by Hiroko Tabuchi (New York Times)The suspensions pointed to Beijing’s growing willingness to test forceful antipollution measures and assume a leading role in the fight against climate change. READ MORE
Transportation Policy
Back TO HOMEAt Last, the Age of the Electric Car Really Arrives
by Jack Stewart (Wired) For all the hype, electric cars still make up a tiny percentage of global vehicle sales. Like, less than one percent tiny. But there's a growing movement around the world to put a deadline on the life of
December 27, 2017 Read Full Article
Mail Call! Don't Turn the Car (Standards) Around
by Anthony Adragna (Politico's Morning Energy) At least 22 Democratic senators, led by Ed Markey, Sheldon Whitehouse and Kamala Harris , are sending Pruitt a letter this morning urging him not to weaken emissions standards for model years 2021 through
December 06, 2017 Read Full Article
California Bill in the Works to Banish Gasoline Cars by 2040
by Ryan Beene and Dana Hull (Bloomberg) Assemblymember Ting says he will introduce proposal next month; Only ‘clean’ cars could be registered by DMV under bill: Ting -- A California lawmaker wants to put the state alongside China, France and the U.K. and have its legislature consider
December 06, 2017 Read Full Article
Alliance Launches New Initiative To Slash U.S. Transportation Energy Use By Half By 2050
(Alliance to Save Energy) Audi’s Scott Keogh and National Grid’s Dean Seavers Lead “50 by 50” Commission -- Today the Alliance to Save Energy chartered a national commission of business, government and civil society leaders that will work together to develop a pathway and recommendations to reduce energy use in
October 26, 2017 Read Full Article
5 Years in, Fuel Economy Standards Put Savings in Drivers' Pockets
by David Friedman (The Hill/Consumers Union) What if our government rolled back a program that saved consumers over $45 billion on fuel since 2010? What if they did this despite the fact that the industry involved enjoyed record sales and profits
October 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol Has Replaced Oil Trains as Hidden Safety Risk in N.J.
by Curtis Tate (NorthJersey.com) ... The flammable biofuel is transported in trains that look virtually identical to the oil trains that have attracted so much attention, and controversy, in the country's energy boom of the past decade. But according to federal data, 1
October 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Rep. Upton Files Bill to ‘Harmonize’ MPG Rrules
by Keith Laing (Detroit News) U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, has introduced legislation that would allow automakers to apply credits for gas mileage improvements from model years as far back as 2009 to help comply with emission rules that require
October 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Experts Urge Railroads to Improve Tracks, Tank Cars for Hazardous Fuel Shipments
by Bart Jansen (USA Today) Railroads need to repair tracks better and continue to upgrade tank cars as they haul more hazardous cargo such as crude oil and natural gas, says a report Wednesday from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and
October 12, 2017 Read Full Article
GM’s Barra Skeptical of Electric Car Mandates
by Keith Laing (Detroit News) General Motors Co. CEO Mary Barra said Tuesday that Chinese officials should consider whether there is sufficient demand for electric cars before they move to ban gasoline and diesel engines. Speaking at a conference in Washington honoring
October 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol Groups Testify at EPA Hearing on CAFE-GHG Standards
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Growth Energy, the American Coalition for Ethanol and the Renewable Fuels Association are among the groups that testified at the U.S. EPA’s public hearing for the reconsideration of the Final Determination of the Mid-Term
September 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Growth Energy Files NHTSA Comments in Support of Ethanol Blends
(Growth Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Growth Energy recently filed comments with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as it prepares an environmental impact statement (EIS) to analyze the potential environmental impacts of new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for model year (MY)
August 30, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA Public Hearing on the Reconsideration of the Midterm Evaluation Final Determination September 6, 2017 in Washington DC; Comment period DEADLINE: October 5, 2017
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) EPA will hold a public hearing on September 6, 2017 in Washington DC to hear public testimony on the Reconsideration of the Midterm Evaluation Final Determination. EPA signed a Federal Register notice announcing the hearing on
August 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Project Aims to Turn Roads into Energy Source
(Advantage News) The Illinois Department of Transportation has approved implementation of a renewable energy demonstration project using grasses collected from mowing highway rights-of-way. The work will implement the findings of a three-year study by a multidisciplinary team, including the Illinois Sustainable
