The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed volume requirements for cellulosic biofuel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel for 2017, and requirements for biomass-based diesel for 2019, was published in the Federal Register Friday, officially opening the comment period on the proposal. Comments must be received on or before August 31, 2017. EPA is also planning a public hearing on the proposal …
Industry Preparing for August 1 EPA Hearing
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public hearing in Washington, DC on Tuesday, August 1 for the recently released proposed rule for volume levels of ethanol and biodiesel under the Renewable Fuel Standard for 2018 and 2019. As with previous RFS hearings, all of the major stakeholders are planning to attend and let EPA know what they like …
Industry Reacts to Proposed Biofuels Levels
The ethanol industry and corn farmers are pleased, but biodiesel producers and soybean growers are not so much with new proposed levels for biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) released by the Environmental Protection Agency. The 2018 RFS level for conventional biofuels, including corn ethanol, was maintained at 15 billion gallons, the maximum under current law, which Renewable Fuels …
NBB Submits Regulatory Comments to EPA
The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) submitted comments this week to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in response to a call for input on burdensome regulations. NBB provided comments on five subjects: (1) funding for additional guidance and compliance assistance, (2) RFS implementing regulations, (3) the proposed Renewable Enhancement and Growth Support (REGS) rule, (4) Product Transfer Documents (PTD) and (5) …
Ethanol Groups Comment on EPA Regs
Eliminating the unnecessary regulatory barrier to year-round sales of E15 tops the wish list of reforms that the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) requested from the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) in comments to the agency Monday. “While there are a number of EPA regulations that need reforming, the most pressing is the agency-imposed restriction that denies consumers year-round access to E15,” …
ACE Urges Ethanol Regulatory Comments
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) was among the first in line to submit regulatory reform comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – now they are urging other ethanol advocates to do so. Among the topics ACE is urging ethanol advocates to address include Reid vapor pressure (RVP) relief for E15 and higher ethanol blends, updating the lifecycle analysis …
Biofuels Stakeholders Comment on Oral Arguments
The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) presented oral arguments to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Monday on the petition for review of the Renewable Volume Obligations for 2014-2016 filed by Americans for Clean Energy, et al. v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in January 2016. The NBB challenged EPA’s interpretation and use of its waiver authority …
RFA Tells EPA to Keep RFS on Track
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) sent a letter today to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt urging him to keep the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) on track in 2018. “The ethanol industry was highly encouraged by your commitment to ‘administer the [RFS] program according to the intent of Congress’ and to keep the program’s rulemakings on schedule,” RFA President and CEO Bob …
ACE Submits Regulatory Reform Comments to EPA
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) was one of the first in line to submit comments to the Environmental Protection Agency on regulatory reform. Last month, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt established a Regulatory Reform Task Force to evaluate how existing regulations might be repealed or modified and the agency formerly began a 30 day public comment period April 11. ACE …
Groups Oppose RFS Point of Obligation Change
U.S. biofuel and agricultural organizations wrote to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt last week opposing any change to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) point of obligation. “The point of obligation is one of the most important remaining tools to help drive higher blends remaining in the RFS. It creates economic incentives for gasoline retailers to offer higher blends such as E15 …