The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) sent a letter last week to the Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan addressing recent concerns raised by the agency’s scientific advisory board about the environmental benefits of ethanol. In the letter, NCGA CEO Neil Caskey noted that the research shows unequivocally that ethanol is important to addressing climate change. “There are no shortage …
ACE Renews Call for E15 Certainty
As the sun sets on the summer driving season, the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) is renewing its call to the administration to make this the last year of uncertainty for the nation’s fuel retailers offering E15 (15% ethanol) by finalizing the regulation to eliminate the 1-pound per square inch (psi) Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver in eight states. As …
ACE Calls on Biden to Get EPA to Approve Waiver
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) is calling on President Joe Biden to have the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalize the proposed regulation to eliminate the 1-pound per square inch (psi) Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver for gasoline containing 10 percent ethanol (E10) in eight states. In a letter to President Biden, ACE CEO Brian Jennings outlined how “what should …
Iowa and Nebraska Sue EPA Over E15 Waiver Delay
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers joined together Monday to sue the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to to meet a statutory deadline in response to petitions from their governors and six others to reduce evaporative emissions and allow year-round sales of E15. “The Biden Administration has dragged its feet long enough,” said Attorney General …
RFA Urges EPA to Finalize Midwest Governors’ E15 Petition
Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper sent a letter this week to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan urging the agency to quickly finalize its regulations accepting the petition of eight Midwest governors that would allow year round sales of E15 fuel blend in their states, noting that the statutory deadline for approving the petition was over a …
EPA Denies Small Refinery Petitions
On Friday, EPA announced its decision denying 26 petitions seeking small refinery exemptions (SREs) from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program for one or more of the compliance years between 2016 and 2023. Consistent with the April and July 2022 Denials of Petitions for RFS Small Refinery Exemptions, the action announced today applies EPA’s current interpretation of the Clean Air …
Ethanol Report on RFA Reaction to EPA Final Rule
The final 2023-2025 Renewable Fuel Standard volumes released by the Environmental Protection Agency this week mark an unfortunate step backward from the volumes that were originally proposed, according to the Renewable Fuels Association. In this edition of The Ethanol Report podcast, RFA Senior Vice President for Government & Public Affairs Troy Bredenkamp discusses the final rule from EPA, as well …
Biofuels Groups Unhappy With Final EPA RFS Rule
The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced a final rule for biofuel volume requirements through 2025, displeasing major biofuel organizations. The final rule includes conventional renewable fuel requirements of 15 billion gallons for both 2024 and 2025, down from the proposed volumes of 15.25 billion for both years. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper called the reductions “inexplicable …
EPA Delays Final Biofuel Blending Targets
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been granted permission to extend by one week the court-ordered consent decree deadline to issue the final “Set” 2023-2025 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Instead of June 14, EPA will now be required to finalize the rule by June 21, 2023. The consent decree agreement was made between EPA …
Ethanol Report on E15 Summer Waiver
After waiting until the very last minute, the Environmental Protection Agency issued an emergency fuel waiver to allow E15 gasoline — gasoline blended with 15% ethanol — to be sold during the summer driving season this year. A decision had to be made before April 30 so terminal operators would still be able to sell the blend after May 1. …