by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Industry Organization) The underlying legal constructs of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) remain in working order, despite the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) failure to issue a final 2014 rule and its other regulatory missteps. Over the
Regulations-Federal
Back TO HOMEReport on Rail Car Retrofits Pegs $5.3 B Cost to Ethanol in 2019
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A new report prepared by economic research firm The Brattle Group showed that the proposed Department of Transportation rule on rail tank cars could cost the economy as much as $60 billion and projected
December 08, 2014 Read Full Article
Ethanol Joins U.S. Fuels Dominating Global Export Market: Energy
by Mario Parker (The Washington Post/Bloomberg) The U.S. is adding ethanol to the list of fuels it dominates in world markets. Exports of the additive derived from corn rose 31 percent this year to the highest level since 2011, meeting demand
December 05, 2014 Read Full Article
Energy is Energy: Segregation of Renewable and Fossil Fuels Impedes Energy Security Goals
by Antoine Schellinger (South Texas Law Review/SSRN) Seven years after the passage of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the United States is entering the heart of renewable fuels legislation that was implemented as RFS2 by the EPA. The
December 05, 2014 Read Full Article
EPA Puts RFS In Jeopardy
by Jacqui Fatka (Farm Futures) Actions taken by EPA to help keep RFS alive have actually backfired and brought more attacks in defending Congress’ intent. ... Wally Tyner, Purdue University ag economist, said it’s quite ironic that EPA likely proposed lower corn-based
December 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Briefing: Cellulosic Ethanol: A Technology Update
by Carole Abourached* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) recently held a briefing on the technologies involved in commercial cellulosic ethanol production. Cellulosic ethanol is produced from agricultural residues such as corn stover and wheat straw
December 01, 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
White House Threatens to Put Brakes on Alternative Fuels
by Evan Halper (Los Angeles Times) As biotech masterminds and venture capitalists scramble to hatch a new generation of environmentally friendly fuels that can help power the average gasoline-burning car, they are confronting an unexpected obstacle: the White House. Yielding to
November 25, 2014 Read Full Article
The 2014 RFS Rule Left Out in the Cold
by Brent Erickson (Biofuels Digest/Biotechnology Industry Organization) ...EPA should formally withdraw the proposed rule and issue a final rule as soon as possible, fully correcting their misinterpretation of waiver authority and methodology for setting the annual renewable fuel volumes. Setting
November 24, 2014 Read Full Article
Biomass Industry Triumphs in EPA's Biogenic Emissions Framework
by Anne Simet (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA has never before made such a clear and emphatic endorsement of biomass, commented Biomass Power Association President Bob Cleaves on release of the agency’s updated biogenic emissions framework. At least not for the 15
November 21, 2014 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Production, Activity Impressive Despite Uncertainty
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Policy uncertainty has adversely impacted the U.S. biodiesel industry, but media reports would have you believe the sector is teetering on collapse. The facts show otherwise. There have been numerous reports in the past several months
November 21, 2014 Read Full Article
What the EPA's Latest Announcement Means?
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) The EPA's long-awaited announcement on the RFS targets for 2014 were finally announced today. And the announcement? No decision on the 2014 RFS targets would be made in 2014. But what does this announcement mean? At first glance,
November 21, 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
New CARD Study on Indirect Land Use Change
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) A new analysis of real-world land use data by Iowa State University raises serious concerns about the accuracy of models used by regulatory agencies regarding “indirect land use changes” (ILUC) attributed to biofuels production. The study, conducted
November 18, 2014 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuels’ Beltway Crusader
by Tim Portz (Biomass Magazine) Mike McAdams discusses work on Capitol Hill, founding of the Advanced Biofuels Association and the importance of engaging in the ongoing public debate about renewable fuels. “We’re the people you hire to protect you from the
November 13, 2014 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuels USA Signs on to Letter to EPA Urging the Agency to Adopt Volkswagen of America’s Proposal for Establishing the E85 Weighting Factor (“F factor”) for Model Year 2016-2025 Dual Fuel Vehicles.
