by John Poston MN(R) District: 09A (Brainerd Dispatch) ... Over the past five years, farm income has fallen by 46 percent. One thing that all Americans can do to help is use a biofuel that we make and sell right here at
Regulations-Federal
Back TO HOMERenewable Fuels Association Kicks Off Awareness Campaign for E15
(Convenience Store News) The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) launched an awareness campaign in support of E15 fuel with the launch of a new consumer-facing website and digital ads in The Washington Post. The campaign's goal is to educate consumers and policymakers about the benefits
February 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Exclusive: U.S. EPA May Issue E15 Gasoline Plan without Biofuel Credit Trade Limits - Sources
by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering releasing its draft proposal to expand sales of higher ethanol blends of gasoline without including simultaneous measures it promised the oil industry to curb biofuel credit speculation, according to three sources
February 12, 2019 Read Full Article
RFA’s Cooper: Ethanol Industry ‘Delivering Huge Wins’ Despite ‘Tough Year’ in 2018
(Renewable Fuels Association) Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Geoff Cooper told nearly 1,000 National Ethanol Conference attendees today that while the U.S. ethanol industry had a “tough year” in 2018, it “continued to deliver huge wins for consumers,” including
February 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Retailers Say Now Is the Time to Move to Higher Ethanol Blends
(Solutions from the Land) In its 2019 Annual Energy Outlook issued this month, the DOE's Energy Information Administration offers projections that make clear the importance of significantly increasing ethanol blends into the nation's transportation fuel over the next several decades. The report predicts that
February 11, 2019 Read Full Article
RFA Releases 2019 Ethanol Industry Outlook, Pocket Guide
(Renewable Fuels Association) Today at the 24th annual National Ethanol Conference, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) released its 2019 Ethanol Industry Outlook and Pocket Guide, known around the world as the go-to sources for reliable information and data on America’s ethanol industry. The annual Outlook publication
February 11, 2019 Read Full Article
NACS (National Association of Convenience Stores) Favors Giving Consumers Options at the Pump
by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) For the National Association of Convenience Stores, selling E15 is a matter of giving consumers plenty of fuel options. “We like the optionality of being able to have lots legal choices and really sell what
February 07, 2019 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"The GHG emissions of petroleum are higher than the baseline estimates originally projected by EPA" That's one finding in a new study by Life Cycle Associates. It's also one reason biofuels entering the marketplace thanks to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) exceed
February 06, 2019 Read Full Article
New Study: RFS2 Has Reduced GHG Emissions by 600 Million Metric Tons, Beating EPA Expectations
(Renewable Fuels Association) A new study released today finds that the expanded Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) has been a tremendous success in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with nearly 600 million metric tons of GHG reduction since 2007. Actual GHG reductions under the
February 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Commentary: Bring California’s Low-Carbon Wisdom to Washington, D.C.
by Andy Foster (Capital Press/Aemetis Inc.) ... With the election behind us and new leadership in the House, it’s time to take another look at the IPCC warnings and examine bipartisan solutions that Congress can work toward — immediately. High on
February 06, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Chief Says Agency, California ‘Far Apart’ on Car Emissions
by Ryan Beene, Jennifer A Dlouhy, and David R Baker (Bloomberg) Wheeler, Nichols signal little progress on auto MPG agreement; State shouldn’t have authority on C02 emissions, Wheeler says -- U.S. and California officials agreed Monday on one thing about auto emissions standards:
February 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels Group Growth Energy Sues U.S. EPA over Small RefineryExemptions
by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) Biofuels group Growth Energy filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday, challenging the agency’s renewable fuel mandate for 2019 as failing to address rising waived biofuel volumes. “EPA’s inaction on addressing lost gallons
February 05, 2019 Read Full Article
RFA Asks EPA to Use Reset Rule to Restore Lost RFS Gallons
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) ... Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) CEO Geoff Cooper sent a letter to (Andrew) Wheeler this week to provide input on the agency’s upcoming RFS reset proposal. RFA is asking Wheeler to use the reset rule as an opportunity to restore
February 05, 2019 Read Full Article
How Do Your Fuel Decisions Impact Our Environment?
