Representatives of the biodiesel industry testified today at the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Public Hearing for Proposed Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) for 2019 and Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2020. Executives from the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and its member companies are asking EPA to set the 2020 Biomass-based Diesel volume at 2.8 billion gallons, based on the agency’s own analysis …
EPA Waivers Make Deep Cuts in RFS
The latest data from the Environmental Protection Agency shows just how much the small refiner exemptions have resulted in demand destruction, even more than estimated just a few months ago. According to an analysis by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) updated from April, the waivers have resulted in “effectively lowering the 2017 required volume of renewable fuels by 1.37 billion …
Ethanol Report on EPA Changes
Ethanol industry stakeholders were relieved to see Scott Pruitt depart from the Environmental Protection Agency on July 5 and deputy administrator Andrew Wheeler appointed as acting chief. With a Supreme Court justice nominee on the table, it is unlikely President Trump will be moving too quickly to nominate a new EPA administrator, so Wheeler will probably have the job for …
RFS Volumes Hearing Next Week
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will have a public hearing next week in Ypsilanti, MI on July 18 to receive comments on the proposed rule “Renewable Fuel Standard Program: Standards for 2019 and Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2020.” Parties wishing to testify at the hearing should notify the “FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT” person listed in the Public Hearing Notice by …
Scott Pruitt Resigns From EPA
Well, here’s news that probably won’t upset too many people I know. I’m actually amazed that this didn’t happen much sooner. Of course this had to happen during a pretty much vacation week for the ZimmComm Team and many, many other folks. Here’s some industry reaction on the announcement. I think you can sum it up that everyone is pretty …
Driving Ethanol Podcast on EPA Actions
EPA’s proposed rule for 2019 biofuel obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) maintains conventional renewable fuel volumes at 15-billion gallons and increases the advanced biofuel standard by almost 600 million gallons over 2018, which looks good on the surface, but fails to assure that those gallons will actually be blended. In this edition of the Driving Ethanol podcast, Growth …
Growth Energy Reacts to EPA Proposal
Growth Energy remains committed to making sure the Renewable Fuel Standard moves forward, despite EPA’s proposed volumes for 2019 that essentially move the program backward. Growth Energy Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Chris Bliley says EPA’s proposal this week for 15 billion gallons for conventional biofuels in 2019 fails to ensure those gallons will, in fact, be blended. “By neglecting …
Report Contradicts EPA Chief
Yet another revelation in the Environmental Protection Agency small refinery exemption saga came to light this week, thanks to the investigative journalism of Reuters, reporting Tuesday that EPA “consistently ignored recommendations from the Department of Energy (DOE) to reject or limit waivers to oil refiners seeking exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).” This contradicts what EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt …
Ethanol Report on EPA RFS Proposal
At one time, the ethanol industry would have been thrilled with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal for 2019 RFS blending requirements, which maintains the 15 billion gallon statutory level for conventional biofuels and increases the levels for advanced biofuels. But that was before EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt started handing out small refinery exemptions like Halloween candy resulting in over …
EPA Releases 2019 Biofuel Proposal
The Environmental Protection Agency released its proposal for 2019 biofuel obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Tuesday, maintaining the statutory level for corn ethanol while increasing advanced biofuels, but failing to address the small refinery exemptions that have decimated demand and effectively lowered the required amount of biofuels to be blended. Under the proposed rule, conventional renewable fuel volumes …