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Advanced Biofuels USA signed on to a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging the agency to adopt Volkswagen of America’s proposal for establishing the E85 weighting factor (“F factor”) for model year
November 12, 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
Possible Actions on Renewable Energy & Fuels in the 114th Congress
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... In early 2014, (Senator James M.) Inhofe (R-OK) expressed interest in repealing the RFS, and instead focus on expansion of domestic oil and gas drilling. Inhofe wrote that the RFS should be repealed, “allow[ing] ethanol
November 08, 2014 Read Full Article
Pressure Builds on EPA to Back down on Ethanol Emissions, as Society of Automotive Engineers Issues Stunning Rebuke
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, what has been described within the industry as “The growing movement to call out the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its ethanol emissions testing procedures” picked up support today as a new study
November 06, 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
The GMO Debate: 5 Things to Stop Arguing
by Tamar Haspel (The Washington Post) ... I’m guessing you’d agree that the public debate about GMOs isn’t playing out in a constructive way. Both sides have dug trenches, and they’re lobbing grenades over the wall while nothing much changes. It’s
October 31, 2014 Read Full Article
BRAG® Petitions EPA for Biodiesel Products CDR Exemptions Already Granted to Petroleum Products
(Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group) On October 21, 2014, the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®) submitted petitions to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requesting that biodiesel fuel manufacturers be granted the same Chemical Data Reporting (CDR)
October 30, 2014 Read Full Article
Fiberight Still Working toward MSW Plant in Iowa
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Despite delays, Fiberight’s plans to produce cellulosic ethanol from municipal solid waste (MSW) in Iowa are moving forward. In fact, an equity drive happening now is attracting quite a few interested people and money
October 29, 2014 Read Full Article
Midlands Voices: Renewable Fuels Are Homegrown Success
by John Hansen (Nebraska Farmers Union/Omaha.com) ... When Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development examined the impact the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has on a family of four, it found an average in fuel savings of $863 per
October 29, 2014 Read Full Article
Voters Give a Strong "Yes!" to Biodiesel Policy
(National Biodiesel Board) Policies supporting biodiesel production would win a resounding vote of confidence if they were on the ballot in next week’s elections, according to a nationwide survey released Tuesday. Three out of four voters (75 percent) support a tax
October 28, 2014 Read Full Article
Congressional Budget Office Says RFS Could Result in $6.00 per Gallon Credits for Advanced Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) How does the Congressional Budget Office look at biofuels and the Renewable Fuel Standard? How does $3.00-$6.00 advanced biofuels RINs? A $0.26 per gallon hike in gasoline prices? A $1.27 drop in the price of E85
October 27, 2014 Read Full Article
The Renewable Fuel Standard: 2014 and Beyond
(U.S. Congressional Budget Office) Presentation by Terry Dinan, Senior Advisor in CBO’s Microeconomic Studies Division. With Ron Gecan and David Austin, both of CBO, posted. READ MORE
October 23, 2014 Read Full Article
CREW Sues EPA for Documents Regarding 2014 Renewable Fuel Standards
(Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) today sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to provide documents regarding oil industry efforts to influence the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Last May, following
October 23, 2014 Read Full Article
EPA Moves Goalposts with New Definition for Cellulosic Biofuels
(Institute for Energy Research) Congress and President Bush determined that the United States should be producing specified amounts of cellulosic biofuel as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The trouble with the approach in 2007, which
October 21, 2014 Read Full Article
Don’t Cut the Line on Biofuels
by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) (The Hill) Ethanol and biodiesel are important to the national economy and U.S. energy independence. It’s frustrating when a powerful agency and top executive branch leaders in Washington, D.C., don’t seem to get it. ... The EPA
October 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Pushes Back on Rail Safety Improvements
by Curtis Tate (McClatchy News Service/Star Tribune) The industry disputes finding that ethanol is more volatile than crude. Ethanol producers are pushing back hard against new rail safety rules after a federal study found that ethanol poses hazards equal to or
October 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Governors urging Obama Administration on RFS: Protect Consumer Choice, Jobs, and Reduce Dependence on Foreign Oil
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, chairman and vice chairman of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, sent a letter urging the Obama Administration to ensure the development of domestically produced renewable fuels by amending
October 02, 2014 Read Full Article
EPA Should Uphold Law on Ethanol
by Bartholomew L. Mcleay (Kansas City Star) ... Congress led rural America to believe strict volume purchase requirements in RFS for corn ethanol, for example, would keep them safe. The law is clear. RFS is not to be reduced through 2022
October 01, 2014 Read Full Article
Fuel Standard Good for US’s Economic Engine
by Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) (The Hill) Imagine a future where America controls its own energy destiny — a future in which we stop spending $1 billion per day on foreign oil and start investing those funds to rebuild our
October 01, 2014 Read Full Article
Algae Biomass Organization Launches Petition to Support Approval of CO2 Recycling for Emissions Reduction
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, the Algae Biomass Organization announced a “We the People” petition to the White House aimed at securing US EPA approval of carbon capture and use technologies to meet the emissions reductions targets set
October 01, 2014 Read Full Article
API: EPA Lacks Authority to Change Biodiesel Mandates
(American Petroleum Institute) The Clean Air Act explicitly prohibits the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from increasing the biomass-based diesel mandate for the 2014 compliance year, wrote American Petroleum Institute (API) Downstream Group Director Bob Greco in a letter sent
September 30, 2014 Read Full Article
Estimated GHG Increase from Obama Administration Inaction on the 2014 RFS
(Biotechnology Industry Organization) In November 2013, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed waiving a substantial portion of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) mandated volumes for 2014 and reducing the use of biofuels in U.S. transportation compared to 2013.1 The
September 25, 2014 Read Full Article
Up in the Air: Can Aviation Save the Renewable Fuel Standard?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Declining gasoline demand, blend walls, lack of blender pumps, a fight over E15 ethanol, food vs fuel — it all looks pretty dire for the US Renewable Fuel Standard target of 36 billion gallons of renewable
September 18, 2014 Read Full Article
QAP 2.0: The Final Rule
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Traversing the maze of U.S. EPA's proposed RIN Quality Assurance Plan was daunting, but after 16 months, the final rule provides a simpler pathway to getting markets back on track. After several damaging cases of biodiesel
September 16, 2014 Read Full Article
Fuels America Debuts USA Today RFS Ad as API Gears up for Media Blitz
by Isabel Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, Fuels America has debuted their USA Today full-page advertisement which warns that the EPA’s proposal to fundamentally alter the Renewable Fuel Standard would seriously undermine his Administration’s efforts to combat climate change, promote
September 15, 2014 Read Full Article
The President's Biggest Enemy
by Brent Erickson (The Hill/Biotechnology Industry Organization) President Obama’s bold vision to transition the nation to a cleaner energy future is about to be derailed by one of his most potent adversaries: himself. To the great consternation of many of the
September 09, 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
EPA's Final 2014 RVO Delivered to the OMB; Industry Reacts
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA has finalized its 2014 renewable volume obligation (RVO) rule for the renewable fuels standard (RFS) and submitted it to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review on Friday, Aug.