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) EESI Policy Associate Jessie Stolark spoke on a roundtable panel about the health and environmental considerations of fuel choices, at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit on January 29. Below is an abbreviated version
February 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels Leaders Engage in RFS Discussion: “To 2022 and Beyond: Renewable Fuels in the Next Decade”
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The 2019 National Biodiesel Conference concluded Thursday with a panel discussion entitled “To 2022 and Beyond: Renewable Fuels in the Next Decade,” featuring renewable fuel industry leaders discussing the Renewable Fuel Standard and what is on the horizon for
February 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Prepares for a ‘Crazy Year’ Trying to Sway the Trump Administration
by John Siciliano (Washington Examiner) Ethanol producers are preparing for major action at the federal level in the months ahead, both in terms of litigation against Trump administration actions on the nation’s renewable fuel mandate and lobbying to finalize rules regarding
January 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Interview: RFA Hoping EPA Will Be More Restrained on SREs
by Jeff Barber (Opis Biofuels News) The U.S. ethanol industry, which spent most of 2018 dealing with the fallout from EPA's decision to allow a record number of small refineries to escape their Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) compliance obligations, believes the
January 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Octane on ‘Sesame Street’
by Doug Durante (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Clean Fuels Development Coalition) Striving for higher-octane fuels shouldn't mean saying goodbye to the RFS. --... Why is the quest for high-octane fuels to reduce petroleum consumption and increase efficiency in vehicles paired with getting rid of
January 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Burgeoning Biomethane: RNG Is a Partner, Not Competitor, to Ethanol
by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Verbio has plans to further strengthen the already-expanding renewable natural gas market in the U.S., having purchased DuPont’s cellulosic ethanol plant. A transformation is underway in Iowa. Last year, Verbio North America Corp., the U.S. subsidiary
January 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Review Finds No Consensus Among Fuel Studies – Major Implications for Health, Air Quality
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) A recent review of nearly 100 different peer-reviewed vehicle emission studies, by the independent consulting group Future Fuel Strategies, found that there is no consensus in the literature regarding the health effects of
January 27, 2019 Read Full Article
Ready for Take Off? Aviation Biofuels Past, Present, and Future
by David Hitchcock (Atlantic Council) ... However, the importance of powering the aviation sector (both military and commercial) through sustainable fuels cannot be overstated. David Hitchcock’s paper, “Ready for Takeoff? Aviation Biofuels Past, Present, and Future,” provides a keen look at
January 26, 2019 Read Full Article
On Tap: Retailers Preparing for Year-Round E15 Have Options for Pumps, Financing and Marketing.
by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...(W)ith the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency expected to extend the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver to E15, hopefully before next summer’s driving season. Retailers will have to decide not only if they will offer
January 25, 2019 Read Full Article
Rounds: Corn Ethanol Production Plays Important Role in South Dakota’s Economy
by Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) (Brookings Register) Corn and corn ethanol production are vital components of South Dakota’s economy. The corn ethanol industry supports thousands of jobs in our state and contributes a significant amount of revenue to our local
January 25, 2019 Read Full Article
Moving the RFS Forward
by Amie Simpson (Brownfield Ag News) There is a false notion that the Renewable Fuel Standard ends in 2022, but that is not the case. Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, says even those in the industry sometimes misunderstand
January 25, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels Leaders Engage in RFS Discussion
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The 2019 National Biodiesel Conference concluded Thursday with a panel discussion entitled “To 2022 and Beyond: Renewable Fuels in the Next Decade,” featuring renewable fuel industry leaders discussing the Renewable Fuel Standard and what is on the horizon for
January 25, 2019 Read Full Article
Koda Energy Urges EPA to Process eRIN applications
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Shakopee, Minnesota-based Koda Energy LLC is urging the U.S. EPA to promptly process applications to allow biomass power facilities to participate in the Renewable Fuel Standard program by generating e-renewable identification numbers (eRINs). On Jan. 21, Stacy
January 23, 2019 Read Full Article
World Energy and Valero Lead Rebound in Biofuels M&A: 2018 Review
by Bruce Comer (Ocean Park/Biofuels Digest) Convergence reigns as the North American biofuels industry witnesses a resurgence in mergers and acquisitions, including exceptionally large deals -- Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in biofuels picked up considerably in 2018 after a slowdown in
January 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Independent Study Finds Vehicle Emission Testing Is Not Reliable
(Urban Air Initiative) A new study finds that many of the test fuels used in emissions research studies do not reflect the makeup of consumer fuels, limiting the ability of ethanol to be used to reduce emissions and improve vehicle
January 21, 2019 Read Full Article
RFA Publishes E15 Countdown Clock, Calculator and FAQs
(Renewable Fuels Association) E15. Clean. Affordable. Domestic. Fuel. There’s been a lot of talk recently about “E15,” a biofuel blend of gasoline that contains 15 percent ethanol, a product that comes from crops grown by American farmers. E15 burns cleaner and cooler
January 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol Is the Safe Option
by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union/Tri-State Livestock News) ... Well, let's hope we don't see the price at the pumps go up. Instead, let's use more ethanol. What I'm suggesting is oil companies increase the amount of ethanol blended into gasoline
January 18, 2019 Read Full Article
The Energy 202: Potential 2020 Candidates Test Climate Messages on Trump's EPA Pick
by Gino Grandoni (Washington Post) ... Nominally, the hearing was convened to consider the nomination of former coal lobbyist and ex-Senate aide Andrew Wheeler to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. ... In the past six months alone the EPA under Wheeler has
January 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Metro East Fuel Plant Owner Admits Doctoring Tests to Get $500,000 in Biodiesel Tax Credits
by Robert Patrick (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) The former operator of a South Roxana biodiesel plant pleaded guilty in federal court here Thursday and admitted doctoring test results to fraudulently receive $531,000 in tax credits. Terry L. Zintel pleaded guilty to three
January 18, 2019 Read Full Article
RFA Asks EPA to Separate Year-Round E15 Provisions from RIN Reform Measures in Upcoming Proposal
(Renewable Fuels Association) With the government shutdown threatening to further delay approval of year-round sales of E15 (gasoline containing 15% ethanol), the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to focus strictly on year-round E15 provisions in its forthcoming
January 18, 2019 Read Full Article
U.S. Automakers Push for Deal on Fuel Efficiency Rules
by David Shepardson (Reuters) Executives at the major U.S. automakers are pressing the Trump administration and California to agree on standards for fuel efficiency and carbon emissions through 2025, as risks increase that a deadline for setting national standards will pass without
January 16, 2019 Read Full Article
House Bill Would Repeal CAFE Standards:
(Bergeson & Campbell) On January 10, 2019, Representative Roger Williams (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 431) that would repeal the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. CAFE standards are set by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and EPA.
