The National Biodiesel Board is opening a new west coast office to be led by long-time California Air Resources Board (CARB) Division Chief Floyd Vergara. The expansion will bolster NBB’s presence on the west coast where climate programs are a substantial market driver for low carbon fuels like biodiesel and renewable diesel and will also bring critical regulatory expertise to …
USDA Deputy Reassures Senators About EPA Proposal
The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry held a hearing Thursday to hear from USDA Deputy Secretary Steve Censky regarding implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill, but several senators were more concerned about the EPA supplemental proposal out this week. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) was first to ask about it. “I can just assure you directly from conversations with …
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 …
No More Iowa Nice
No more Mr. Iowa Nice Guy. That was a message delivered during a press conference with representatives of Iowa’s corn, ethanol, biodiesel and soybean producers in response to the Supplemental Proposal for Renewable Fuels Volumes released Tuesday by EPA. Iowa Corn Growers Association CEO Craig Floss quoted one farmer who is outraged over the proposal. “No more Iowa Nice, now …
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 …
Trump Remarks Seem to Contradict EPA Plan
Since the October 4 announcement, President Donald Trump mentioned the plan negotiated by the administration to address small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard at least twice while addressing farmers and ranchers. Those comments appear to contradict the EPA proposal released Tuesday which industry representatives say will likely not even result in maintaining the 15 billion gallons required under …
Growth Energy Announces New Chairman
Growth Energy has announced the election of Dan Sanders as new chairman of the board of directors, succeeding POET CEO Jeff Broin, who held the position since the association was formed in 2008. Sanders is vice president of Front Range Energy, a 48 million gallon ethanol production facility located in Windsor, Colorado. “I’m honored to serve our members and staff …
Global Ethanol Summit Kicks Off in DC
The first Global Ethanol Summit gets underway this morning in Washington D.C. with industry and government officials from 60 countries are meeting with U.S. officials to learn about prospects for expanded global ethanol use. This week’s Summit, sponsored by the Council, Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), features high-level government and industry officials from Algeria to Vietnam, who …
Ethanol Production Rate Continues to Slow
Ethanol production started this month below one million barrels per day for the third week in a row. According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending Oct. 4, ethanol production expanded 5,000 b/d or 0.5% to 963,000 barrels per day (b/d)—equivalent to 40.45 million gallons daily. This was the third straight week in which …