August 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump’s Withdrawal from Paris Is Bad News for the ICAO Emissions Deal
by Aaron Karp (Air Transport World) I expect to hear a lot of talk over the coming days, particularly at the IATA AGM in Cancun that starts June 4, about how the Paris climate agreement and ICAO’s Carbon Offset and
June 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Calls for Indian Government to Lower Taxes on Biodiesel and Hybrid Cars
(Biofuels International) Indian union minister Nitin Gadkari will urge the country’s finance minister to reduce the goods and services tax (GST) rates on cars that run on biodiesel, as well as hybrid vehicles, according to Times of India’s The Economic
May 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Let's Not Rush with Diesel
by Seppo Mikkonen (Neste) According to recent estimates, there will be a stop to diesel-fueled traffic. The resistance to diesel increased before Easter, when Elżbieta Bieńkowska, EU Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship, predicted that diesel vehicles will “disappear from roads
May 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Peters, Alexander & Stabenow Reintroduce Vehicle Innovation Act Bipartisan Bill Boosts R&D for Fuel Efficient Vehicle Technologies
(Office of Senator Gary Peters) U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today announced they are reintroducing the bipartisan Vehicle Innovation Act to encourage investments in research and development of clean vehicle and advanced safety
May 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump Says He's Willing to Consider Raising Gas Tax
by Josh Boak and Jill Colvin (Associated Press/ABC News) President Donald Trump on Monday said he will explore the possibility of higher gasoline and diesel fuel taxes, suggesting an increase could pay for his ambitious infrastructure plan. "It's something that I
May 08, 2017 Read Full Article
Trump Says He’d Consider Increasing the Gas Tax
by Damian Paletta (The Washington Post) President Trump on Monday said he was open to raising the federal tax on gasoline and using the new revenue for his infrastructure package, a potentially major policy change as his top advisers try to
May 02, 2017 Read Full Article
California Gov. Approves Fuel Tax, Vehicle Fee Transportation Package
(NGT News) California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. has signed into law the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, which will raise $52.4 billion over the next decade through an increase in fuel taxes and vehicle fees – including on
May 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Automakers Hope to Reach U.S. Deal on 2025 Vehicle Emissions
by David Shepardson (Reuters) A trade group for automakers said on Tuesday it hopes to reach a deal with California and the Trump administration over vehicle fuel efficiency standards. Mitch Bainwol, chief executive of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a trade group
April 13, 2017 Read Full Article
New, Safer U.S. Rail Cars Gather Dust even as Ethanol Trains Grow Longer
by Jarrett Renshaw and Chris Prentice (Reuters) ... But the incident in Iowa underscores the growing risk of another serious accident along with the increasing volume of the biofuel being moved in unit trains that are mile-long with about 100
March 27, 2017 Read Full Article
ICAO Council Adopts New CO2 Emissions Standard for Aircraft
(International Civil Aviation Organization) The 36-State ICAO Council has adopted a new aircraft CO2 emissions standard which will reduce the impact of aviation greenhouse gas emissions on the global climate. Contained in a new Volume III to Annex 16 of the Chicago
March 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Report: Six States Propose New Electric Vehicle Fees
by Robert Walton (Utility Dive) The Sierra Club says six states have proposed legislation this year that would add to the cost of owning an electric vehicle, worrying clean energy advocates who say owning emissions-free vehicles should be incentivized rather
February 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Auto Dealers Want Trump to Weaken Car Emissions Rules
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) Auto dealers are joining the call from carmakers for President Trump to roll back his predecessor’s aggressive vehicle emissions rules. At the group’s annual meeting in New Orleans, leaders and members of the National Automobile Dealers
February 05, 2017 Read Full Article
U.S. Energy Department Publishes "The Transforming Mobility Ecosystem: Enabling an Energy-Efficient Future"
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Energy Department published a report titled, “The Transforming Mobility Ecosystem: Enabling an Energy-Efficient Future.” Over the next decade, the transportation sector is poised for rapid change, propelled toward a new mobility future by strong technology currents
