The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals on April 7 rejected two petitions filed by Wynnewood Refining and HollyFrontier on March 24 requesting a rehearing en banc of the court's Jan. 24 ruling that struck down three SREs approved by the U.S. EPA.
ACE sent a letter to the EPA on April 3 urging the agency to address the shortcomings in its implementation of the RFS and outlining three steps the EPA has the authority to take to mitigate the economic fallout from COVID-19 in the biofuels sector.
Several European biofuel trade groups on March 24 sent a letter to the European Commission offiical leading the European Green Deal expressing concern EU member states may reduce blending obligations during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S. EPA sent a letter to members of Congress on April 2 clarifying the temporary enforcement policy the agency announced on March 26 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and offering assurances the agency continues to enforce its regulatons.
Emergencies like pandemics are times of disruption, trauma, and even fear. But they are also moments when people can come together to help each other. The reaction to COVID-19 from businesses and communities worldwide offers a bit of optimism.
Two federal agencies relaxed regulations in March to allow producers of fuel ethanol help produce hand sanitizer to combat the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. Several ethanol producers are already taking action help produce the much-needed product.
The USDA on April 1 published a notice seeking comments on the most important agricultural innovation opportunities to be addressed in the near and long term. The comments will inform efforts related to the agency's Agricultural Innovaton Agenda.
The U.S. EPA recently released RIN generation data for February, reporting that nearly 1.54 billion RINs were generated under the Renewable Fuel Standard during the month, including more than 36.77 million cellulosic RINs.
The EPA and NHTSA released the final SAFE Vehicles rule on March 31. The rule sets CAFE and CO2 emissions standards for MY 2021-2026 passenger cars and light trucks. The ethanol industry criticized the rule for failing to address high octane fuels.
President Trump signed the $2 trillion CARES Act into law on March 27. The bill is the third COVID-19 stimulus packaged signed into law. A fourth stimulus package is in the works that could provide more targeted relief for renewable fuel producers.
FROM THE APRIL ISSUE: Editor Lisa Gibson previews the magazine, including feature articles about bacteria research, cooling tower maintenance and cleaning, coverage of IRFA's January Renewable Fuels Summit, and more.
The U.S. EPA on March 26 announced g a temporary policy regarding EPA enforcement of environmental legal obligations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy applies to civil violoations duirng the outbreak.
The U.S. EPA on March 27 announced it intends to develop an “appropriate implementation and enforcement response� to the Tenth Circuit Court's SRE ruling “after appeals have been resolved and the court's mandate has been issued."
FROM THE APRIL ISSUE: Touting ethanol as a source of clean octane, it's ability to reduce carbon, and allowing consumer choice in the marketplace.
FROM THE APRIL ISSUE: Industry leaders at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit in January looked back at 2019, offered predictions for 2020, and held hope for the ethanol industry's future.
FROM THE APRIL ISSUE: A case for moving beyond the RFS to a 95 RON minimum octane standard.
Ethanol and farm groups today welcomed the Trump Administration's decision not to seek a re-hearing of a recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit that struck down certain small refinery exemptions under the RFS.
A study released this week on employment in the U.S. energy sector shows that America's ethanol industry employs a significantly larger share of military veterans than any other segment of the energy industry.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills on March 18 signed a bill establishing a tax credit for renewable chemical production that provides an 8 cent per pound tax credit for eligible products beginning on Jan. 1, 2021.
The governments of the two largest ethanol producing countries, the U.S. and Brazil, have each classified ethanol plant employees as essential critical infrastructure workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The USDA and Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on March 24 announced continued progress with the implementation of agriculture-related provisions of the U.S.-China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement, including those related to DDGS.
Wynnewood Refining and HollyFrontier filed petitions with the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals on March 24 requesting a rehearing en banc of the court's Jan. 24 ruling that struck down three SREs approved by the U.S. EPA.
USDA Rural Development on March 20 announced that it has implemented enterprise-wide remote operational status, effective immediately, to help protect the health of employees, customers and the greater community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A bipartisan group of 16 senators sent a letter to President Trump on March 19 urging him not to challenge a Jan. 24 ruling by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals that struck down three small refinery exemptions (SREs) approved by the U.S. EPA.
The U.S. government on March 18 relaxed regulations to allow producers of fuel ethanol and beverage alcohol to shift production to ethanol-based hand sanitizers. Days later, several ethanol plants are taking action to help combat COVID-19.
The bipartisan Biofuels Caucus sent a letter to President Trump on March 17 urging the administration to forgo an appeal of the Tenth Circuit Court's Jan. 24 ruling that struck down three small refinery exemptions (SREs) approved by the U.S. EPA.
Wynnewood and HollyFrontier filed a petition with the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals on March 19 announcing they will seek a rehearing en banc of the court's Jan. 24 ruling that struck down three SREs approved by the U.S. EPA.
The U.S. EPA released updated small refinery exemption (SRE) data on March 19, reporting that two additional SRE petitions have been filed under the Renewable Fuel Standard for compliance year 2019.
The ethanol industry is struggling with demand destruction resulting from COVID-19, an oil price war, ongoing trade disputes, and SREs. “Folks, this is not going to be good, and our biggest concern by far is our people," said Al-Corn CEO Randy Doyal.
As the COVID-19 spreads across the U.S., threatening American lives and adversely impacting the nation's economy, the transportation fuel sector will be especially hard hit. Declines in consumer gasoline use will shrink demand for corn ethanol.
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