January 16, 2019 Read Full Article
EPA Says It Is Committed to Rule for Higher Ethanol Blend by Summer Driving Season
by Jarrett Renshaw and Chris Prentice (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Tuesday it would complete a rule to boost sales of higher-ethanol blends of gasoline by the summer driving season, despite a partial government shutdown. The statement from the environmental
January 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Proposed Changes to EIA-819 Monthly Biofuels, Fuel Oxygenates, and Motor Gasoline Blending Components Report COMMENT DEADLINE: February 25, 2019
(U.S. Department of Energy) On December 27, 2018, a Federal Register Notice (FRN) was published announcing proposed survey changes to the Petroleum Supply Reporting System. These changes enhance collection and reporting of biofuels a number of ways: EIA-819 Monthly Oxygenate
January 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Forecast for U.S. Federal and International Chemical Regulatory Policy 2019
(Bergeson & Campbell) Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and its consulting affiliate The Acta Group (Acta®) are pleased to offer you our Forecast 2019. In this richly detailed document, the legal, scientific, and regulatory professionals of B&C and Acta distill key
January 09, 2019 Read Full Article
A Rightful Role in the RFS: The Electric Vehicle Market Is Predicted to Soar, and, Pending Overdue Action by the U.S. EPA, Biomass Power Producers Are Positioned to Help Meet Goals Set Forth in the Renewable Fuel Standard.
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) ... The vast complexities of the RFS extend far beyond these components, but a much lesser-known provision is beginning to attract attention—the role of renewable electricity in the program, and it’s abilities to fuel electric
January 08, 2019 Read Full Article
The Problem of Invalidated RINs in the Renewable Fuel Standard
by Mike Newman (Parhelion Underwriting/Stillwater Associates) Under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) imposed a “buyer beware” approach to the purchase and sale of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs). This creates a liability for any buyer of RINs, making
January 07, 2019 Read Full Article
Alternative Fuels Council Offers Biodiesel Strategy
by Jeff Hove (Biodiesel Magazine) Jeff Hove, vice president of NATSO's Alternative Fuels Council, provides perspective on current political, regulatory and market events relating to biodiesel blending, and how a myriad of potential changes will affect downstream operators. -- ... But renewable
January 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Biodiesel’s Cutting Edge
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine profiles nine companies whose process technologies, products and services are on the frontline of change in this industry. Third Coast Commodities Biodiesel feedstock trading is evolving, and Third Coast Commodities is one of the firms ushering
January 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Ricketts: My Goals for 2-19
by Pete Ricketts (Office of Governor of Nebraska/Star Herald) As we enter the new year, I have put together a list of goals for our state in 2019. I am sharing a few of them here. ... Year-Round E15 – In October,
January 04, 2019 Read Full Article
A Fox Guarding the RFS Henhouse
by David Kruse (The CommStock Report/Spencer Daily Reporter) From a subscriber: "I asked my local Cenex manager why the price of E85 was still high. E10 has dropped 43 cents in the last couple of months and E85 hasn't changed from $1.94. He
January 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Farmers Fear Another Hit as Trump Shutdown Threatens Ethanol Vow
by Mario Parker and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Year-round 15% ethanol-gas blend by summer now seen at risk; Shutdown could join trade war in limiting farmer income -- ... The government shutdown that Trump says could last "a long time" without funding for
January 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Outlook 2019: RINs Market Looks toward Washington in 2019
by Wesley Swift (S&P Global Platts) The market for Renewable Identification Numbers looked for relief in 2019 after a tumultuous 2018. Uncertainty over the nation's renewable fuel policy created a volatile market for RINs, the credits used by refiners and fossil
January 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Your Views: Q&A on E15 Fuel Had Misinformation
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/The Gazette) Rather than providing factual answers to common questions about Unleaded88 gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol (E15), The Gazette’s recent Q&A on the fuel (Page 6A, Monday) perpetuated familiar myths and misinformation about ethanol. After conducting
January 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Recognizing Today’s Reality to Shape a Better Tomorrow
by Brian Jennings (American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Looking back to one year ago, ethanol renewable identification numbers (RINs) were fetching nearly 70 cents (a valuable incentive for ethanol blending), exports were swelling to record volumes, and EPA was promising
January 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Driving Opportunities to Expand the Market
by Emily Skor (Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... We expect a proposed rule in February, followed by a public hearing and comment process. President Donald Trump’s administration has clearly stated its intention to have a rule in place by June 1—when
January 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Ethanol's Impact: Iowa’s Status as the Largest Ethanol-Producing State Means Its Ethanol Economy Affects the Entire Industry.
by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... A waiter in a Cedar Rapids restaurant, for instance, recently asked Shaw (Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association) about Trump’s E15 waiver, upon hearing that Shaw advocates for biofuels and
January 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Mid-Level Ethanol Blends Are the Transportation Fuel of the 21st Century, NFU Says
(National Farmers Union) As Congress looks to revamp and coordinate federal-level policies that govern the transportation fuels and vehicles sectors, National Farmers Union (NFU) is urging legislators to expand use of high-octane, mid-level blends of ethanol in the transportation fuel supply.