August 26, 2014 Read Full Article
EPA Report Shows Progress in Reducing Urban Air Toxics Across the United States
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) ... The 2007 Mobile Source Air Toxics rule is projected to reduce toxics emitted from highway vehicles and nonroad equipment, which are known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health and environmental effects, by 330,000 tons in
August 22, 2014 Read Full Article
A Carbon Accounting System for the Future
(25 x '25) Making sure the federal accounting system for biogenic carbon emissions—ensuring that it is an accurate system, and taking into scientific account the unique features of biomass in the carbon cycle is front and center for over 100
August 15, 2014 Read Full Article
New Strategy for Clean, High-Octane Ethanol Needed
by Dave Vander Griend (Ethanol Producer Magazine/ICM) The industry must push for change in the way fuels are blended and tested, writes Dave Vander Griend. Growth of the ethanol industry, producers of a clean high-octane fuel, is being blocked by U.S.
August 12, 2014 Read Full Article
GAO Faults Cost Analyses for EPA Regulations
by Benjamin Goad (The Hill) A government report made public Monday finds fault with the Environmental Protection Agency’s analyses of the costs and benefits of its regulations. The Government Accountability Office report concluded that information incorporated into the EPA’s
August 12, 2014 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuel Standard Rules Give Boost to Biogas
by Amanda Bilek (Biomass Magazine) There is little doubt that allowing biogas-based transportation fuel projects to sell either advanced biofuel or cellulosic compliance credits will give a big boost to U.S. projects. In early July, the U.S. EPA published a final
August 11, 2014 Read Full Article
RFS Update from EPA at ACE Meeting
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) Environmental Protection Agency official Paul Machiele visited the American Coalition for Ethanol conference this week in Minneapolis to discuss various issues, including plans for the 2014 volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Machiele, who is director for
August 11, 2014 Read Full Article
Ripe for Ethanol Innovations: Midlands Research Is Boosting Value of Corn Distillation Process
by Russell Hubbard (Omaha World-Herald) It starts out as freeze-dried fungus or bacteria from Denmark and ends up being one of the key ingredients in what some are calling Nebraska’s and Iowa’s shot at the big time when it comes
August 08, 2014 Read Full Article
DDG Manufacturers Seek Better Understanding of FSMA Compliance
by Katie Fletcher (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A popular breakout session at the 2014 American Coalition for Ethanol conference discussed the potential impacts the Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety Modernization Act may have on plant operations. Paula Emberland of Christian
August 08, 2014 Read Full Article
Regulations Needed to Identify Potentially Invasive Biofuel Crops
(University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences/EurekAlert!) If the hottest new plant grown as a biofuel crop is approved based solely on its greenhouse gas emission profile, its potential as the next invasive species may not be
August 08, 2014 Read Full Article
E15 Coming to Missouri
(nacsonline.com) New, non-mandatory rules that go into effect June 1 will allow Missouri gasoline retailers to sell E15, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. With the change, Missouri joins a dozen other states that offer E15. However, not everyone is as pleased with the change. AAA
August 06, 2014 Read Full Article
Comment Period Starts for Oil-Train Rules
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) The Obama administration Friday formally published proposals in the Federal Register to strengthen safety rules for trains carrying crude oil and other fuels, kicking off a two-month period in which the public can comment. The proposals were prompted chiefly by
August 04, 2014 Read Full Article
Biofuel Groups Press White House on More than Just 2014 Targets
by Ayesha Rascoe (Reuters) The U.S. biofuel industry is urging the Obama administration to go beyond simply raising proposed targets for use of the fuels, making the case instead for fundamental changes to the government's approach to the renewable fuel
August 01, 2014 Read Full Article
The Boss From Hell? EPA, Congress and Advanced Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Here are 5 Tell-Tale Signs that you have the Boss from Hell. And when it comes to the US federal government and advanced biofuels, all five are kinda pointin’ right at ol’ Uncle Sam. Congress passed
August 01, 2014 Read Full Article
Biodiesel 2014: Fame and Misfortune?
