Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are leading a bipartisan group of 38 senators in calling for a strong Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as the Environmental Protection Agency works toward finalizing biofuels volume requirements for 2018. In a letter to EPA Scott Pruitt this week, the senators urged “the continued implementation of the RFS as intended by Congress …
Ethanol Industry Leader Calls on EPA to Maintain RFS
In an op-ed published this week in The Hill, the chairman of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) urges EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to stick with President Trump’s vision for an America First energy policy and keep the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) strong. Pointing to EPA actions and rumors of actions in recent weeks to reduce volume obligations and lower demand …
ACE Partners with EPA Smart Sectors Program
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) is one of the participants in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Smart Sectors program launched this week to provide a platform for collaboration with regulated sectors to help the agency develop forward-thinking ways to improve environmental outcomes. “The Smart Sectors program is designed to effectively engage business partners throughout the regulatory process,” said EPA Administrator …
Groups Urge Trump to Stop EPA Changes to RFS
Biofuels stakeholder organizations have sent a letter to President Donald Trump, urging him to “act quickly to prevent actions” at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that threaten to undermine future growth of the biofuels industry under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “If the proposed changes are finalized, EPA’s actions would cause severe harm to our industry, undermining your efforts to …
Ethanol Report on EPA RFS Notice
The Environmental Protection Agency released its proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) renewable volume obligations (RVOs) for 2018 on July 5, the comment period just ended on August 31, and then this week EPA gave notice that it is seeking comment on options for further reductions in the biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel and total renewable fuel volumes. Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) …
EPA Proposes Further Cuts in Biofuels Under RFS
The Environmental Protection Agency surprised the biofuels industry Tuesday by issuing a notice asking for comment on further reducing volume obligations for some fuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. The EPA Notice of Data Availability (NODA) suggests a reduction of the 2018 advanced biofuel volume requirement from the proposed level of 4.24 billion gallons to 3.77 billion gallons, …
High-Octane Ethanol Blends Can Help Meet GHG Standards
Ethanol organizations presented testimony to the EPA Wednesday that high-octane ethanol blends in optimized engines would be the lowest cost means for the country to meet 2022-2025 fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards. The testimony was provided during a hearing on Reconsideration of the Final Determination of the Midterm Evaluation (MTE) of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Model Year …
Biofuels Voices Comment on RFS Rule
The comment period for the EPA’s proposed volume obligations for biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has officially ended and stakeholders in both the biodiesel and ethanol industries made their voices heard. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) submitted comments “urging the agency to finalize the RVOs that were included in EPA’s first draft of the proposal that was submitted …
Ethanol Report on EPA Hearing and Court Decision
Last week’s court decision on what EPA can consider when setting volume obligations for biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard was still fresh in mind as the industry provided feedback on the agency’s most recent proposals for next year during a public hearing in Washington D.C. this week. In this edition of The Ethanol Report podcast, Renewable Fuels Association president …
Strong Biodiesel Turnout at EPA Hearing
The biodiesel industry turned out in force Tuesday to advocate for higher volumes of advanced biofuels and biomass-based diesel. National Biodiesel Board CEO Donnell Rehagen says the EPA proposal would maintain the minimum required biomass-based diesel volumes at 2.1 billion gallons for 2019 but decrease the 2018 RFS for advanced biofuels to 4.24 billion gallons. “That’s our sweet spot,” said …