December 27, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA: 8 New Small Refinery Waivers Filed
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Dec. 20, the U.S. EPA released updated data on small refinery hardship waivers filed under the Renewable Fuel Standard, reporting that seven new waivers for the 2018 compliance year and one new petition for
December 26, 2018 Read Full Article
On Eleventh Anniversary, RFS2 ‘Has Unquestionably Lived Up to Its Promise’
(Renewable Fuels Association) Eleven years ago today, President George W. Bush signed into law what has become the single most successful clean fuels policy in the United States–the expanded Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2). The RFS2, included in the Energy Independence and
December 19, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Sets 2019 Cellulosic Waiver Credit Price at $1.77
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has published a notice on its website setting the cellulosic waiver credit (CWC) price for 2019 at $1.77. The price is slightly lower than the CWC price for 2018, which was set
December 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Study: 'No Scientific Basis' For Challenges To EPA Endangerment Finding
by Barbara Moran (WBUR News) There’s more proof that greenhouse gases are dangerous to human health. That’s the conclusion of a study published Thursday in the journal Science, for which researchers reviewed hundreds of scientific papers on climate change published since 2009. The study supports the U.S. Environmental Protection
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
The Oil Industry’s Covert Campaign to Rewrite American Car Emissions Rules
by Hiroko Tabuchi (New York Times) When the Trump administration laid out a plan this year that would eventually allow cars to emit more pollution, automakers, the obvious winners from the proposal, balked. The changes, they said, went too far even for
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
NFU Urges House Subcommittee to Expand Use of High-Octane, American Grown Biofuels
(The Fence Post/National Farmers Union) As Congress looks to revamp and coordinate federal-level policies that govern the transportation fuels and vehicles sectors, National Farmers Union is urging legislators to expand use of high-octane, mid-level blends of ethanol in the transportation fuel
December 13, 2018 Read Full Article
LETTER: On Ethanol, Minnesota Leaders Have a Tremendous Opportunity
by Van Hapka (Crookston Times) Will new Minnesota legislature and governor help push it across the finish line? The ethanol industry plays an important role in the agricultural communities around Northwest Minnesota, but for years, the EPA has held it back. Farmers
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Meet the Scholar Crafting the 'Green New Deal'
by Hannah Northey (E&E News) Think of it as the policy muscle behind the promised "Green New Deal." A policy group is being formed to support an energized progressive movement that's taken Capitol Hill by storm under the leadership of Rep.-elect Alexandria
December 07, 2018 Read Full Article
New Report Finds EPA Could Be Doing Much More to Unlock Growth of Low-Carbon Biofuels
by Jesse Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... The industry has been unable to produce the volumes called for under the advanced and cellulosic categories due to a variety of reasons – including the pace of technology, falling petroleum
December 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Increasing the Role of Advanced Biofuels in the US
by Leticia Phillips (UNICA/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...But EPA could still strengthen the RFS in ways that would encourage advanced biofuels to play a greater role greening the U.S. transportation sector. Here are our top two suggestions. • Expect more from advanced biofuels We
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Relieving the Pressure: There’s Movement at Last to Obtain an RVP Waiver for E15 ...
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... “There’s a very tight window between today and June 1,” says Brian Jennings, CEO of the American Coalition for Ethanol. “The big-picture goal is for the proposed rule to be out for public comment
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Demand Destruction from Small Refinery Exemptions is Clear and Continuing
(Renewable Fuels Association) There has been a media blitz lately by the oil industry saying that ethanol demand has been unaffected by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) rampant grants of Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) exemptions to small refineries. Recently, even some
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
To Fulfill Biofuels’ Promise, Scientists Boost Plant Oils with Gene Editing
by Cici Zhang (Chemical and Engineering News) Increasing the fatty acids in crops’ seeds, leaves, and stems could make biofuels more economically viable -- ... Plant scientist Heike Sederoff of North Carolina State University, however, is very familiar with the oils
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Hearing Scheduled on Bill to Sunset RFS, Enact Octane Standard
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A house subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing Dec. 11 on the recently released discussion draft of the 21st Century Transportation Fuels Act. The bill aims to sunset the Renewable Fuels Standard and enact a
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Evonik to Expand Sodium Methylate Capacity at Mobile, Alabama Facility
(Evonik) Evonik Corporation will undertake a significant capacity expansion of its sodium methylate facility located in Mobile, Ala. Upon completion, the Mobile plant will be capable of producing up to 90,000 metric tons per year. The decision to expand capacity follows Environmental
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
The Laws of Biofuels Deployment, and TACs that Whack: Heard on the Floor at the CAAFI Annual Meeting
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... This year, the TAC (Technical Advisory Committee of the Biomass R&D Board) did something about as audacious and rare as shouting loud praise of open markets and democratic values on the streets of Pyongyang. The
December 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Throttled and Greens Sue for Auto Proposal Docs
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) THROTTLED: An administration official told Pro's Zack Colman that EPA and NHTSA would reduce its projection for saved lives in its forthcoming finalized fuel economy rule. The reason: The agencies are revising estimates for
December 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Rural Development Environmental Regulation for Rural Infrastructure Projects COMMENTS DUE December 24, 2018
(U.S. Department of Agriculture/Federal Register) The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD), comprised of the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), Rural Housing Service (RHS), and Rural Utilities Service (RUS), hereafter referred to as the Agency, is issuing a
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
EIA Study: Refiners Could Meet 95 RON Standard Without More Ethanol
(Renewable Fuels Association) A new Energy Information Administration (EIA) study concludes that U.S. petroleum refineries would have “no problem” meeting a requirement to produce gasoline with a higher minimum octane rating (95 Research Octane Number, or “RON”) beginning in 2022, and assumes that
November 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Exclusive: EPA Lifts Advanced Biofuel Mandate for 2019 - Document
by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lifted its annual blending mandate for advanced biofuels by 15 percent for 2019, while keeping steady the requirement for conventional biofuels like corn-based ethanol, according to an agency document seen by Reuters on
November 30, 2018 Read Full Article
RFS Expiration a Common Misnomer
by Mark Dorenkamp (Brownfield Ag News) The CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association says it’s a common misnomer that the Renewable Fuel Standard ends in four years. Geoff Cooper tells Brownfield the RFS doesn’t stop in 2022. “What stops in 2022 is the
November 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Republicans Say They Want Free-Market Innovation. Then They Should Want a Carbon Tax.