by William Woebkenberg (Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America) In these presentation slides from a July 2014 US Department of Energy EIA conference, Bill Woebkenberg explains Mercedes' support for world-wide B5 biodiesel/FAME blends and the need for greater assurance of
July 30, 2014 Read Full Article
White House Gathers Senate Dems on RFS Proposal
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) In what could be seen as a sign that an unpopular decision is about to be rendered by the Obama Administration on ethanol and biodiesel, a select group of Senate Democrats have met with the White
July 25, 2014 Read Full Article
U.S. DOT Announces Comprehensive Proposed Rulemaking for the Safe Transportation of Crude Oil, Flammable Materials
(U.S. Department of Transportation) Releases new data on Bakken crude oil to support increased safety measures The U.S. Department of Transportation today released the details of its comprehensive rulemaking proposal to improve the safe transportation of large quantities of flammable materials
July 24, 2014 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuels: Suspended in Bureaucratic Animation
by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biofuels Digest) ... But, beyond the RVO numbers, not much has been said about this Administration’s inability to execute on its mandated task to review and approve new pathways under the RFS for feedstocks, technologies and
July 21, 2014 Read Full Article
Reassessment of Inter-related Biofuel, GHG and FFV Policies Needed
(25 x '25) Reports out of Washington this week that the Obama administration’s lengthy delay in releasing a final 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) biofuel blending rule due to a White House desire to re-evaluate the blending requirements in context
July 18, 2014 Read Full Article
Oil Lobby Turns Focus to EPA in Ethanol Fight
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) The American Petroleum Institute (API) is focusing on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its fight to reduce the ethanol blending mandate, conceding that there’s little short-term hope in congressional action. Bob Greco, API’s director of downstream
July 18, 2014 Read Full Article
EcoEngineers Publishes Fact Sheet on the Final QAP Rules
(EcoEngineers) On July 2nd, 2014, the EPA released the final rules regarding the QAP program requirements for the RFS2. These rules will go into effect as of January 1st, 2015 and have a number of important aspects and changes for producers of
July 17, 2014 Read Full Article
U.S. Senators Press for Probe of Report that Oil Companies Blocked Ethanol
by Ayesha Rascoe (Reuters) Two U.S. farm-state Senators on Wednesday urged federal regulators to investigate allegations raised by a biofuel trade group that the oil industry uses "strong arm tactics" to prevent widespread use of higher blends of ethanol in gasoline. A
July 10, 2014 Read Full Article
Pain at the Pump: Exxon, BP, ConocoPhillips, Chevron & Shell Earn “F” in Consumer Choice Report Card
(Renewable Fuels Association) A new “Consumer Choice Report Card” released by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) grades some of the largest, most well-known retail gasoline chains based on whether they are providing consumers with alternatives to regular gasoline that cost less,
July 09, 2014 Read Full Article
New TV Ad on Iraq Turmoil, Rising Gas Prices: No Better Reason Why the EPA Must Preserve the RFS
(Americans United for Change) With oil prices on the rise in response to the deteriorating situation in Iraq, Americans United for Change announced a major new ad campaign encouraging the EPA not to turn its back on a secure, safe,
July 09, 2014 Read Full Article
In New Twist, RFS Could Boost Electric Vehicles
by Amanda Peterka (E&E Publishing/Greenwire) The federal policy used to build up the nation's ethanol and advanced biofuel capacity could soon be harnessed to spur the development of electric vehicle infrastructure. In a final rule issued last week, U.S. EPA said it
July 09, 2014 Read Full Article
Chicken Council Targets Renewable Fuel Standard
(Capital Press) As the federal government is set to lower the Renewable Fuels Standard for this year, the National Chicken Council asserts that diverting the corn supply to ethanol has resulted in more than $44 billion in higher feed costs to
July 09, 2014 Read Full Article
Biofuel Advancement Threatened: How Can We Save the Renewable Fuel Standard?
by Jan Koninckx (DuPont Industrial Biosciences/Renewable Energy World) Advanced biofuels are no longer a futuristic hope — they are here. This year, three companies including DuPont will turn on commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol biorefineries, the result of billions of dollars in
July 09, 2014 Read Full Article
EPA Establishes Quality Assurance for RINS
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) In addition to the final rule approving crop residue as a cellulosic feedstock, the Environmental Protection Agency yesterday established a “voluntary quality assurance program” for renewable identification numbers, or RINs. The program is designed to maintain liquidity in the
July 03, 2014 Read Full Article
CREW Requests Investigation Into Industry Influence on RFS
(Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics/Biomass Magazine) Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has requested U.S. EPA Inspector General Arthur Elkins investigate whether the Carlyle Group and Delta Airlines improperly influenced the EPA’s proposed renewable fuel standards (RFS). The proposed standards actually
July 01, 2014 Read Full Article
Ethanol Report on Advanced Ethanol Concerns
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ... You may recall that EPA officials said earlier this year that they expected to have a final rule by the end of spring, or at least the end of June, but that has not happened yet
July 01, 2014 Read Full Article
CBO Releases RFS Forecast but Ignores Mid-Level Blends
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) This week the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report, "The Renewable Fuel Standard: Issues for 2014 and Beyond." In the analysis, CBO looks at the possible impacts on emissions, fuel and food prices under
June 27, 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
EPA Should Recognize Roles of Biomass, Biotechnology in Mitigating Global Warming, BIO Says
(Biotechnology Industry Organization) The Environmental Protection Agency should recognize that carbon emissions from renewable biomass are fundamentally different from those of fossil fuels and that biotechnology can and must play a key role in mitigating fossil carbon emissions, the Biotechnology
June 09, 2014 Read Full Article
Summer Means No E15
by Cindy Zimmerman (Domestic Fuel) ...“The Environmental Protection Agency’s outdated interpretation of Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) regulations is preventing the sale of E15 in most of the country during the busy summer driving season, adding billions to travelers’ fuel costs,”
June 09, 2014 Read Full Article
ACORE Announces Submission of Comments on DOE's Biofuel Research and Development Pathways
(American Council On Renewable Energy) Today (June 2, 2014), the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) announced that it has submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) which sought stakeholder input regarding the biofuel pathways that the DOE's Bioenergy Technologies
June 03, 2014 Read Full Article
EPA Outlines 30% Cut in Power-Gen CO2 by 2030: What’s the Role for Carbon Capture and Use, Algae?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) EPA comes down hard on CO2, with proposed rule calling for deep emission cuts, but opts for highly-flexible, state-by-state approach. Carbon Capture and Use not deemed a key strategy, but algae advocates aim to change
June 03, 2014 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Producers, Farmers Take to The Hill
by John Davis (domesticfuel.com) Biodiesel producers and farmers who raise the feedstocks for the biodiesel industry took to Capitol Hill this week, joining a group of U.S. Senate Democrats in their calls to end policy uncertainty that is hurting their industry. “The uncertainty
June 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Producer Certain Uncertainty Will End
by John Davis (domesticfuel.com) The manager of a biodiesel refinery from the Nation’s largest biodiesel producer believes the uncertainty in the green fuel’s future will disappear. I caught up with Bryan Christjansen, a general manager for Renewable Energy Group’s Albert Lea,
June 02, 2014 Read Full Article
When Refiners Cry Wolf, Who Will Be Fooled?
