The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) heard concerns from many biofuels industry stakeholders during a public hearing Wednesday in Ypsilanti, Michigan on the proposed rule to set 2020 renewable volume obligations (RVOs) and the 2021 RVO for biomass-based diesel under the Renewable Fuel Standard. Much of the comments from both sides of the issues centered on whether or not EPA …
EPA Chief Urged to Visit Ethanol Plant
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler visited an oil refinery in Pennsylvania Monday at the request of Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), who just last week filed legislation in Congress to eliminate corn ethanol from the Renewable Fuel Standard. Now ethanol producers would like to see Wheeler visit one of their plants. “This refinery produces 200k barrels/day and is a great economic driver …
Energy Secretary Contradicts EPA in Letter to Senator
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) finally got an answer this week from the Department of Energy to a request he sent in April about the agency’s role in Small Refinery Exemptions, and it directly contradicts what the Environmental Protection Agency has been saying. Contrary to assertions by the EPA, the Energy Department confirmed in a letter to Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) …
New Studies Show Ethanol GHG Benefits
Two new studies released this week provide further evidence that grain-based ethanol is significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and call into question the reliability of recent “land use change” analyses based on flawed satellite imagery-based methodologies, according to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). The first new study, conducted by the Laboratory for Applied Spatial Analysis at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville …
EPA Schedules Hearing on Proposed RFS Volumes
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public hearing in Ypsilanti, MI on July 31, regarding the proposed rule “Renewable Fuel Standard Program: Standards for 2020 and Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2021.” On July 5, EPA proposed a total renewable fuel volume of 20.04 billion gallons, of which 5.04 billion gallons are advanced biofuel, including 540 million gallons of …
Corn Growers Continue Call for #NoMoreWaivers
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is continuing to call on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to follow President Trump’s commitment to farmers and stop giving Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) waivers to big oil companies. NCGA is re-running a television ad that first aired last month after President Trump visited an Iowa ethanol plant and heard from NCGA first vice …
Ethanol Report on 2020 RVO Proposal
The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday issued proposed volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard program for calendar year 2020, with a total renewable fuel volume of 20.04 billion gallons, of which 5.04 billion gallons are advanced biofuel, including 540 million gallons of cellulosic biofuel. That leaves the 15-billion-gallon requirement for conventional renewable fuels like corn ethanol unchanged from 2019. …
NBB Highlights How Refinery Waivers Hurt Biodiesel Industry
The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) has launched an ad campaign highlighting the economic damage to biodiesel and renewable diesel producers from the Environmental Protection Agency’s small refinery exemptions. The ads are currently scheduled to run for one week in Des Moines and Washington, DC. “The president’s EPA is hurting farmers and eliminating jobs by giving special favors to big oil …
Biofuels Groups Blast EPA for RFS Proposed Volumes
The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday (EPA) issued proposed volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard program for calendar year 2020, leaving them basically unchanged and not reallocating gallons lost due to small refinery exemptions. Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Geoff Cooper says the proposal “completely betrays President Trump’s commitment” to uphold the integrity of the RFS by …
EPA Final Rule Details
EPA Assistant Administrator Bill Wehrum provided details to reporters Friday morning of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final rule related to retail sales of 15% ethanol blended fuel and renewable identification number (RIN) transparency. EPA finalized regulatory changes to allow gasoline blended with up to 15 percent ethanol (E15) to take advantage of the 1-psi Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) waiver …