by Catherine Rampell (Washington Post) ... Alternatively, some Republicans suggest that, yes, the planet may be warming and, yes, humans may be the reason, but it’s too darn expensive to do much more than we are. ... As Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) equivocated on CNN’s
November 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Court Won’t Dismiss Challenge to Part of Trump’s Car Efficiency Rollback
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) A federal court won’t dismiss a challenge by Democratic states and green groups to a key part of the Trump administration’s plan to roll back car fuel efficiency and emissions standards. At issue is the Environmental Protection
November 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Big Oil’s E15 Hypocrisy: Hello Pot, Meet Kettle
by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) While President Donald Trump’s October announcement calling for the year-round availability of E15 was enthusiastically cheered by biofuel producers, farmers and consumers, it drew predictable jeers and indignation from the oil industry and
November 26, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Aemetis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Aemetis owns and operates 110 million gallons per year of ethanol and biodiesel facilities in the US and India, and is upgrading the plants using patented technology to produce lower carbon, higher value advanced biofuels and
November 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Octane Enhancement Cannot Come from the Oil Barrel
by Dave VanderGriend (Ethanol Producer Magazine/ICM/Urban Air Initiative) ... Today, at 10 percent of the motor fuel pool, ethanol is displacing the most lethal components in gasoline—toxic, carcinogenic aromatics. When lead was phased out of gasoline, refiners replaced it with an
November 21, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Plans Biofuel 'Reset' as Program Misses Congress' Targets
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will propose new targets for the final three years of the nation’s renewable fuel program in January, replacing ambitious decade-old goals set by Congress with volumes closer to the industry’s current output,
November 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Exclusive: Chevron Granted Waiver from U.S. Biofuel Laws at Utah Plant - Source
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted oil major Chevron Corp a 2017 hardship waiver from U.S. biofuel laws for its Utah refinery earlier this year, according to a source familiar with the company’s operations. Chevron, which reported a
November 21, 2018 Read Full Article
More RFS Exemption Requests Monroe Energy, Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf Want Full RFS Waiver
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Pennsylvania's governor and state refining interests are putting pressure on EPA to grant waivers to the Renewable Fuel Standard program, just ahead of the agency's Nov. 30 deadline to finalize new biofuels volumes for
November 16, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA Extends Comment Period on RFS Information Collection Request New DEADLINE: December 13, 2018
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA is extending the comment period on a previously announced information collection request (ICR) that aims to consolidate and update recordkeeping and reporting burden and cost estimates related to the Renewable Fuel Standard
November 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuel Groups Ask Federal Judge to Freeze U.S. Refinery Waiver Program
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
November 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Weaker RINs Lure Gasoline Shipping into US East Coast Ports: Sources
(Hellenic Shipping News) A decline in the US obligation for biofuels has prompted an increase in imports from Canada and Europe into the Atlantic Coast, according to market sources and federal government data. The renewable fuels obligation for a gallon of imported
November 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Iowa Senator Says Expect Fewer Biofuel Waivers from Wheeler's EPA
by Humeyra Pamuk (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may issue fewer biofuel waivers to small refineries under Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler than it did under its previous leadership, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa said on Tuesday. “I sense
November 14, 2018 Read Full Article
#Gasolinegate: EPA's Role in Fair Gasoline Emissions Testing Draws Fire
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, researchers for a report published by the Urban Air Initiative contend that “technical data that shows the nation has been exposed to decades of flawed test fuels and flawed driving tests, which in turn
November 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Heard on the Floor: Reflections and the Buzz from ABLC Global 2018
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It was, at times, not unlike the old trading floor of the Chicago Board of Trade and that was no coincidence, for there was optimism abounding and the deal-talk that flows from a general feeling that
November 12, 2018 Read Full Article
U.S. Ethanol Producers Feeling the Pinch from Trump Trade War
by Jarrett Renshaw, Michael Hirtzer (Reuters) U.S. ethanol producers drew a bleak picture of their industry in quarterly filings and analyst calls this week, detailing how the critical farm belt business has been devastated by President Donald Trump’s trade war with China and
November 12, 2018 Read Full Article
2018 Midterm Elections—Implications for the Bioeconomy
by Jesse Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) And while the bioeconomy – biofuels, biobased products, chemicals, and more – enjoy bipartisan support, the new political landscape means that the biobased sector and stakeholders still need to be on their
November 10, 2018 Read Full Article
White House, California to Discuss Vehicle Emissions Rules Next Week
by David Shepardson (Reuters) California clean air regulators will hold talks next Tuesday with their federal counterparts and the White House over Trump administration efforts to stop Sacramento from adopting tighter vehicle emissions rules than Washington, a spokesman for the state
November 09, 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