January 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Proposed Determination: Midterm Evaluation of Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Standards for Model Years 2022-2025 --- Comments due December 30, 2016
(Environmental Protection Agency) On November 30, 2016, the Administrator proposed to determine that the MY 2022-2025 standards remain appropriate and that a rulemaking to change them is not warranted. This proposed determination is based on the robust technical record including the draft
November 30, 2016 Read Full Article
NATSO Asks DOT to Work with Existing Business on Alternative Fuel Corridors
(The Trucker News Services) NATSO, the national association representing travel plazas and truck stops, has called on the Department of Transportation to work with private, exit-based businesses within the confines of the existing law that prohibits the sale of fuel
August 31, 2016 Read Full Article
U.S. Rejects Automakers Request to Extend Fuel Comment Deadline
by David Shepardson (Reuters) U.S. regulators late on Monday denied a request by major automakers to extend the comment period on a key environmental analysis to determine whether government fuel efficiency requirements are feasible through 2025. ... Automakers had asked to extend
August 23, 2016 Read Full Article
EPA and DOT Finalize Greenhouse Gas and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles
(Environmental Protection Agency) Standards address second-largest segment of U.S. transportation in terms of emissions and energy use -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration jointly finalized standards for medium- and heavy-duty
August 16, 2016 Read Full Article
The Pew Charitable Trusts Advocates for Strong Fuel Efficiency Standards
(The Pew Charitable Trusts) ... Federal agencies are evaluating the standards that apply to model year (MY) 2022-25 passenger vehicles and will determine whether the auto industry is capable of meeting these long-term criteria. It is imperative that these agencies don't
August 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Future Freight Plan for California Depends on Clean Diesel Power to Achieve Environmental, Economic and Sustainability Goals
(Diesel Technology Forum) The major environmental, economic and efficiency goals sought in California’s proposed sustainable freight plan will be attainable only with expanded use of advanced clean diesel technology, according to the Diesel Technology Forum. These points and others were outlined
July 08, 2016 Read Full Article
LaHood: Stick with Final 54.5 mpg Standards
by Alex Guillén (Politico Pro) Former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is optimistic that auto manufacturers can meet the Obama administration's goal of lifting the nation's fuel economy standard to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. "I don't think we should deviate"
June 30, 2016 Read Full Article
LaHood: Raise the Gas Tax or America’s ‘One Big Pothole’
by Alex Guillén (Politico Pro) Lawmakers must raise the gas tax and index it to inflation, or "America's going to continue to be one big pothole," former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said today, using one of his longtime favorite zingers
June 30, 2016 Read Full Article
Norton Says She'll Keep Fighting Against Ethanol Shipments Through D.C.
by Patrick Madden (WAMU) D.C.’s delegate to Congress says the government should ban ethanol and other flammable substances from being transported by freight rail through densely-populated areas like Washington, D.C. When 16 cars derailed Sunday near the Rhode Island Avenue Metro station
May 11, 2016 Read Full Article
You Can't Always Get What You Want: What the Rolling Stones and Emerging Technologies Have in Common
(Diesel Technology Forum) Efforts to develop and “commercialize” emerging technologies in the time horizons considered may not provide substantial air quality benefits if these technologies do not find their way into the fleet in substantial numbers. ... Whether it is electric cars
May 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Ethanol Completes the Puzzle
by Dave VanderGriend (Ethanol Producer Magazine/ICM/Urban Air Initiative) We have a tremendous opportunity to make the case in the Midterm Review in what EPA says will be a "data driven and transparent process." We can show how carbon reductions are indeed
April 07, 2016 Read Full Article
Industry Group Drops Low-Carbon Fuel Fight
by Hillary Borrud (Portland Tribune) An oil industry group announced Thursday it will abandon a bid to get voters to weaken or repeal Oregon’s low-carbon fuel standard. The Oregon Fuels Association had filed three initiatives targeting the law for the November
April 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Centre to Have a New Transport Department Soon: Nitin Gadkari
by Elizabeth Roche (Live Mint) The government will set up a transport department, which will tie up with green funds and aid in converting buses into bio-diesel-, bio-ethanol-, electric- and CNG (compressed natural gas)-run vehicles, Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari said,
March 24, 2016 Read Full Article
Are Low Diesel Prices Hurting Biofuels Companies?
