The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) today congratulated the Iowa Senate for voting unanimously to pass Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 5 (SCR 5) that urges the United States government to continue its commitment to energy independence and maintain its support of the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). SCR 5, in part, states: “The United States government is urged to renew its …
RFS Shown to Work Because It Makes Big Oil Nervous
How can we tell the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) is working? By how nervous it’s making the big oil companies. That was the message attendees at the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference near Washington, D.C. heard. “We are disrupting an existing marketplace,” says Brooke Coleman, Executive Director of the Advanced Ethanol Council. “We are not social media. We are not creating …
RFS Reform Bill Introduced
This afternoon, Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Steve Womack (R-AR), and Peter Welch (D-VT) released the RFS Reform Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. During a press conference to “unveil:” the bill Goodlatte said, “The RFS debate is no longer just a debate about fuel or food. It is also a debate about jobs, small business, and …
Growth Energy Heads to the Hill
Growth Energy and its members are heading to Capitol Hill today to meet with legislators regarding the benefits of the ethanol industry. In particular, participants will discuss the value of E15, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and the issues surrounding Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs). This morning, the Growth Energy leadership team, CEO Tom Buis, and Co-Chairmen of the Board General …
IRFA Submits Comments on RIN White Paper
The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) has submitted a letter responding to the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s request for stakeholder comment on the Committee’s white paper regarding the so-called blend wall. IRFA Policy Director Grant Menke stated, “Our stakeholder comments focused on three main points. First, there is no valid E10 blend wall. The blend wall vanished as soon as …
Industry Comments on 2013 RFS Proposed Volumes
The renewable fuels industry is responding to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) notice of proposed rulemaking regarding 2013 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) required volumes. EPA proposes to set ethanol gallons at 14 million but where the real debate has lain is around the requirement for cellulosic gallons. The Renewable Fuel Association (RFA) submitted comments with four key points: 1. …
AFPM Attack on RFS, Inaccurate, Typical
The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) held teleconferences last week in an effort to discredit the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). During the call, AFPM blamed increased gas prices on renewable fuels, which, says, Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, is false. “Manipulating data and spreading misinformation is not the way to educate lawmakers and drive policy decisions. Our energy …
RFS & E10 Blend Wall White Paper Released
The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee has released a “white paper” analyzing the federal renewable fuels standard (RFS) and the so-called E10 blend wall. On page two, the white paper highlighted that new fuels are banned from competing with petroleum products unless first approved for use by the federal government. According to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), this federal …
Renewable Fuels Leaders Refute Oil Industry Claims
Leaders of Fuels America held a press conference this morning to “preemptively answer misinformation on renewable fuel blends and gasoline prices” in a new report by the American Petroleum Institute. Speaking in defense of the renewable fuels industry were the heads of several industry organizations and companies, including Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis, Renewable Fuels Association CEO Bob Dinneen, Advanced …
2013 – 100 Year Anniversary for Oil Tax Subsidies
Did you know that the oldest, continuous tax subsidy for oil companies was enacted by Congress in 1913, making 2013 the 100th year of federal tax subsidies specific to the oil industry? Shouldn’t this event garner a party? The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) and the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) thought so and on March 14, 2013 held a …