The Trump Administration Flunked Its Math Homework
by Robinson Meyer (The Atlantic) The administration’s clean-cars rollback is riddled with errors. In one case, it forgot to divide by four. In another, it accidentally deleted 700 billion miles of driving. … The mistakes range in scope from the comical to
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 Complex Dynamics of Coprocessing
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) While oil refiners adding a small percentage of renewable feedstock to their operations sounds simple, the political, economic, technical, societal and market consequences are anything but. In 2007, at the height of the biodiesel boom, ConocoPhillips and
November 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Blog: Agriculture Cooperative to Offer Pre-Blended E15 at Terminals
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) With the EPA anticipated to release a proposed rule to allow year-round E15 sales, agricultural cooperative company GROWMARK Energy has started offering pre-blended E15 at its terminals to serve gasoline retailers across the Midwest. The
November 05, 2018 Read Full Article
USDA Seeks to Revise, Extend Information Collection on BIP Grants COMMENT DEADLINE: December 11, 2018
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) USDA’s Farm Service Agency has opened a public comment period on the revision and extension of a currently approved information collection associated with FSA Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership Grants to states. A notice published in the Federal
November 05, 2018 Read Full Article
EESI Joins Comments on Health, Environmental & Economic Benefits of High-Octane Biofuels +
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... Automotive manufacturers are expressing interest in raising the minimum octane level of the U.S. gasoline pool as a low-cost compliance option for increasing fuel efficiency. Until now, all MPG gains in the
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
BioFry 2018 Draws Hundreds for French Fries, Biodiesel Facts
(National Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) The National Biodiesel Board hosted its annual Capitol Hill BioFry Sept. 25 to educate congressional staff about biodiesel and the U.S. companies that produce it. Hundreds enjoyed a free French fry snack while learning about biodiesel. -- Hundreds
November 02, 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
NFU Urges Administration to Honor Commitment to Biofuels
(National Farmers Union) Throughout his campaign for and tenure as president, Donald Trump has consistently pledged to support American-grown biofuels. However, his administration has too often failed to follow through on those promises in a timely fashion. In the most recent of
November 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Environmental Groups File Petition with EPA Accusing It of Illegally Allowing Wildlife Habitat Conversion for Biofuels
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, following on the heels of an Environmental Protection Agency report to Congress documenting wide-spread habitat loss following enactment of U.S. biofuels policy in 2007, environmental and conservation groups filed a petition with EPA, asserting the
November 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Clean Octane Alliance Sees Open Road for Higher Blends
(Urban Air Initiative) ... South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke and Urban Air Initiative President Dave VanderGriend said an update to the master list of future federal regulatory actions called the Unified Agenda does not include a previously proposed rule that
October 31, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA Urges EPA and NHTSA to Use SAFE Vehicles Rule to Advance High-Octane, Low Carbon Fuels
(Renewable Fuels Association) Ethanol-based high-octane, low-carbon (HOLC) fuel blends would enable cost-effective gains in fuel economy and significant carbon dioxide reductions, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) outlined in comments submitted Friday to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety
October 31, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA: Additional Small Refinery Petitions Filed for 2017, 2018
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has released updated data on small refinery waivers filed under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The new data shows that additional petitions were filed for 2017 and 2018 compliance years over the past
October 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Sen. Donnelly Backs E15 in Terre Haute Stop
by Mark Fitton (Tribune-Star) U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly stopped Saturday in Terre Haute to tout the use of E15, a gasoline blend containing 15 percent alcohol. ... Donnelly, a Democrat and member of the Senate’s agriculture committee, said he’s been a champion of the
October 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Rule Change Likely to Take Months, Even Years
by Charles Dunlap (The Mexico Ledger) ... “The question is whether there will be a restraining order prohibiting the rules to go forward or not,” Murphy (Steve Murphy, POET general manager at the Laddonia refinery) said, adding the EPA is trying to
October 29, 2018 Read Full Article
E15 Rewards For Fridley and Richfield Drivers
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) The Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association (MN Biofuels) and KS95 FM rewarded drivers who fueled up with Unleaded Plus (E15) during an hour-long promotion at Bona Brothers Minnoco in Fridley today. From 11:30 am to 12:30 pm, MN Biofuels and KS95
October 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Op-Ed: Ethanol Needs to Win the Octane Race- Our Health Depends on It
(Urban Air Initiative/Governors' Biofuels Coalition) ... Octane is a necessary component of our fuel, and more of it is needed as car engines become more advanced and efficient. So competition is on the rise for where this octane will come from in
October 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Behind the Scenes with E15 as We Peel back the Layers
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... More recently in 2011, E15 was approved by the EPA for all vehicles 2001 and newer – nearly 9 out of 10 cars on the road today, or about 92 percent of all registered cars and trucks.