by John O’Dell (Forbes/Trucks.com) With diesel fuel prices hovering at lows not seen in a decade, the smart money might bet against businesses developing products to replace the diesel engines and technology that keep the nation’s trucks on the road. But entrepreneurs
March 21, 2016 Read Full Article
What Are the CAFE Standards, and Why Do They Matter?
by Robin Vercruse (Fuel Freedom) ... Initially focused on reducing our nation’s petroleum use in the wake of the oil crisis of the 1970s, coupled with tailpipe emissions standards, the CAFE Standards have since become the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA)
March 14, 2016 Read Full Article
How Cheap Oil Is Undermining Obama's Fuel-Economy Rules
by Brad Plummer (VOX) ... Note that the CAFE standards come up for a midterm review in 2017. Some automakers have been arguing that the rules should be weakened in light of recent low oil prices and shifting preferences. A recent
March 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Cheap Gas Spurs SUV Sales and Puts U.S. Climate Goals at Risk
by David Shepardson and Paul Lienert (Reuters) Surging demand for trucks and SUVs fueled by cheap gasoline is holding back improvements in U.S. fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions, a government report due out on Wednesday is expected to show. The
December 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Ten States Impose EV Flat Fees; Georgia Is Highest
by Danny King (AutoBlog) Washington, Colorado, Virginia And Oregon Also On Growing List -- These fees were put into place in order to offset the revenue shortfall from more fuel efficient vehicles, electrified powertrains, and the resulting lower gas
December 03, 2015 Read Full Article
After Weeks of Negotiations, Congress Finalizes 5-year Transportation Bill
by Ashley Halsey III (The Washington Post) ... The long-sought bill protects funding for transit from those who argued it should be cut loose from the highway bill, increases money for pedestrian and bicycle programs that also have come under attack, and
December 02, 2015 Read Full Article
How Michigan’s New Road Funding Plan Affects Alt-Fuel Vehicles
by Tony Antonelli (Next Gen Transportation News) ... Notably, three of the bills – H.B.4736, H.B.4738 and H.B.4614 (now P.A.174, P.A.176 and P.A.178, respectively) – directly impact the clean fuels industry. P.A.174: Sponsored by State Rep. Michael McCready, this legislation increases registration
November 19, 2015 Read Full Article
The President's Long Game on Fossil Fuels
by James P. Lenfestey (Star Tribune) ... Keystone would not, as Obama noted, have any noticeable economic benefit to the U.S., and probably would have a negative impact, since it could actually increase domestic gasoline prices (by opening the
November 10, 2015 Read Full Article
Congress Misses a Chance to Improve the Transportation Bill
(The Washington Post) ... But the process apparently isn’t open enough to allow for a vote on the most obvious transportation solution: raising the gasoline tax to pay for the country’s roads and rails. In the past, House leaders weren’t so
November 05, 2015 Read Full Article
Oregon's Clean Fuels Law Ignites More Political Wrangling
by Ian K. Kullgren (The Oregonian/Oregon Live) ... One of the law's biggest advocates threatened to join forces with opponents this week over proposed changes. A new environmental coalition launched ads attacking proposed ballot measures. Lawsuits are pending in state and
September 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Survey: Americans Don't Want to Pay for Neighbor's EV
(American Energy Alliance) Today, the American Energy Alliance released a new survey examining voters’ attitudes toward transportation policy, specifically government support for electric vehicles. The results show that Americans are deeply skeptical of government making decisions for them with respect
September 15, 2015 Read Full Article
Reading the Green Like a Pro—Heavy Duty Truck GHG Phase 2 Mandates Can Help You Ace It!
by Fran Flynn (Biofuels Digest/ Fleet Advantage) On the putting green, the golfer who putts last has the advantage of watching his predecessor ‘show him the line. ... On June 19, 2015 the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, Anthony R.
