The National Biodiesel Board has filed the opening brief in a lawsuit objecting to the methodology EPA used for establishing the 2018 Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS). NBB has three specific disputes with EPA’s final RFS rule for 2018, arguing: – EPA must account for all small refinery exemptions in the annual percentage standard; – The agency acted arbitrarily when it …
EPA Approves Sorghum Oil as Biofuels Pathway
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler yesterday announced the approval of sorghum oil as an eligible feedstock under the Renewable Fuel Standard during a signing event at EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C., with sorghum farmers and other stakeholders. In December 2017, the EPA released a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) concerning renewable fuels produced from sorghum oil under the RFS …
ACE Hopeful EPA Will Return to RFS Law
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) senior vice president Ron Lamberty testified at the public hearing in Ypsilanti, Michigan, on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for the 2019 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “With the departure of the previous EPA Administrator, I hope EPA will take this opportunity to return to implementing the RFS as intended by …
Growth Energy Urges EPA to Correct RFS Course
Growth Energy is calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to chart a “major course correction on annual biofuel targets.” The proposed rule raises the total 2019 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) by 3 percent over the 2018 requirement, and maintains a 15-billion-gallon requirement for conventional biofuels like corn ethanol, but does nothing to address the 2.25 billion gallons worth of …
RFA Asks EPA to Fix Pruitt Damage to RFS
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is imploring the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to use the 2019 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) rulemaking process “to fix the extensive damage done to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by former Administrator Scott Pruitt.” “Administrative cuts to the RFS have resulted in significantly lower RIN prices, reduced corn and ethanol demand, avoided legal obligations for …
Biodiesel Producers Ask EPA to Raise RFS Volumes
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 …