A new study by the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development at Iowa State University projects economic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak will mean steep losses for Iowa agriculture, including over $2 billion each for the hog and ethanol sectors.
The API on April 6 sent a letter to U.S EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler petitioning the agency to reconsider and revise its final rule that set 2020 RVOs under the RFS and the 2021 RVO for biomass-based diesel.
The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to consider whether it will review a challenge to the Renewable Fuel Standard point of obligation on May 15. Court documents related to the challenge were distributed to the Justices on April 22.
The governors of Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on April 17 urging the agency to allocate funding to the biofuel sector to help address the economic harm caused by COVID-19.
As the COVID-19 pandemic and crude oil glut continue to ravage world fuel markets, U.S. ethanol sales in 2020 could fall by more than $10 billion and the industry's contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) could drop by nearly one-third.
The USDA on April 17 announced a $19 billion COVID-19 relief program to assist farmers, ranchers and consumers. Despite requests from representatives of the biofuels industry, the package provides no relief for ethanol producers.
The RFA estimates half of U.S. ethanol production capacity is offline. During a conference call held April 20, representatives of the ethanol industry discussed the impact COVID-19 is having on biofuel producers and stressed the need for federal aid.
The oil refining industry's latest attempt to undermine the Renewable Fuel Standard should be rejected immediately, RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper said in an April 17 letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler.
The U.S. EPA released update small refinery exemption (SRE) data on April 16, reporting that one additional SRE petition has been filed under the Renewable Fuel Standard for compliance year 2019.
UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, is asking the Brazilian government to take action to help prevent the nation's sugar and ethanol industry from collapsing due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The governors of Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Utah and Louisiana have sent letters to U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler asking the agency to waive 2020 Renewable Fuel Standard blending requirements due to market impacts caused by COVID-19.
The Energy Futures Initiative and the National Association of State Energy Officials recently published the 2020 U.S. Energy and Employment Report, which determined U.S. biofuel jobs grew by approximately 2 percent last year.
European renewable ethanol producers have asked the European Commission to consider addressing challenges that have arisen from shifting market conditions as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on April 13 unveiled a one-stop-shop of federal programs that can be used by rural communities, organizations and individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
American Coalition for Ethanol CEO Brian Jennings sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on April 13 urging the USDA to utilize funding in the recently-enacted CARES Act to provide emergency assistance to ethanol producers.
The U.S. EPA released a proposed rule on April 13 that aims to streamline and modernize the agency's existing fuels regulations. The proposed rule makes some slight modifications to the RFS, but idoes not make substantive changes to the program.
Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, is calling on the ethanol industry to rally together to ensure that financial assistance is available to farmers, workers, and rural businesses hit hardest by the crisis.
The House Biofuels Caucus sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on April 10 urging him to use funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide direct relief to the biofuels industry.
The U.S. Grains Council is soliciting applications for seven advisory teams (A-Teams), including the Ethanol A-Team. The application period is open through April 30. A-Team appointments for 2020-2022 will be announced in July.
Poet announced April 7 it will idle production at its bioprocessing facilities in Chancellor, South Dakota; Ashton, Iowa; and Coon Rapids, Iowa, and delay the start-up of its new plant in Shelbyville, Indiana, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A group of 15 senators sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on April 6 urging the USDA to use funds allocated to the agency's Commodity Credit Corp. by the CARES Act to provide financial assistance to the biofuel industry.
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.
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