August 27, 2015 Read Full Article
From Small Cars to Pickup Trucks, Automakers Aren’t Just Meeting Efficiency Standards, They’re Exceeding Them
(Union of Concerned Scientists) The emissions and efficiency standards for vehicles have been a big success, according to a new analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Ten percent of new passenger cars and trucks sold today already meet
May 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Transportation Dept. Gets Strict on Rules for Trains Carrying Flammable Oil
by Ashley Halsey III (The Washington Post) Almost two years after a runaway tank-car train erupted in an explosion that killed 47 people in a Canadian town, the U.S. Transportation Department on Friday announced new standards for tank-car construction, new
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Bill Would Hike Gas Tax to Pay for Roads
by Keith Laing (The Hill) A bipartisan group of House members has filed legislation to hike the federal gas tax and index it to inflation to pay for a new transportation bill. The measure would increase the gas tax, which
April 17, 2015 Read Full Article
US Safety Board: Oil Train Tank Cars Need Urgent Upgrades
by Matthew Brown (Associated Press/Monterey Herald) Fuel-hauling tank cars need retrofits to prevent more explosive train wrecks — and the public can't wait another decade for the improvements as has been suggested by industry, U.S. safety officials said. The National Transportation Safety
April 07, 2015 Read Full Article
Gas Tax Hike Looking More Palatable to Republicans
by Fawn Johnson (National Journal) Some lawmakers say there needs to be a rebate for low-income families. Others call it a "user fee." Lawmakers may have finally run out of arcane accounting options to fund the nation's highways and
January 16, 2015 Read Full Article
The Chamber of Commerce Conveniently Forgets Its Attacks on Obama
by Dana Milbank (The Washington Post) Tom Donohue, the longtime president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, sounded ebullient as he gave his annual report on the health of American business Wednesday. ... “It seems to be hard to make the case
January 15, 2015 Read Full Article
Five Myths about Gas Taxes
by Paul Bledsoe (The Washington Post) A dramatic 40 percent drop in oil prices since June has prompted new discussion aboutraising the long-static federal gasoline tax and has many states considering gas tax hikes as well. At the federal level, Congress
December 22, 2014 Read Full Article
Report 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
Exclusive Interview With RFA CEO/President Bob Dinneen at RFA Annual Membership Meeting in Des Moines, IA
by Jerry Perkins (BioFuels Journal) ... RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen outlined the issues facing the Washington, DC-based ethanol advocacy organization which has 172 members, including 50 producer members, 79 associate members, 31 supporting members, and 12 members of the allied Advanced
October 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Commodities: DDGS Value Comes Down to Logistics
by Sean Broderick (CHS/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Chinese MIR 162 (Syngenta trait corn) issues are still not resolved, leaving significant amounts of contracted tonnage that needs to move a different direction. River logistics are still an issue with barge rates that
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
Proposal Threatens to Aggravate Shortage of Railcars to Move Oil
by Bob Tita (Wall Street Journal) Thousands of Tank Cars Are Likely to Be Scrapped or Redeployed Under Federal Safety Move ... With production capacity for new tank cars about 35,000 cars a year, industry analysts say the railcar industry could
August 13, 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
Growth Energy Expresses Concern Over Continued Rail Shipment Delays
(Growth Energy) In response to a recent order by the Surface Transportation Board (STB), which called on specific rail providers to resolve backlogs of rail cars for grain orders, but failed to address the substandard rail service for the delivery
July 11, 2014 Read Full Article
Saudi Arabia Plans To Raise Fuel Economy--But Not Gas Prices
by John Voelcker (Green Car Reports) ... Now, another country is discussing new regulations that would require both new and imported used vehicles to meet minimum gas mileage standards. That country is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Energy use exceeds growth The reason
July 09, 2014 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Asks for Relief from Rail Delays
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) The ethanol industry Monday urged a federal regulator overseeing the nation's railroads to provide relief for shippers of the renewable fuel who have faced delays. Growth Energy, which represents ethanol manufacturers, told the Surface Transportation
July 09, 2014 Read Full Article
The Political Problem behind Our Crumbling Highways
by Paul Waldman (The Washington Post) ... The Congressional Budget Office says that starting next year, the fund won’t have enough money to meet its obligations, and keep in mind that means just the projects that are already in progress. New projects would
July 07, 2014 Read Full Article
Canada Issues New Tank Car Requirements for Ethanol, Crude Oil
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Canadian government has announced a plan improve rail safety. It includes a requirement to phase out certain railcars used to carry ethanol and crude oil over a three year period. Some DOT-111 railcars
April 28, 2014 Read Full Article
RFA Committed to Rail Safety, Says Priority One Is Keeping Trains on the Tracks
(Renewable Fuels Association) Today (April 23, 2014), Bob Dinneen, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), testified before the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) forum on Rail Safety: Transportation of Crude Oil and Ethanol. In his testimony, Dinneen focuses
April 24, 2014 Read Full Article
U.S. Transportation: Driving Down the Same Old (Bumpy) Road or Paving a New Way Forward?
