The U.S. EPA on Oct. 15 issued its final Fuels Streamlining Rule, which streamlines the agency's existing regulations for gasoline, diesel and other fuels. It does not, however, change the stringency of existing fuel quality standards.
The U.S. EPA released updated small refinery exemption (SRE) data on Oct. 15, reporting two additional SRE petitions have been filed for Renewable Fuel Standard compliance year 2019. No other changes were made to the agency's SRE data.
A group of 14 senators sent a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler on Oct. 12 urging the agency to promulgate a rulemaking that recognizes the de minimis character of biogenic carbon emissions from agricultural feedstocks.
Argonne National Laboratory's Systems Assessment Center on Oct. 9 released 2020 updates to its GREET Models. Updates include new pathways for a variety of biobased fuels and a new feedstock carbon intensity calculator.
The Manitoba government is proposing to increase the required renewable content in gasoline to 10 percent and the required renewable content in diesel to 5 percent, effective Jan. 1. A 45-day comment period on the proposal is now open.
The USDA on Oct. 8 announced an initial round of awards under its $100 million Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program. The agency awarded $22 million to 40 recipients in 14 states. Additional awards are expected to be announced soon.
The U.S. exported more than 100.65 million gallons of ethanol and 1.02 million metric tons of distillers grains in August, according to data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service on Oct. 6.
The ethanol industry has a powerful voice when we speak as one. We need to use that voice. We need to demand our legislative representatives reign in EPA and require them to stop penalizing ethanol. It is on us to present a comprehensive plan.
Through expanded ethanol use, the U.K. has an opportunity to meet its decarbonization objectives and support the domestic facilities that have gone offline. The country should build on its established technical knowledge for E5 as it moves to E10.
The USDA announced on Oct. 1 it is now accepting applications for its four key loan guarantee programs under the OneRD Guarantee Loan Initiative, which was launched earlier this year to make it easier for lenders to access those four loan programs.
The U.S. House of Representatives on Oct. 1 passed an updated version of the Heroes Act by a vote of 214 to 207. The $2.2 billion COVID-19 stimulus package includes direct support for certain processed commodities, including biofuels.
FDA guidelines for acetaldehyde content in sanitizers may be questionable given the compound's relative ubiquity. Independent consultants present a compelling challenge to the federal government's 'vague, unproven suspicion' of dermal toxicity.
A survey of ethanol plant CEOs and general managers shows the COVID-19 downturn had a significant impact on their operations. Most producers have substantially ramped up production since spring, but a full recovery is expected to take many months.
The U.S. EPA has approved an efficient producer pathway for Pine Lake Corn Processors' 80 MMgy ethanol plant in Steamboat Rock, Iowa. The approval allows the facility to generate RINs for non-grandfathered volumes of ethanol.
Two recent legislative advances and a presidential announcement promise to help not only the ethanol industry, but retailers who want to provide more smart fuel choices for consumers at the pump, according to the RFA.
The 121 applicants to the USDA's HBIIP are waiting to hear if they are going to get a portion of the program's $100 million in funding. Those who didn't apply, however, should know the cost to offer higher ethanol blends is likely affordable.
As Congress and the administration continue negotiations on another COVID-19 relief package, a new study by finds that ethanol producers will experience roughly $8 billion in losses this year due to the pandemic's impact on world fuel markets.
The Department of Energy on Sept. 23 issued its FY 2021 solicitation for the Technology Commercialization Fund, which aims to advance the commercialization of promising energy technologies and deploy lab-developed technologies to the marketplace.
The USDA is soliciting applications for two different cycles of the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program. The first cycle closes Oct. 1, while the second is open through April 1, 2021.
The USDA announced on Sept. 23 it is making $7 million available under the Advanced Biofuel Payment Program. The agency will accept applications from advanced biofuel producers during the month of October.
The U.S. House of Representatives on Sept. 24 passed the Expanding Access to Sustainable Energy Act, or H.R. 4447, by a vote of 229 to 187. The bill includes provisions of the Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act.
Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., on Sept. 24 introduced the Next Generation Fuels Act, a bill that establishes a minimum octane standard for gasoline and requires sources of added octane value to reduce carbon emissions by at least 30 percent.
Congressional staff and other federal and state decisionmakers got an up-close virtual look at the U.S. ethanol industry in mid-September as part of the Renewable Fuels Association's Virtual Heartland Tour.
While the EPA's recent denial of 54 gap year SRE petitions was a positive step for the U.S. biofuels industry, representatives of the U.S. biofuel and ag industries are calling on the Trump administration to live up to its remaining biofuel promises.
The U.S. EPA has released data showing 1.58 billion renewable identification numbers (RINs) were generated under the Renewable Fuel Standard in August, down from 1.65 billion during the same period of 2019.
The U.S. EPA delivered its final Fuels Regulatory Streamlining rule to the White House Office of Management and Budget on Sept. 17. OMB review marks a final step before a rulemaking is released publicly.
The USDA announced on Sept. 18 that Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Censky will step down on Nov. 8 to resume his post as CEO of the American Soybean Association, a position he previously held for 21 years.
During a virtual event Sept. 14-17, over 150 participants heard from Growth Energy experts and guest speakers in preparation for meetings with legislators and congressional staff in 87 offices representing 15 states.
The U.S. EPA has published updated SRE data that reflects the denial of 54 gap year SRE petitions announced by the agency on Sept. 14. The data also shows seven new SRE petitions have been filed in recent weeks, including five new gap year SREs.
E10info.eu, a new online resource for consumer information about the widely available E10 fuel blend, launched on Sept. 17 as part of a broader effort to highlight the importance of renewable ethanol to EU climate goals.
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