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Industry Organization/Biofuels Digest) EPA’s proposed rule went too far in correcting a problem largely of the refiners’ own making. It’s in the nation’s interest to put the final RFS rule back on course. Last year, it appears
May 27, 2014 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuel Producers Anticipate the Greatest Impact from Proposed Changes to the RFS
(Renewable Fuels Association) Today (May 15, 2014), 33 advanced biofuel companies, led by the Advanced Ethanol Council and Biotechnology Industry Organization, sent a letter to President Barack Obama to express the industry’s concern about the proposed rule for the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard
May 19, 2014 Read Full Article
Senators and Industry Speak Out In Favor of Biodiesel
by Jesse Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) With a final decision in the Renewable Volume Obligates (RVOs) expected in June, the biodiesel industry is getting increasingly vocal about the damage that regulatory uncertainty has already caused their industry. Biodiesel
May 18, 2014 Read Full Article
Majority of Americans Support the RFS
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) A recent poll of 1,000 Americans shows 65 percent support the renewable fuel standard, writes Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association. And, 78 percent favor requiring auto makers to
May 14, 2014 Read Full Article
Biodiesel Producers Hit Hard by Policy Uncertainty: Survey Finds Nearly Six in Ten Have Idled Production
(National Biodiesel Board) Policy setbacks in Washington are taking a major toll on the most successful advanced biofuel in the U.S., according to a nationwide survey of biodiesel producers released Wednesday. The survey, conducted by the National Biodiesel Board, found that nearly
May 14, 2014 Read Full Article
How 'Big Corn' Lost the Ethanol Battle to Philadelphia Refiners
by Cesary Podkul and Jeff Mason (Reuters) Six months ago the U.S. oil industry scored a surprise win against farm groups when the Obama administration proposed slashing the amount of ethanol refiners must blend into gasoline, a move that could
May 13, 2014 Read Full Article
Focus on Biofuels Is Key to Renewable Energy Success | Commentary
by Byron Dorgan (Roll Call) ... But today, I’m concerned about the administration’s recent proposal that would put an end to the growth of this emerging American energy industry. The EPA proposal, if left unchanged, would signal a retreat on our
May 13, 2014 Read Full Article
FDA Responds to Crafter Brewers' Concerns on FSMA
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... In mid-April, Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) wrote to the FDA commissioner, urging the agency exempt raw agricultural commodities, distillers grains and other byproducts. In the letter, Johanns wrote, “I am concerned about FDA
May 12, 2014 Read Full Article
Will Obama Help George W. Bush Achieve His 10-Year Goal for Gasoline Consumption?