by Bill Chameides (Duke University) While the Highway Trust Fund did a fine job of funding infrastructure maintenance for decades, it now is sorely lacking. The taxes collected are nowhere near enough to fund what is needed. Last year the federal
March 05, 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
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
House Bill Seeks to Increase Gas Tax by 15 Cents per Gallon
by Ashley Halsey III (The Washington Post) With Congress facing a major shortfall in transportation funding next year, a House bill introduced Wednesday would raise the federal gasoline tax by 15 cents per gallon to close the gap. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.)
December 05, 2013 Read Full Article
Infrastructure, Energy and Natural Resources: Senate Finance Committee Staff Tax Reform Options for Discussion
(US Senate Finance Committee) This document is the fourth in a series of papers compiling tax reform options that Finance Committee members may wish to consider as they work towards reforming our nation’s tax system. This compilation is a joint product
April 26, 2013 Read Full Article
New R&D Strategies for a New Era
by Douglas L. Faulkner with contributions from Jacques Beaudry-Losique (Biofuels Digest) ...We believe it is time for bioenergy industry leaders to take the initiative and chalk up a new comprehensive game plan, reflecting the new reality of leaner federal funding. ... Our first
April 26, 2013 Read Full Article
EERE Transportation Energy Futures Study: Deep Reductions in Petroleum Use and Carbon Emissions
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The Environmental and Energy Studies Institute (EESI) and the Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) held a briefing on the conclusions of the newly released EERE Transportation Energy Futures (TEF)
April 23, 2013 Read Full Article
Transforming Transportation 2013
By Josh Rathod (Advanced Biofuels USA) The Transforming Transportation ’13 conference, held at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC, proved to be an exciting event for sustainable industry everywhere. During one of the primary plenary sessions it was announced
January 25, 2013 Read Full Article
Ethanol Tankers Have Dangerous Flaw
by Jason Keyser (Associated Press/St. Louis Post Dispatch) For two decades, one of the most commonly used types of rail tanker has been allowed to haul hazardous liquids from coast to coast even though transportation officials were aware of a
September 18, 2012 Read Full Article
EPA, DOT Finalize Fuel Efficiency Rule, Address Biofuel Comments
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. EPA and U.S. Department of Transportation finalized new fuel efficiency standards on Aug. 28. The new corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards will increase fuel economy to the equivalent of 54.5 mpg
August 30, 2012 Read Full Article
In the Year 2025: Cars and Trucks Are Going To Get Great Gas Mileage
by Josh Vorhees (Slate) The Obama administration is set today to formally sign off on its latest round of strict new fuel-efficiency standards for the nation's cars and trucks later. The expected new fleet-wide average come 2025? 54.5 miles per gallon.
