A bipartisan group of 16 senators sent a letter this week urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reject any petitions for Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for past compliance years. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and a dozen others said in the letter to EPA Administrator …
Biodiesel Board Urges EPA to Reject Gap Waivers
The National Biodiesel Board is urging EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to immediately reject the flood of 52 small refinery exemption petitions for previous years going back to 2011. Kurt Kovarik, NBB’s VP of Federal Affairs, states, “EPA’s consideration of small refinery exemption petitions going back to 2011 flies in the face of the recent 10th Circuit decision. By rolling back …
Farm & Biofuel Groups Challenge Retroactive RFS Waivers
Nine leading biofuel and farm organizations sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler Tuesday asking him for answers on what is seen as a new effort to undermine the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). During a Senate hearing last month, administration officials confirmed their consideration of retroactive small refinery exemptions (SREs) covering previous years. The “gap-filings” are …
Biodiesel Board Wants Transparency on “Gap” SRE Petitions
The National Biodiesel Board is asking EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to disclose any small refinery exemption petitions for RFS compliance years preceding 2019 that the Environmental Protection Agency received this year. In a letter to Wheeler, NBB also requests that EPA apply the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit’s ruling in Renewable Fuels Association v. EPA to all …
Ag and Biofuel Groups Ask Congress for COVID-19 Relief
America’s top biofuel and farm advocates are calling on Congress to ensure the next round of COVID-19 relief includes U.S. ethanol and biodiesel production. A joint letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was signed by the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, the National Biodiesel Board, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Corn Growers …
Commerce Maintains Duties on Argentine Biodiesel
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced today a final determination in its “changed circumstances review” of antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders on imports of Argentine biodiesel. As a result, the rates on biodiesel imports from Argentina will remain at their current levels. National Biodiesel Board (NBB) is pleased with the decision. Kurt Kovarik, NBB’s VP of Federal …
National Biodiesel Foundation Offers Student Scientist Grants
Student scientists can qualify for an award of up to $2000 through the Beth Calabotta Sustainability Education Grant, established by the National Biodiesel Foundation in 2018 to help deserving full-time students interested in science, research, and biodiesel sustainability. “Beth Calabotta had a passion for student education and advanced biofuels,” NBF President Jeff Lynn shared. “The Foundation is honored to provide …
NBB Kicks Off 2020 Biodiesel Branding Program
It’s National Biodiesel Day, in honor of Rudolf Diesel’s birthday, and the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) is celebrating with its 2020 vehicle branding program designed to showcase biodiesel’s sustainability and emissions reduction benefits with the theme “Biodiesel: Better. Cleaner. Now!” “When Rudolf invented the diesel engine in the 1890s, it was designed to run on peanut oil and he envisioned …
Partnership Testing 100 Percent Biodiesel in Fleet Trucks
A new partnership is conducting a year-long test project to demonstrate viability of 100 percent biodiesel (B100) in high-mileage fleet applications. Under this partnership, five trucks owned by ADM will be outfitted with Optimus Technologies’ Vector fuel system, an innovative technology that enables diesel engines to run almost entirely on sustainable biodiesel. The trucks will be used in daily fleet …
Senators Urge Timely Processing of Biodiesel Tax Credits
Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are urging Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Charles Rettig to promptly process 2018-2019 claims for the biodiesel tax credit, which Congress retroactively reinstated at the end of 2019. “Timely payment of claims for 2018 and 2019 is necessary for the recovery of the entire biodiesel industry, including producers, blenders, and farmers,” the …