by Maxx Chatsko (The Motley Fool) ... President Bush believed America could reduce gasoline consumption from 142 billion gallons in 2007 to just 114 billion gallons in 2017. The biggest reduction would come from a projected annual production of 35 billion gallons
May 12, 2014 Read Full Article
A Different Perspective on Getting Through the Ethanol Blendwall
by John Kingston (Platts: The Barrel) Anna Temple of WoodMac tried at the annual AFPM meeting to put one aspect of the ethanol issue into a highly consumable number: eight. The Houston-based downstream consultant, in one part of her presentation, said the Renewable Fuel
May 09, 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
Ag Subcommittee Hears Pros and Cons of RFS
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) The food versus fuel debate arose once again in front of Congress. At last week’s U.S. House Ag Subcommittee hearing in Washington, D.C., opponents and proponents of the Renewable Fuels Standard presented their arguments on the RFS
May 06, 2014 Read Full Article
The Uncertain Future of the Renewable Fuel Standard
(Bloomberg Government) The final 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard requirements remain in limbo. The EPA is now reviewing public comments on the agency’s proposal to cut the nation’s biofuel target by close to 16 percent. What do the proposed changes mean for
April 30, 2014 Read Full Article
Majority Supports Renewable Fuel Standard, Poll Shows
By Timothy Cama (The Hill E2Wire) Sixty-five percent of people in the United States support the renewable fuel standard (RFS) that mandates production and blending of a certain amount of fuel from renewable sources, according to a survey commissioned by Renewable
April 25, 2014 Read Full Article
OilRigged Campaign Launches on Earth Day to Defend Biofuels
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Fuels America coalition launched a new campaign dubbed “Oil Rigged” on Earth Day to counter what biofuels industry leaders called Big Oil’s deliberate campaign to distort the facts. The campaign includes the
April 24, 2014 Read Full Article
Panelists Predict EPA Will Revise Proposed RFS Targets Higher in Final Rule
by Jordan Godwin (Platts) The proposed blending targets in the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard will likely be revised higher, advocates for multiple industries said Monday. Proponents of the ethanol, biodiesel, advanced biofuels, petrochemicals and biotechnology industries, who were speaking during the Advanced
April 24, 2014 Read Full Article
RIN Stocks Part I - Valuation
by Rob Johansson and Seth Meyer (USDA/FarmDocDaily) ... It is clear that the bankable (and borrowable) nature of RINs allow obligated parties to optimize their compliance costs over time. In the past, pre-blendwall, it was relatively inexpensive to generate and save surplus RINs allowed
April 17, 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
ND Sen. Heidi Heitkamp Finds Identity as a Top Democratic Critic of Obama's Energy Policy
by Henry C. Jackson (Associated Press/The Republic) ... Heitkamp came directly to the Senate from the energy industry, where she worked for 12 years, including as a director of Dakota Gasification Company, a coal and natural gas company. Before that, as
April 14, 2014 Read Full Article
Value of Biofuels Goes Beyond Those With Direct Investment
(25 x '25) Feedstock, Equipment, Conservation, Farm and Energy Groups Tell EPA Not to Compromise Full Potential of Biofuels Concerns over the future of biofuels in a future national energy strategy were aired before some pretty influential parties this week, as
April 11, 2014 Read Full Article
McCarthy Addresses RFS, Biogenic Emissions during Hearing
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA’s policies with regard to bioenergy were among the topics discussed during a recent EPA budget hearing held by the House Committee on Appropriations. During the event, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy addressed
April 09, 2014 Read Full Article
No Logic in Blaming Ethanol for High Gas Prices
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/US News and World Report) Ethanol is less expensive than gas, and consumers will benefit more if it's used. Logic is nowhere to be seen in petroleum analyst Gregg Laskoski’s call to reduce or revise the
April 04, 2014 Read Full Article
Veteran Farmer Says EPA RFS Proposal Will Likely Undermine Conservation Efforts
by Kevin Jeffries (25 x '25) ... Lower demand for renewable fuels means lower prices for corn, soybeans and other crops. Generally, producers account for lower prices by shifting to more profitable crops and by cutting back on investments like conservation
April 04, 2014 Read Full Article
Obama Administration Proposal for 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard Will Increase Greenhouse Gas Emissions
by Paul Winters (Biotechnology Industry Organization) If left unchanged, the Obama administration’s proposal to slash use of biofuels in 2014 would increase emissions of greenhouse gases next year, according to a new white paper from the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). Brent Erickson,
April 03, 2014 Read Full Article
New Iowa TV Ad Praises both Braley and Branstad
by Jennifer Jacobs (Des Moines Register) As new negative advertising hits Iowa today skewering Democrat Bruce Braley for insulting farmers, a positive ad thanking the U.S. Senate candidate also goes up today. The pro-veterans political organization VoteVets.org is spending $245,000 on
April 02, 2014 Read Full Article
BIO Responds to US EPA Halting Fuel Pathway Petitions for RFS
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) In March, U.S. EPA announced it is making changes to the fuel pathway petition process under the renewable fuel standard (RFS), in order to “enable more timely and efficient decision-making.” EPA is asking new petitioners
April 02, 2014 Read Full Article
EPA Seeks Small Entity Participation on Upcoming Medium- and Heavy-Duty Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards
(US Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is inviting small businesses, governments, and not-for-profit organizations to participate as Small Entity Representatives (SERs) for a Small Business Advocacy Review (SBAR) Panel. This panel will focus on the agency’s
April 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Reps Ask EPA about Renewable Fuel Challenges
by Timothy Cama (The Hill E2Wire) Four members of the House who want the renewable fuel standard (RFS) to be lowered wrote to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ask what problems the agency has faced in writing regulations for