August 28, 2012 Read Full Article
Proposed CAFE Standards Could Pose Deadly Threat to Biofuels
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A coalition of agriculture and bioenergy groups, led by the 25x’25 organization, filed late comments with the U.S. EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on June 28 to draw attention to an aspect of the
July 04, 2012 Read Full Article
Ag Interests Say Biofuel Production Not "Incentivized"
(FarmProgress.com) Ag interest groups filed comments with the National Highway Traffic Safety Council and others Thursday calling for increased incentives for biofuel use. A coalition of agricultural interest groups says proposed new corporate average fuel economy standards could cap and constrain
June 20, 2012 Read Full Article
President Obama Announces $1 Billion Fund to Promote Energy Efficient Vehicles
by Matt Compton (White House Blog) Today, (March 7, 2012) President Obama made a trip to a manufacturing plant for Daimler Trucks North America in Mount Holly, North Carolina. He was in the Tar Heel state to discuss more ways his
March 09, 2012 Read Full Article
Obama’s Green-Car Plan Runs Into Alternative-Fuel Limits
by Angela Greiling Keane and Jeff Green (Bloomberg) President Barack Obama’s administration is buying fewer hybrid and electric cars and more vehicles that can consume both ethanol and gasoline to meet 2015 environmental goals, favoring older technology over new. Obama gave speeches
February 27, 2012 Read Full Article
Thirsty for More: Ethanol’s High Octane Rating May Be the Ticket for Meeting Escalating Fuel Efficiency Standards in Engines
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The proposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards unveiled by the agencies, which reportedly had the support of major automakers and environmental groups, would steadily increase fuel efficiency requirements
February 27, 2012 Read Full Article
Automakers Press for Some Changes to Fuel Rules
by David Shephardson (Detroit News) Automakers asked the Obama administration Monday to make modest changes to a proposed boost in fuel efficiency standards for the 2017-2025 model years and to allow the use of some credits to meet requirements as
February 24, 2012 Read Full Article
Sensenbrenner's Position Isn't Best for Wisconsin
by Bob Sather (Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel/Wisconsin Bio-Industry Alliance) This week, U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) once again failed to support Wisconsin, instead choosing to target an industry that generates more than a billion dollars annually for the state's economy. Sensenbrenner's
February 13, 2012 Read Full Article
Visionary Group in Montana Tells Us Their Rural Transit Success Story
by David Goldberg (Transportation for America) ...To fill gaps in service, Opportunity Link two years ago led the creation of North Central Montana Transit. NCMT is miraculous for a number of reasons. First, it offers fixed-route service. Many rural transit services are “on
December 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Ethanol Subsidy Foes Sponsor $64,000 Per Truck Natural gas Subsidy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Recently, it became clear what fuel Rep. Boren did like in his truck, natural gas, when the Oklahoma congressman co-sponsored legislation that would pay American truck owners up to $64,000, per vehicle, for converting their fueling
November 16, 2011 Read Full Article
US, Australia Sign Key Aviation Biofuels Accord
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) MOU covers feedstock readiness, sustainability, data sharing, fuels certification, plus development of new alternative fuel pathways in alcohol conversion, pyrolysis and synthetic biology. Is the agreement, driven by the private sector and formalized by government, a
September 19, 2011 Read Full Article
Diesel Power Ready to Meet Challenge To Achieve Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions & Increased Fuel Efficiency in Trucks & Buses
(Diesel Technology Forum) Diesel engines – which power more than 95 percent of America’s commercial trucks and 85 percent of its buses – will play a central role of the United States’ new effort to reduce fuel consumption and lower
August 11, 2011 Read Full Article
Energy Programs Prepare for Debt Deal Pain
by Darren Goode & Darren Samuelsohn (Politico) Popular energy and environmental programs should prepare for a decade of spending cuts under the debt deal reached late Sunday between the White House and congressional leaders. Less clear, however, is the effect that
August 01, 2011 Read Full Article
President Obama Announces New Fuel Economy Standards
(The White House) President Obama today announced the next phase in the Administration’s program to increase fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas pollution for all new cars and trucks sold in the United States. These new standards will cover cars
July 29, 2011 Read Full Article
AMA Wants Motorcycles Included in Study of Ethanol-Blended Fuel
(American Motorcycle Association) The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is asking a key U.S. House panel to include motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in any future study of ethanol-blended gasoline. In a letter sent July 11 to the House Energy and Environment
July 14, 2011 Read Full Article
Ford, Toyota Criticize EPA Ethanol-Blend Fuel Proposal
(Bloomberg) Automakers including Chrysler Group LLC, Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. criticized an Environmental Protection Agency proposal to allow gasoline containing up to 15 percent ethanol in all cars and trucks in the U.S., saying its use may
July 05, 2011 Read Full Article
Open Fuel Standard Legislation Is Bad for the Environment; Bad for Biofuels
(Advanced Biofuels USA) Shale Natural Gas Does Not Belong in Pro-Environmental Legislation A new legislative analysis by Advanced Biofuels USA concludes that the Open Fuel Standard (OFS) is bad for advanced biofuels and will add to environmental damage if passed and
June 02, 2011 Read Full Article
Is the Open Fuel Standard Good for Advanced Biofuels or for the USA? Don’t Think So!