October 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Marathon Weighs Selling High-Ethanol Gas in Minnesota
by Mario Parker and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Company acquired Andeavor this month to become largest refiner; Trump promised to allow year-round sales of E15 gasoline -- Marathon Petroleum Corp., the largest U.S. oil refiner following its $23.3 billion acquisition of rival Andeavor this
October 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Forbes Reviving Old Food vs Fuel Debate in Light of E15
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, Forbes magazine is reviving the food vs. fuel debate by sourcing a 2015 publication by controversial researcher Timothy Searchinger from the World Resources Institute’s website. The paper is quoted several times identifying the use of
October 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Today's the Day: Comments Are Due
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) Comments are due today on the Trump administration's proposal to freeze Obama-era fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks. California remains front and center in the fight against the joint EPA-National Highway Traffic Safety
October 26, 2018 Read Full Article
OMB Releases Estimated Timelines for EPA’s E15 Rule, 2 RFS Rules
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The Trump Administration has released estimated timelines for the development of three U.S. EPA rulemakings that pertain to the Renewable Fuel Standard and year-round E15 sales, including one that includes a “reset” of statutory blending targets. The
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
RFA Analysis: Automakers Explicitly Approve E15 for More than 93% of New 2019 Vehicles
(Renewable Fuels Association) More than 93 percent of 2019 model year (MY) vehicles are explicitly approved by the manufacturer to use 15 percent ethanol blends (E15), according to the results of an annual analysis of warranty statements and owner’s manuals conducted by the
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Improving Ethanol’s Outlook: Fuel Economy Standards Help Make the Case for Midlevel Ethanol Blends.
by Chris Bliley (Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Automakers are responding by making smaller, higher-compression engines that demand higher octane. Improved engines are the first step toward achieving mid-level ethanol blends such as E25 and E30. ... E30 would improve fuel economy standards, reduce
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Saudi Arabia Shows Need to End Addiction to Middle Eastern Oil
by Jim Talent (The Hill/Americans for Energy Security and Innovation) Following the mysterious death of columnist Jamal Khashoggi, Washington was hit with a stark reminder that America remains glaringly vulnerable to economic threats from the oil oligarchs of the world. Saudi
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Innovations in Biomass-Based Diesel
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Two ethanol producers are adopting quite different innovative technologies to add value to their corn oil—one making biodiesel with supercritical methods, the other making renewable diesel. East Kansas Agri-Energy’s renewable diesel plant has been
October 24, 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
Dems Ask Trump Administration to Honor Renewable Fuel Standard Commitments
(Office of Congressman Ruben Gallego D-AZ))... Reps. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Danny Davis (D-IL) led a letter signed by 17 of their colleagues to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expressing concern over the Trump Administration’s widespread issuance of waivers to
October 20, 2018 Read Full Article
NBB Letter to EPA: Small Refinery Exemptions Destroy Demand for Biodiesel
(National Biodiesel Board) New EPA dashboard confirms more than 300 million gallons of lost demand for biodiesel -- National Biodiesel Board (NBB) delivered a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler asking that the agency fully account for small refinery
October 19, 2018 Read Full Article
US Environmental Protection Agency Aims to Adopt New Fuel Economy Rule by March, E15 Rule by May
by Meghan Gordon (S&P Global Platts) The US Environmental Protection Agency aims to adopt final rules for fuel economy standards by March and year-round sales of higher ethanol blends by May, according to a fall regulatory agenda released Wednesday by the
October 18, 2018 Read Full Article
The Truth about E15 and Smog
(Renewable Fuels Association) On October 9, President Trump announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will soon begin a rulemaking process to allow year-round sales of E15 (gasoline containing 15% ethanol) in conventional gasoline markets, which account for nearly 70% of
October 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Alternative Fuels Ethanol and Air Quality – Separating Fact from Fiction
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... After Tuesday’s announcement, the oil industry and some environmental groups were quick to claim that increasing the volume of ethanol in the fuel supply would worsen air quality. However, the evidence suggests
October 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Doubling Down on the Biofuel Boondoggle
(Washington Post) For more than a decade, the United States has pursued the foolhardy energy policy known as the Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS. Thanks to legislation passed by a Democratic Congress and signed into law by a Republican president, George
October 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Don’t Buy Big Oil’s Lies On E15
(Urban Air Initiative) It didn’t take long. Minutes after President Trump announced he wanted to see E15 sold year round, the anti ethanol messages started. As President Trump himself said“ethanol makes the air cleaner”, Big Oil was spreading lies that ethanol hurts
October 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Help Wanted: Job Interview for High Octane & Low Carbon
by Doug Durante and Doug Sombke (Clean Fuels Development Coalition/South Dakota Farmers Union/Biofuels Digest) ... However, we may have a unique and perhaps unprecedented opportunity for a do-over with the proposed fuel economy rule. While we take no position on exactly what
October 11, 2018 Read Full Article
A Superior Value: A Workshop in Anerobic Digestion
by Bill Keba* (Advanced Biofuels USA) October 2, 2018, Annapolis, Maryland. Inside the Doubletree Inn, it was as hectic as the traffic on Route 50. Eightyfive paid attendees were gathering, registering, networking, and hurriedly settling in for the 9:15 start
October 11, 2018 Read Full Article
President Trump's Ethanol Expansion Has Immediate Positive Impact on Attis Industries
(Attis Industries/NewMediaWire/FuturesTradingCharts.com) ... Jeff Cosman, the Company's Chief Executive Officer, explains, "The increased inclusion allowance plays a vital role in the expansion of renewable fuel production. The timing couldn't be better for Attis as we plan to build our first of
October 10, 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
CARB Action on LCFS Underscores Need for Ethanol-Supported HOLC Fuels
(Solutions from the Land) Asserting that they are taking the state's climate fight up a notch, members of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) last week adopted amendments to the state's low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS) that could enhance the role of
October 06, 2018 Read Full Article
A Bird's Eye View of Bioenergy
by Bill Keba* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The Mid-Atlantic Bioenergy Conference and Expo (MABEX) was held on September 12 and 13 at the Convene at CityView in Philadelphia, Pa. The Mid-Atlantic Bioenergy Council did well in selecting this terrific skyscraping venue.