April 02, 2014 Read Full Article
World-Herald Editorial: Wait Is Ending for Cellulosic
(Omaha World-Herald) ... The first commercial production of cellulosic ethanol began in 2013, and this year biomass plants in Iowa will be taking the lead in expanding capacity. The facilities will take crop waste and non-edible plants and convert them into
April 01, 2014 Read Full Article
FTC Proposes Changes to Fuel Rating Rule
(Federal Trade Commission) The Federal Trade Commission is proposing changes to its Fuel Rating Rule, which determines the fuel rating that appears on fuel pump labels, how octane levels are calculated, and helps to inform consumers about proper fuel for
March 28, 2014 Read Full Article
Estimating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Proposed Changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard Through 2022
by Brent Erickson, Matt Carr, and Paul Winters (Industrial Biotechnology) The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a significant change to the US Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for 2014 and beyond, which will have an impact on greenhouse gas (GHG)
March 26, 2014 Read Full Article
EPA Announces Plan to Improve RFS Pathway Petition Process
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA has published a notice to its website announcing that it is taking action to improve the petition process for new renewable fuel pathways under the renewable fuel standard (RFS) program. According to
March 19, 2014 Read Full Article
It’s Not a Sprint: Achieving Biofuel Goals Requires the Effort of a Marathon
(25 x '25) EPA’s release this week of the latest rule governing vehicle emissions and fuel standards is a reminder that while regulations can raise the profile of biofuels, there are no “silver” policy bullets that absolutely assure the growth of biofuels
March 07, 2014 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuels USA Sees Conditional Victory for Ethanol in Tier 3 Final Ruling
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) “It’s not the greatest thing since sliced bread; but at least there’s dough in the machine,” said Advanced Biofuels USA’s vehicle emissions expert, Robert Kozak upon reviewing the Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 3 vehicle
March 03, 2014 Read Full Article
Combative Oil, Ethanol Industries Find Common Ground over Tank Cars
by Blake Sobczak and Amanda Peterka (E&E Publishers Energy Wire) Orlando, Fla., was home to a rare occurrence last week: The oil and ethanol industries, usually at each other's throats, publicly agreed on something. Addressing an ethanol industry conference there, American
February 28, 2014 Read Full Article
Mark Dayton and Terry Branstad: Don’t Mess with the RFS
by Mark Dayton and Terry Branstad (Winona Daily News) We are governors from neighboring states and different political parties. We don’t agree on everything, but we stand united in our belief that our nation needs a robust Renewable Fuel Standard
February 24, 2014 Read Full Article
US EPA to Finalize 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard by June 20: Official
by Herman Wang (Platts) The US Environmental Protection Agency will finalize the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard in about four months, a top official said Wednesday. "Our goal was to finalize [the rule] by spring," said Chris Grundler, who heads the EPA's
February 20, 2014 Read Full Article
Some Good News for a Change: Why The Farm Bill Is a Big Win for Biofuels and Biorefineries
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Industry Organization/Biofuels Digest) ... The true good news is that the Senate conferees prevailed in getting $881 million in mandatory funding over the next ten years to renewable energy and biofuels initiatives and extending incentives for the
February 20, 2014 Read Full Article
Big Oil to Ethanol: Build Your Own Dang Distribution, If You Think E85 Has Blend-Wall Busting Potential
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Reform, repeal or compete: the options laid out for ethanol by Big Oil by Marathon’s Product Supply & Optimization Director in a frank keynote at the National Ethanol Conference. The RFA’s Geoff Cooper and ISU’s
February 20, 2014 Read Full Article
American Ingenuity Will Help Meet Climate Goals
by Adam Monroe (Novozymes/The Hill) ...In our view, the fuels of the future are biofuels and they are already here. There’s only one problem: The very institution that set the wheels in motion to create the biofuels industry is now
February 18, 2014 Read Full Article
Don’t Go Backward on Biofuels
by Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) (The Hill) ... Now is not the time to slam the brakes on 21st century alternative, domestic energy breakthroughs that would increase U.S. productivity, opportunity and prosperity. ... Congress established the RFS as
February 13, 2014 Read Full Article
Powerful, Personal, Pro-RFS Comments to EPA
(Renewable Fuels Association) As of today, approximately 40,000 Americans from all walks of life have submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) voicing their opposition to the Agency’s proposed cut to the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Meanwhile, the
February 13, 2014 Read Full Article
The Oil Industry's Fight to Kill Renewable Fuels—and Why It May Win
by Elizabeth Douglass (InsideClimate News) The American oil industry could be on the verge of winning its war on the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), as the Obama administration weighs changes that could severely undermine the nation's most successful—and most
February 11, 2014 Read Full Article
Vets Group Says EPA Should Stand up to Big Oil, Stand up for US Military
by Jon LeSage (AutoBlogGreen) Hundreds of thousands of people are waiting for the US Environmental Protection Agency to issue its final ruling on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Over 110,000 signatures were collected by the group VoteVets.org (often politically
February 11, 2014 Read Full Article
The Problem with Corn Oil Biodiesel
by Shashi Menon (EcoEngineers/Biodiesel Magazine) Over the past two years, the use of nonfood-grade (NFG) corn oil for biodiesel production has grown tremendously. Corn oil biodiesel is eligible for a D4 RIN under the renewable fuel standard (RFS), and California's low
February 05, 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
Answers to Your Questions about the Renewable Fuel Standard: Your Guide to the Comments Received by EPA
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... More than 15,000 comments were received by EPA. What is the problem that led to a waiver petition? Why does EPA propose to act and how, and when, and in what way? Today, in the