by Robert Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) A proposal called the Open Fuel Standard (OFS) has recently been included in a number of bills (HR 1687 is one example) submitted for consideration by the US Congress. These OFS provisions go beyond
June 02, 2011 Read Full Article
Next Generation Fuel Economy Labels Arm Consumers with Information They Can Use
by Ray LaHood (Department of Transportation) ...Because of President Obama's efforts and automakers' innovations, Americans today have many more options for fuel-efficient vehicles than ever before. And the new labels will help us make sense of those options and take
May 25, 2011 Read Full Article
Presidential Memorandum--Federal Fleet Performance
(The White House) The Federal Government operates the largest fleet of light duty vehicles in America. We owe a responsibility to American citizens to lead by example and contribute to meeting our national goals of reducing oil imports by one-third
May 24, 2011 Read Full Article
Baucus Crafts Oil Tax Break Repeal Plan Amid High Profit Reports
by Ben Geman (The Hill/E2Wire) Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) struck while the iron was hot Thursday and vowed to shepherd a plan through the panel that ends billions of dollars in tax breaks for the largest oil
May 03, 2011 Read Full Article
Flex Fuel Pumps and a Green Energy Economy
by Tom Vilsack (The White House Blog) ...Today there are millions of so-called ‘flex fuel vehicles’ on the road that can use fuel containing up to 85 percent ethanol (E-85). But too few filling stations offer this fuel. Some folks
April 28, 2011 Read Full Article
Propel Fuels CEO Lays Out Biofuels Infrastructure Vision
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Propel Fuels’ CEO Matt Horton explained to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources how the federal government must participate in establishing the alternative fuel infrastructure of the future. “With the primary location of the
April 18, 2011 Read Full Article
Senate Energy Committee Explores Biofuel Infrastructure Expansion
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Senate energy committee held a two-hour hearing April 7 to discuss proposed legislation to expand the domestic biofuels market, but expanded its scope through testimony and committee member questions to cover nearly every
April 08, 2011 Read Full Article
USDA Program Provides Consumers More Choices at the Pump With Flex-Fuel Options
(US Department of Agriculture) Funding for Flex-Fuel Pumps Will Help Build Out Critical Infrastructure and Promote Greater Use of Biofuels Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that Americans will soon have more choices at the gas pump through a USDA program
April 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Senate Hearing Examines Oil Price Spikes, Role of Biofuels
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) During a U.S. Senate committee hearing on March 30, Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said that focusing on advanced biofuels for homegrown energy is in the best interest of the United States. “I think that
March 31, 2011 Read Full Article
Congressional Budget Office Publishes Alternative Approaches to Funding Highways
(Congressional Budget Office) The federal government collects revenues from taxes paid by highway users, mostly from those levied on gasoline and diesel fuel, and credits them to the Highway Trust Fund. Those revenues and others are subsequently used for federal spending on
March 25, 2011 Read Full Article
Proposed Senate Bill S.559: Securing America’s Future with Energy and Sustainable Technologies Act Comment on the Bill from an Advanced Biofuels Perspective
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) US Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tim Johnson (D-SD) recently introduced Senate Bill S.599, the “Securing America’s Future with Energy and Sustainable Technologies Act” or SAFESTA. This bill contains numerous amendments to existing
March 23, 2011 Read Full Article
Is It Time for an Oil Tax?
by Henry Blodget (Huffington Post) ...Over the long term, of course, given a finite supply of oil and ever-increasing demand for it, oil prices are going to keep on rising. And remaining in denial about that -- and postponing the
February 25, 2011 Read Full Article
10 to watch: Senators on Energy
by Darren Goode (Politico) With Republicans controlling the House and ramping up oversight and investigations of the Obama administration, focus at least initially in the next Congress will be on the Senate to lay a potential pathway for legislative compromise