Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan this week announced the appointment of 18 new members and reappointment of six members to the agency’s Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee, which provides independent policy advice and recommendations on issues affecting agriculture and rural communities. Among the new members from the biofuels sector are Alan Weber, Biodiesel Coalition of Missouri, …
NAFB Panel Explores Renewable Fuels Future
Leaders from the renewable fuels industry took questions at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention in Kansas City on Wednesday about what the future looks like for them now with a new administration and a new Congress. Moderator Mark Dorenkamp of Brownfield led the panel with Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper, National Corn Growers Association CEO …
Supreme Court to Decide on EPA SRE Case Venue
The Supreme Court will determine whether the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals is the only proper court to litigate challenges to small refinery exemptions, a decision welcomed by biofuel advocates. At issue is whether the venue for challenges by small oil refineries seeking exemptions from the requirements of the Clean Air Act’s Renewable Fuel Standard program lies exclusively in the …
U.S. House Moves Against EV Mandate
The U.S. House of Representatives voted Friday under a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution EPA’s controversial tailpipe emissions standards focused on mandating electric vehicles by 215 to 191, with eight Democrats joining 207 Republicans in support. The resolution was brought by Representative John James (R-MI). “I’ve always said, if you want an EV, get an EV. But allowing the Biden-Harris …
RFA Seeks Update on EPA Feedstock Audits
The Renewable Fuels Association is asking the Environmental Protection Agency for an update on the investigation into certain biofuel feedstock imports and also urged the adoption of stricter feedstock verification requirements for imported used cooking oil (UCO) and tallow. In a letter this week to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper noted that monthly tallow and …
Diverse Groups Join to Oppose EPA’s Tailpipe Standards
More than 55 parties representing diverse interests joined to submit a detailed brief to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals last week arguing that the Environmental Protection Agency “unlawfully exceeded its statutory authority and acted arbitrarily and capriciously by finalizing vehicle tailpipe emissions standards that would essentially phase out liquid-fueled engines and mandate increased production of electric vehicles.” The brief …
EPA’s Rod Snyder Steps Down
The head of EPA’s newly created Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs announced he was stepping down this week, after only five months in the new position. Rod Snyder became senior adviser for agriculture at EPA in October 2021 after serving as president of Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture for seven years. EPA Administrator Michael Regan announced …
RFA Files Briefs Supporting EPA Set Rule
The Renewable Fuels Association has filed two joint briefs in the DC Circuit Court defending the Environmental Protection Agency’s “set rule” volumes. The briefs were filed in the case of Center for Biological Diversity v. Environmental Protection Agency in which CBD and others, including oil refiners, are challenging EPA’s renewable volume obligations for the 2023-2025 compliance years. RFA and other …
Clean Fuels Intends to Sue EPA Over RFS Rule Delay
Clean Fuels Alliance America this week delivered a formal notice of intent to sue the Environmental Protection Agency for its failure to issue timely 2026 Renewable Fuel Standards. By statute, EPA is required to finalize volumes 14 months before the start of the compliance year; for 2026, that deadline would come at the end of October this year. On June …
Scientists Urge Court to Reject Land Use Claims
Eight of the nation’s leading experts in agricultural economics and biofuels lifecycle analysis are urging the D.C. Circuit Court to reject claims made by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) in its lawsuit challenging EPA’s 2023-2025 Renewable Fuel Standard volumes. In its challenge to EPA’s so-called “RFS set rule,” CBD relied on debunked studies by University of Wisconsin researcher Tyler …