
November 26, 2014 Read Full Article
Ethanol Proponents Anticipating a Fight
by Nicholas Bergin (Lincoln Journal Star) The biofuels industry is gearing up for a fight, a national industry spokesman said Monday. Doug Durante, executive director of Bethesda, Maryland-based Clean Fuels Development Coalition, predicted lawsuits over the Environmental Protection Agency’s
November 25, 2014 Read Full Article
New Food Safety Rules Mean Big Changes
by Andrew Anderson (Faegre Baker Daniels/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Although several new requirements in the FSMA may impact ethanol plants, writes Andrew Anderson of Faegre Baker Daniels, the preventative control rule is likely the one that will have the most significant
November 20, 2014 Read Full Article
EPA Releases Updated Biogenic Emissions Framework
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Nov. 19, the U.S. EPA released a revised framework for assessing biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from stationary sources. According to a notice published by the EPA, the second draft of the framework
November 20, 2014 Read Full Article
Gevo Finds a Way
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Like Rocky Balboa, no matter how many punches they take, Gevo just won’t fall over. In fact, the company’s prospects have brightened considerably in recent months — is the company “gonna fly now”? How and
November 14, 2014 Read Full Article
Bioeconomy Policy for 2015: US Elections, What Happened, What Now?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To open ABLC Next, what we like to call the “heads of the 7 families” — or in this case, the heads of seven key trade associations for the advanced bioeconomy, joined us on stage
November 11, 2014 Read Full Article
History of U.S. Biofuel Mandate Provides Opening for Legal Challenge
by Ayesha Rascoe (Reuters) Probable legal challenges to proposed cuts in the 2014 U.S. biofuel mandate could focus on a two-word phrase dropped from the U.S. law establishing the renewable fuel program back in 2005: distribution capacity. Biofuel producers have argued
November 05, 2014 Read Full Article
History of U.S. Biofuel Mandate Provides Opening for Legal Challenge
by Ayesha Rascoe (Reuters Africa) Probable legal challenges to proposed cuts in the 2014 U.S. biofuel mandate could focus on a two-word phrase dropped from the U.S. law establishing the renewable fuel program back in 2005: distribution capacity. Biofuel producers have
October 31, 2014 Read Full Article
Court Rejects Challenge to EPA E15 Regulation
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Oct. 21, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia denied a petition of review filed by the American Petroleum Institute and other groups challenging the E15 misfueling mitigation rule published
October 27, 2014 Read Full Article
Ex-Cofounder at KIOR Claims Technology not Working
(Global BioBusiness) A former cofounder of biofuel maker KiOR says he tried to warn other board members about problems with KiOR’s technology. The claims come from Mr. Paul O’Connor, who cofounded the company and worked there until June 2012 and
October 10, 2014 Read Full Article
EPA 'Tier III' Test Change May Complicate Achieving Fuel Economy Goals
by Lori Nicholson (IWP News) EPA's recent decision in its "Tier III" vehicle emissions rule to increase the amount of ethanol in certification fuel used to determine an automobile's compliance with the standard could complicate automakers' ability to meet separate
September 08, 2014 Read Full Article
Mascoma Confirms Strategy Shift, Outlines Plans for Technology
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Larry Klein and the Sierra Club sued Frontier and the DOE after the DOE issued a finding of “no significant impact” and granted a Frontier funding application which pledged about $100 million, or about
July 22, 2014 Read Full Article
Back in My Arms Again: The Supremes Take on Patent Law in the Era of Synthetic Biology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Key ruling in Gevo, Butamax case links it to the upcoming Teva case, going before the Supreme Court this fall. In Colorado, Gevo filed a fascinating 8-K this week, relating that a United States District Court judge granted
July 18, 2014 Read Full Article
Biotech Feels a Chill from Changing U.S. Patent Rules
by Kelly Servick (Science Magazine) A year after the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark ruling that human genes cannot be patented, the biotech industry is struggling to adapt to a landscape in which inventions derived from nature are increasingly hard to
July 07, 2014 Read Full Article
California Low-Carbon Rule Survives Big Legal Challenge
By Dale Kasler (Sacramento Bee) California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, one of the centerpieces of the state’s fight against global warming, survived a significant legal challenge Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a lawsuit brought by oil-industry and out-of-state farm
July 01, 2014 Read Full Article
Supreme Court Issues Its Decision on EPA's GHG Tailoring Rule
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On June 23, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision on the U.S. EPA’s Tailoring Rule. While the court invalidated a portion of the rule, it essentially held up EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas
June 27, 2014 Read Full Article
Accounting for Bioenergy Emissions, Benefits Must be Done Right
(25 x '25) With the White House shining a very bright spotlight on its plans for addressing climate change – in particular, the long-awaited proposal to regulate carbon emissions from existing power plants under Clean Air Act ‑ it is important that
June 13, 2014 Read Full Article
Court Upholds Upper Peninsula Ethanol Plant Review but Project Likely Dropped
by Eric Freedman (Great Lakes Echo) A federal appeals court has rejected a challenge to an environmental assessment of a $100 million construction subsidy for an ethanol plant in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) had assessed the project’s
June 09, 2014 Read Full Article
Sixth Circuit Greenlights Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
by Paul E. Gutermann (Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP/Lexology.com) The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit held this week that the Department of Energy (DOE) complied with its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in providing
May 27, 2014 Read Full Article
U.S. Appeals Court Rejects Challenge to 2013 Renewable Fuel Standard
by Ayesha Rascoe and Cezary Podkul (Reuters) A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday threw out an oil industry challenge to the Obama administration's 2013 biofuel mandate, ruling that the government has "wide latitude" to decide whether to modify renewable fuel
May 08, 2014 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Industry Welcomes Renewable Fuels Court Ruling: Court Upholds 2013 RFS Requirements
(National Biodiesel Board) The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) issued the following statement Tuesday after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia denied a petroleum industry challenge to the 2013 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requirements: “The court’s decision today
May 06, 2014 Read Full Article
21 States Ask Supreme Court to Review California’s LCFS
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Several states are joining the fight to take a legal dispute over California’s low carbon fuels standard (LCFS) to the U.S. Supreme Court. On April 21, a group of 21 states filed a brief
April 29, 2014 Read Full Article
Leading Biofuel Groups Oppose Delay Requested by Petroleum Industry in 2013 RFS Case
(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and Growth Energy yesterday filed a joint response in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in opposition to the American Petroleum Institute’s and
April 18, 2014 Read Full Article
Court Hears Oral Arguments in Challenge to 2013 RFS Standard
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) On April 7, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia heard oral arguments in a lawsuit challenging the U.S. EPA’s final rule for 2013 renewable fuel standard (RFS). The petitioners are asking
April 14, 2014 Read Full Article
Joint Statement: Ethanol Industry Files to Take LCFS Fight to United States Supreme Court
(Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy) Following the January decision by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to deny rehearing en banc in the litigation regarding California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Growth
March 21, 2014 Read Full Article
California to Expand Low Carbon Fuel Standard to 2030 with More Stringent Targets
by Herman Wang (Platts) California plans to expand its first-in-the-nation Low Carbon Fuel Standard with more aggressive emissions-reduction rules through 2030, even as the current program faces a possible US Supreme Court challenge. ... In the scoping plan, which outlines how CARB
February 13, 2014 Read Full Article
Attorney General Says EPA Action on Ethanol Not Legal
by Matt Kelley (RadioIowa) Legions of people lately have pleaded in public hearings for the federal Environmental Protection Agency to maintain the amount of ethanol required to be blended into gasoline, but Iowa’s top lawyer says there’s another better tactic. Iowa
February 05, 2014 Read Full Article
U.S. Invalidates 33.5 Million Renewable Credits After Fraud (1)
by Mark Drajem (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it has invalidated 33.5 million renewable-fuel credits sold by an Indiana company for biofuel it didn’t produce, the fourth time the agency has alleged fraud in the program. The filing
December 20, 2013 Read Full Article
Dinneen: RFS Not for Big Oil’s Convenience
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) The case for keeping the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as-is is being made today at an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hearing in Arlington, Va. Our friends from the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) have shown up in
December 06, 2013 Read Full Article
Examining EPA’s Authority to Reduce RFS Volume Requirements
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Renewable Fuels Association held a media teleconference Nov. 21, to address the issue of whether the U.S. EPA has the statutory authority to lower the total renewable fuel standard (RFS) numbers, as reflected
November 22, 2013 Read Full Article
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