Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) today sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to provide documents regarding oil industry efforts to influence the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Last May, following a Reuters article describing how the Carlyle Group and Delta Airlines had lobbied members of Congress and the administration to reduce the amount of renewable …
Cellerate Receives D3 RIN Certification
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given D3 Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) certification to Quad County Corn Processors (QCCP) for its cellulosic ethanol produced with Cellerate process technology. The technology is a collaboration between Syngenta and Cellulosic Ethanol Technologies, a subsidiary of QCCP. The biorefinery earned D3 pathway approval from the EPA on Oct. 7, 2014 and Quality Assurance Program …
EPA Fools Ethanol Advocates – Merle Anderson
The following is a guest editorial by American Coalition for Ethanol founder Merle Anderson. I just want to remind EPA and Big Oil that I am still around. Since organizing the American Coalition for Ethanol nearly 30 years ago I have just celebrated my 93rd birthday. I am damn mad because I think we’ve let EPA fool us into letting …
Amyris, Solazyme Recognized for Green Chemicals
Two biotechnology companies have been recognized for their contributions to making green chemicals. Amyris and Solazyme, Inc., received awards in the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge for industrial biotechnology applications that produce farnesene and algae oils. The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) sent its congratulations to its member companies on receiving the awards, which recognize industrial biotechnology’s contribution to reducing pollution at …
Small Biodiesel Maker Closing Indicative of RFS Problem
While the closing of one small biodiesel maker in California might not seem like big news, it’s certainly indicative of the problems facing the industry, big and small producers alike. This story from the Ukiah (CA) Daily Journal says that Yokayo Biofuels, which turned waste cooking oil into biodiesel, has closed. [Kumar Plocher, Yokayo Biofuels’ CEO] says the biggest reason …
Report Sheds Light on Biodiesel RINs Behavior
What the federal government ends up doing about the proposed amount of biodiesel and ethanol to be blended into the nation’s fuel supply will have an effect on the valuable renewable identification numbers (RINs) used by blenders and fuel producers. This report from the University of Illinois is the latest in the series of articles from the school’s Ag and …
Fuels America Is Spilling the ‘Oil’
Fuels America is spilling the oil detailing the amount of money Big Oil has spent to “rig the political system” with lobbyists and campaign cash since 2008. Using data from opensecrets.org, the oil industry has spent more than $1.1 billion, $961 million lobbying Congress and $146 million in campaign contributions. This equates to more than $2 million for each member …
EPA Inaction on RFS Increasing GHG Emissions
According to a new white paper, inaction by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on finalizing the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) rules is increasing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) equal to 4.4 million additional cars on American roads. The paper, published by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) updated earlier estimates of GHG emissions due to the proposal to reduce biofuel use …
Orrie Swayze: EPA is Destroying Grain Prices
Orrie Swayze, from Wilmont, South Dakota is a long-time ethanol advocate and has been involved with the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) since its inception more than 20 years ago. He has been following the progress of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) writing of the final 2014 final rule for the Renewable Fuel Standard and as a retired farmer, he …
Ethanol Report: Ethanol Production, RFS & EPA
In this edition of the Ethanol Report, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen discusses ethanol production for the year so far, new Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) ad campaigns and gives his thoughts on the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2014 Renewable Volume Obligations that are under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) review. In addition, he touches on record …