February 05, 2014 Read Full Article
Low-Cost Biodiesel Production
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) As federal biodiesel policy uncertainty rises, low-cost biodiesel production with new technologies to allow processing of cheaper, lower quality feedstocks, is paramount. Biodiesel Magazine provides a cross-section of new technologies being deployed. ... If the final (EPA
January 15, 2014 Read Full Article
Ethanol Loses Friends and Influence as Reform Movement Grows
by Javier E. David (CNBC) Ethanol requirements for U.S. gasoline appear to be losing friends and influencing the wrong people, with calls growing to reform or scrap the government mandates altogether. The Environmental Protection Agency in November proposed reducing the amount
December 30, 2013 Read Full Article
EPA’s Christmas Gift to the Oil Refiners
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Industry Organization/Biofuels Digest) The Obama administration appears ready to give the oil refining industry the perfect gift this Christmas. If left unchanged, EPA’s proposed RFS rule for 2014 could result in codifying the so-called blend wall
December 30, 2013 Read Full Article
Universities Receive $10M to Study Biofuels
by Martiin Kidston (Missoulian) If 1 ton of woody debris can produce 50 gallons of fuel, how many gallons of fuel could 42 million acres of dead and dying forests produce? Funded by a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department
December 26, 2013 Read Full Article
False Alarms vs Hard Data: the Renewable Fuel Standard, the Results, and the Critics
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) All those worries about the impact of biofuels on food prices, deforestation, Gulf hypoxia? ... RFS2 fuels have been described as “fantasy fuels”, “government fuels”, derided as “farmer fuels”. Biofuels in general have been, for
December 23, 2013 Read Full Article
Iowa Officials Seek Hearing on Renewable Fuel Standard Changes
by James Q. Lynch (Quad City Times) Citing national security as well as benefits for clean air, the economy and consumers, Iowa political leaders are urging the Obama administration to travel to Iowa to learn more about the effect of its
December 16, 2013 Read Full Article
U.S. Oil, Ethanol Say Billions to Upgrade Rail Safety too Costly
by Patrick Rucker (TD Waterhouse) Rail safety rules contemplated by U.S. regulators could require multibillion dollar upgrades to a tank car fleet that has helped spur domestic oil production and meet demands of a booming biofuel sector. More flammable liquids such
December 06, 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
Dem Lawmaker Welch Rides Anti-Ethanol Bike
by Julian Hattem (The Hill RegWatch) Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) took to Washington’s streets on Thursday to push for the reform of a government biofuel program. ... On Thursday, he posted a picture of himself on Twitter riding a pedal-powered vehicle with
December 06, 2013 Read Full Article
Another Battle Looms in the Endless Ethanol War
by Clare Foran (National Journal) The debate over the renewable-fuel standard flared up again this week ahead of a hearing the Environmental Protection Agency will hold on Thursday to solicit feedback on a proposal to lower the 2014 production mandate.
December 05, 2013 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuel Standard; Petitions for a Waiver Published in Federal Register
(Federal Register/Environmental Protection Agency) EPA has received a number of petitions for a waiver of the renewable fuel standards that would apply in 2014. The American Petroleum Institute (API) and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) submitted a joint
December 02, 2013 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuel Standard Program; 2014 Standards Proposed Rule Published in Federal Register
(Federal Register/Environmental Protection Agency) Under section 211(o) of the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency is required to set the renewable fuel percentage standards each November for the following year. Today's action proposes the annual percentage standards for cellulosic
December 02, 2013 Read Full Article
White House Revisits ‘Social Cost of Carbon’
by Ben Geman (The Hill E2Wire) The White House will seek new public comment on the “social cost of carbon" (SCC), a metric that helps regulators estimate the benefits of rules that cut greenhouse gas emissions. The Office of Management and
November 26, 2013 Read Full Article
It Isn’t Only Corn: Brazilian Sugar Cane Ethanol Worries about Changes in RFS
by Herman Wang (Platts) Much of the rhetoric surrounding the US Renewable Fuel Standard centers around the notion of home-grown fuels enhancing American energy security and independence. That puts Leticia Phillips in a bit of a delicate situation, as she advocates
November 25, 2013 Read Full Article
Big Oil Reaps $23 Billion Windfall - In One Day
(Americans United for Change) What a difference a day makes for Big Oil. The oil industry scored a big victory on Friday, November 15 as the U.S. EPA released a draft rule that – if allowed to stand – rolls
November 25, 2013 Read Full Article
Lewinsky’s Dress Syndrome and the EPA Biofuels Debacle
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) So, the EPA hands down cruel cutbacks in renewable fuel targets as the Administration reels under Obamacare pressure. What happened to biofuels, why is “everyone’s friend” biodiesel getting the shaft, what’s next? And what is
November 25, 2013 Read Full Article
And the 2013 Environmental Turkey Goes to …The American Legislative Exchange Council, better known as ALEC.
by Bill Chameides (Duke University The Green Grok) OK, folks, Thanksgiving approaches. For most of you it’s the beginning of the holiday season — family, parties, and presents. For us at TheGreenGrok it means it’s time for selecting the biggest turkey
November 25, 2013 Read Full Article
Colorado Governor Proposes Strict Limits on Greenhouse Gas Leaks From Drilling
by Michael Wines (The New York Times) Gov. John W. Hickenlooper of Colorado proposed on Monday tough new limits on leaks of methane and other gases from well sites and storage tanks. Supporters called the limits, which would exceed existing
November 25, 2013 Read Full Article
Many Have Stake in Maintaining RFS Certainty
(25 x '25) Disappointment, outrage, confusion, “betrayal,” “punch to the gut,” “pulls the rug out,” “huge step backwards” – all are characterizations of the reactions from the renewable energy sector over the administration’s proposal announced last week to slash biofuel