The Environmental Protection Agency Thursday announced the denial of 36 small refinery exemptions (SRE) for the 2018 compliance year. The petitions were remanded to EPA by the U.S. Court of Appeals. At the same time, EPA announced an “alternate compliance approach” that allows 31 of those small refineries to meet their new 2018 compliance obligations “without purchasing or redeeming additional …
Groups Urge EPA to Resolve Summertime E15 Barrier
Six national farm and biofuel organizations are asking Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan to enact regulations requiring lower-volatility conventional gasoline blendstock in the summertime in order to facilitate year-round sales of E15 nationwide. The Renewable Fuels Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, Growth Energy, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, and National Sorghum Producers sent the joint letter saying …
Groups Pleased with Biofuel Provisions in BBB Act
Farm and biofuel organizations are grateful this Thanksgiving Day week for key provisions in the Build Back Better (BBB) Act, which passed the House on Friday and was sent to the Senate. The Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, the National Biodiesel Board, National Corn Growers Association, and National Farmers Union sent a joint letter to the chairs of the House …
Groups Sound Alarm Over Proposed RFS Cuts
Farm and biofuel groups are sounding the alarm over detailed reports that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to announce major cuts to biofuel blending requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “While a formal proposal has not been released, the expected standards would destroy a decade of progress on low-carbon biofuels and brazenly violate the promises that President …
Groups Urge EPA to Propose Higher Octane Fuel Standard
A coalition of agriculture and biofuel groups is urging the administration to propose a higher octane fuel standard as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updates its greenhouse gas emissions standards for passenger vehicles and light duty trucks, In a letter to President Joe Biden, the group also requested that EPA open a comment period on the role that high octane …
Biofuels Included in Ag Talks Roadmap for Trade
Farmers for Free Trade held a virtual press conference Tuesday to release a new report on the challenges and solutions for American agriculture on trade, supply chains and global competitiveness. The report is the culmination of a series of Ag Talk discussions across rural America and includes recommendations to drive demand for U.S. agricultural products at home and abroad. Recommendations …
Biofuels Coalition Challenging Small Refinery Waivers in 2018
A coalition of six biofuel and farm organizations filed a brief Tuesday challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s August 2019 decision to exempt 31 small refineries from their obligations to comply with the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2018. The Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, National Corn Growers Association, National Biodiesel Board, American Coalition for Ethanol, and National Farmers Union, collectively known …
Farm & Biofuel Groups Ask Court to Enforce EPA Ruling
Farm and biofuels leaders say it’s way past time for EPA to act on a court order from 2017 and they are going back to the court to make it happen. A coalition of biofuels and agricultural trade groups filed a motion in the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia Monday asking the court to enforce its …
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 …
Analysis Shows U.S. Agriculture Reducing Emissions
American agriculture is more environmentally sustainably than ever. A new analysis of updated data from both USDA and EPA shows U.S. farmers and ranchers continue to reduce per-unit greenhouse gas emissions. All told, the U.S. agricultural sector accounts for less than 10% of total U.S. emissions. That’s less than the emissions from the transportation, electricity generation and industrial sectors. Globally, …