A bipartisan list of Congressional representatives sent a letter to President Trump today in support of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “We urge you to stand with our farmers and rural economies during this challenging time and deny any request for blanket statewide or nationwide waivers from the 2020 RFS blending requirements under the Clean Air Act,” the letter from …
RFA Decries “Gap Year” Refinery Waiver Requests
The Renewable Fuels Association is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to deny the latest attempt by the petroleum industry to circumvent the 10th Circuit Court decision which severely limits small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by seeking past-year waivers from renewable volume obligations. In a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper …
Ethanol Groups Criticize Oil States’ RFS Waiver Request
As ethanol production continues to be decimated by the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions and supplies keep growing, oil state governors are asking EPA to waive renewable volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard, an action that industry leaders say is both wrong and illegitimate. “Apparently toilet paper isn’t the only thing in short supply in oil states these days—clearly, …
Ethanol Case Groups Disappointed in Appeal Extension
The four organizations involved in the case against the Environmental Protection Agency over granting of small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) are disappointed the Trump Administration has been granted more time to consider an appeal of the court decision siding with the plaintiffs. The petitioners in the case—the Renewable Fuels Association, National Corn Growers Association, American Coalition …
25th #RFANEC Focuses Forward on Future
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) just concluded an annual meeting that will be remembered for many reasons, including an appearance by the 43rd President of the United States, and the celebration of recent significant victories for the ethanol industry as it focuses forward on the future. RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper says there is a lot of optimism and …
Ethanol Report 2-14-20
This episode of The Ethanol Report features some of the highlights of the 25th National Ethanol Conference this week in Houston, Texas. You will hear from Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Geoff Cooper on the industry victories of the past two months, including the 10th Circuit Court decision, which EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler admits has the potential to …
EPA Hearing in Michigan Today
Ethanol and biodiesel producers and industry representatives are back in Ypsilanti, Michigan for the second time in three months to provide comments on an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) proposed rule. On July 31, it was the rule to set 2020 renewable volume obligations (RVOs) and the 2021 RVO for biomass-based diesel, where the majority of comments …
New Court Docs Show EPA Abuse of Waivers
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) today highlighted newly available court documents which show how EPA “inappropriately granted Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) compliance exemptions to certain small refineries that did not even qualify for the waivers, and that there was division within the Trump administration about its new approach to small refinery hardship exemption requests.” Specifically, the briefs and supporting documents …
Ethanol Report on RFA Reaction to EPA Proposal
The Environmental Protection Agency issued a Supplemental Proposal for Renewable Fuels Volumes October 15, following up on the administration plan announced October 4. However, biofuel groups were surprised to find that the proposal is very different than the promise. “Simply put, this proposal is not what was promised by the administration just over a week ago and fails to answer …
Biofuels Groups Disappointed With EPA Proposal
Less than two weeks ago biofuels organizations and stakeholders were praising the Trump Administration agreement to promote biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Now that the details have been made public, not so much. The notice released by EPA on Tuesday “does not change the proposed volumes for 2020 and 2021. Instead, it proposes and seeks comment on adjustments …