EPA's recent actions in exempting small refineries from their Renewable Fuel Standard blending obligations for 2016 and 2017 have effectively lowered the volumetric obligations by at least 1.6 billion gallons, according to an analysis by the RFA.
The U.S. EPA is seeking nominations for its Mobile Sources Technical Review Subcommittee, which is designed to provide the Clean Air Advisory Committee with independent advice on programs related to mobile source air pollution and its control.
FROM THE MAY ISSUE: The amended 45Q tax credit makes selling carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery a viable strategy for some ethanol plants. With an interconnected pipeline infrastructure, the opportunity grows.
FROM THE MAY ISSUE: Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor focuses on worldwide ethanol demand and acceptance in this month's column.
On April 23, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced that in future regulatory actions biomass from managed forests will be treated as carbon neutral when used for energy production at stationary sources.
FROM THE MAY ISSUE: ePure's Emmanuel Desplechin writes his column about Europe's renewables policies and the loopholes that reduce their impact.
FROM THE MAY ISSUE: ACE's Brian Jennings discusses the importance of paying attention and remaining active in ethanol advocacy.
FROM THE MAY ISSUE: The agenda for the world's largest ethanol conference is, as always, jam-packed with relevant and intriguing panel discussions. Attendees will need to plan which concurrent tracks they'll attend. Here's the info.
The Surface Transportation Board has announced it will hold a meeting of the Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee on April 26 in Washington, D.C. RETAC addresses issues related to the transportation of energy resources, including ethanol.
On April 18, the House Agriculture Committee passed its version of the 2018 Farm Bill, officially titled the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018. The bill reauthorizes many bioenergy programs, but provides them with only discretionary funding.
Building on the success of current biofuel mandates, Renewable Industries Canada (RICanada) applauds Ontario's leadership in increasing blending requirements for ethanol in gasoline to 10 percent by 2020.
The U.S. Grains Council, the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy and their member organizations welcome the news April 17 that the Japanese government's new biofuel policy will allow imports of ETBE made from U.S. corn-based ethanol.
Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., led a bipartisan group of 13 senators in writing to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt requesting the agency cease issuing so-called “hardship� waivers exempting obligated parties from the RFS.
On April 12, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., introduced the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, legislation that aims to legalize and clearly define hemp as an agricultural commodity and remove it from the list of controlled substances.
Two recent studies commissioned by the Urban Air Initiative have found that ethanol blends reduce toxic tailpipe emissions by up to 50 percent, significantly improving air quality and protecting the health of the public.
In the U.K., the new Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation came into force on April 15, requiring fuel companies to nearly triple the amount of renewable fuel they supply by 2032. The new regulations also introduce incentives for waste-based fuels.
In response to a January letter sent by Sens. Grassley, Thune, Blunt, Fischer and Ernst, EPA has again confirmed that oil refiners aren't negatively impacted by compliance with the Renewable Fuel Standard.
As Mexico's energy sector continues to evolve, the U.S. Grains Council is running a series of technical workshops there to answer questions from local service station owners about how to utilize and profit from using ethanol.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing titled “High Octane Fuels and High Efficiency Vehicles: Challenges and Opportunities� on April 13. Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor testified at the event.
On April 12, President Donald Trump pledged his support for allowing year-round sales of E15. Representatives of the ethanol industry are speaking out in support of his announcement.
ACE board member and past board president Ron Alverson of Dakota Ethanol spoke April 12 at the Nebraska Ethanol Board's 2018 Emerging Issues Forum about assessing new markets based on ethanol's low carbon emissions benefits.
The U.S. recorded the highest-ever monthly exports total for ethanol in February 2018 at 218.7 million gallons, according to data from the USDA. Exports so far this marketing year are up 6 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.
On April 12, House Agriculture Committee Chairman K Michael Conaway, R-Texas, released a draft of the 2018 Farm Bill. The legislation reauthorizes many bioenergy-related programs, but provides them with only discretionary funding.
North Dakota became the first state to receive federal approval to regulate underground storage of carbon dioxide April 10. The approval puts North Dakota in control of carbon storage within its boarders and is expected to benefit ethanol producers.
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue briefly addressed the U.S. EPA's misuse of Renewable Fuel Standard hardship waivers during an April 11 hearing held by the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Agriculture.
On April 9, five republican senators from the Midwest sent a letter to President Trump asking him to direct the U.S. EPA to stop misusing waivers that are exempting large oil refining companies from meeting their legal obligations under the RFS.
The U.S. Grains Council is working alongside the U.S. government and with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation to share the U.S. experience in constructing a national ethanol policy with markets quickly growing throughout the Asia-Pacific rim.
With a White House meeting set for Monday to discuss the future of the RFS, Iowa ethanol and biodiesel producers are urging Sens. Grassley and Ernst to tell president Trump that undermining the RFS would be a declaration of war on rural America.
The USDA Commodity Credit Corp. has announced it does not expect to purchase sugar under the Feedstock Flexibility Program during the second quarter of 2018. The next quarterly estimate regarding the FFP is expected to be released by July 1.
The Renewable Fuels Association hassubmitted Freedom of Information Act requests to both the U.S. EPA and Department of Energy in pursuit of more information and transparency regarding the recent issuance of RFS compliance exemptions to refiners.
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