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 …
Ethanol Report on RFS Moving Forward
It was a year ago this week that President Trump announced he was instructing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to initiate a rulemaking process that would allow E15 to be sold year round. This year, it was proposed relief from small refinery exemptions announced last week to restore integrity to the RFS that is giving the ethanol industry renewed energy …
Poll Shows Strong Support for RFS and Biodiesel
An annual national poll of registered voters released by the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) indicates that a candidate’s support for policies to promote clean energy, including biodiesel and renewable diesel use, can influence voters. The annual poll, which is designed to measure awareness of and attitudes toward biodiesel and federal policies that support the industry, found a strong majority of …
Biofuels Industry Reacts to Administration Plan
Under the biofuels plan announced Friday, the Environmental Protection Agency will propose and request public comment on expanding biofuel requirements beginning in 2020 and will seek comment on actions to ensure that more than 15 billion gallons of conventional ethanol be blended into the nation’s fuel supply beginning in 2020, and that the volume obligation for biomass-based diesel is met. …
EPA and USDA Announce Biofuels Agreement
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and USDA Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued joint statements on an agreement promoting biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard. “President Trump’s leadership has led to an agreement that continues to promote domestic ethanol and biodiesel production, supporting our Nation’s farmers and providing greater energy security,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Today’s agreement …
Corn and Ethanol Producers Waiting for Relief
Ethanol producers and corn farmers held a telephone press conference Wednesday to spotlight recent research on the impacts of ethanol plant closings, a new survey on voter attitudes about ethanol, and a potential White House agreement to promote further renewable fuels use. The main message from Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper, new National Corn Growers Association President …
Survey Finds Support for RFS, Not for Waivers
A new survey of registered voters finds strong opposition to allowing oil refiners out of their obligations to blend renewable fuels into gasoline. New polling data released today by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) found opposition to refinery waivers by a margin of nearly two to one. The nationwide survey by Morning Consult also found strong support for ethanol and …