October 06, 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
RFA Reacts to Talk Administration Considering Limits on Trading Biofuel Credits
(WNAX) Sources says the Trump administration is considering limits on trading biofuel credits. The goal is to discourage speculation and reduce costs for oil refiners to comply with U.S. biofuels policy. Renewable Fuels Association Executive Vice President Geoff Cooper says at
October 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Trump Hints at Iowa Trip to Announce 'Something Very Important'
by Donnelle Eller (Des Moines Register) President Donald Trump on Monday hinted at a possible upcoming trip to Iowa to announce "something very important" while touting a new U.S. trade deal with Canada and Mexico. The comments came as Trump thanked Sen. Joni Ernst
October 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Alternative Fuels Council Helps with RFS RIN Management
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) The Alternative Fuels Council, a subsidiary of NATSO Inc., a national association representing the travel plaza and truckstop industry, has launched a new service designed to help fuel retailers that blend and sell renewable fuels to more
October 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Contrary to Columnist's Claims, the RFS Works
by Cassidy Walter (The Gazette/Iowa Renewable Fuels Association) As an outspoken libertarian in favor of open markets, it is unfortunate that in a recent column, Adam Sullivan did not look closer at the history of U.S. energy policy before disregarding the Renewable Fuel
October 01, 2018 Read Full Article
California Affirms Auto Rules, Asks Carmakers to Share Compliance Plans
by Darius Dixon (Politico's Morning Energy) The California Air Resources Board on Friday approved a rule warning automakers that they will have to meet the current greenhouse gas emissions standards in California and its allied states, even after the Trump
October 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Counterpoint: Ending Ethanol in Fuel Mandate Will Create Economic and Environmental Disaster
by Wayne Madsen (State Journal-Register) When federal environmental standards are under assault from an administration that appears bent on rolling back the clock to an era of smog and air pollution caused by the use of dirty fossil fuels, now is
September 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Update1-White House Mulls Limits on Biofuel Trading as Part of E15 Deal-Sources
by Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The White House is considering imposing restrictions on trading of biofuel credits, hoping to discourage speculation and reduce costs for oil refiners to comply with U.S. biofuels policy, according to three sources familiar with the discussions. ... The move
September 29, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol Credits Criticized by Icahn Drop to Pennies Under Trump
by Mario Parker and Jennifer A Dlouhy (Bloomberg) Gradual drop seen as refiners, farmers debate White House deal; Icahn owns 82% stake in independent oil refiner CVR Energy -- The biofuel compliance credits used by refiners and criticized by billionaire Carl Icahn have tumbled
September 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Automakers Seek Flexibility at Hearing on Mileage Standards
by Tom Krisher adn Sudhin Thanawala (Associated Press) Automakers sought flexibility while environmental groups blasted the Trump administration’s proposal to roll back fuel economy standards at a public hearing on the plan in the industry’s backyard. At the hearing Tuesday in Dearborn,
September 26, 2018 Read Full Article
California Urges Trump Administration to Abandon Fuel Rule Plan
by David Shepardson (Reuters) California’s top air regulator urged the Trump administration on Sunday to abandon a plan to freeze fuel efficiency standards through 2026, as automakers urged state and federal regulators to reach agreement to extend nationwide rules. Mary Nichols, who
September 24, 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
NBB, ASA Ask President Trump to Support Biodiesel Producers, Soy Farmers
(National Biodiesel Board) Allowing year-round use of E15 is a positive step for ethanol, but doesn’t support biodiesel -- Today, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and the American Soybean Association (ASA) wrote President Donald Trump asking that he “provide additional help to
September 21, 2018 Read Full Article
UPDATE 2-EPA Details Broad Expansion of Biofuel Waiver Program
by Chris Prentice, Jarrett Renshaw (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published new data detailing how it drastically expanded a biofuels waiver program for oil refiners since President Donald Trump’s administration took office, responding to pressure from the corn lobby to
September 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Letter to Editor: Legislators, Please End Renewable Fuel Restrictions
by Bob Bowman (Clinton Herald) The ethanol industry is critical to the Midwest, supporting thousands of jobs and adding billions of dollars to our economy. It also drives corn demand at a time when Iowa farm family income is at the
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Energy Security Group Makes Case for Car Rules as Trump Tweets
(Washington Examiner) The military cost of defending oil trade routes makes a solid case for keeping in place strong fuel-economy standards, the group Securing America’s Future Energy said in a report released soon after Trump began tweeting about OPEC prices on Thursday. “Following
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
EPA to Make RFS Waiver Info Public
by Anna-Lisa Laca (AgWeb) Over the past year, farmers and ethanol advocates alike have pressed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be more transparent when it comes to Renewable Identification Number (RIN) waivers for small refineries. Today, EPA recognized that concern
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
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