The administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency explained her agency’s proposal to lower the volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting meeting in Washington DC this week. “Let me begin by reiterating that this administration sees renewable fuels as a big part of our way to adapt to climate change,” …
Biofuel Groups Welcome Court’s RFS Decision
Biofuel groups are happy today with the decision handed down by the District of Columbia Circuit Court rejecting a petition filed by Monroe Energy, LLC that challenged the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2013 Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS). Several biofuel organizations intervened in the case including the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy and the Biotechnology Industry Organization. After EPA reduced the …
DF Cast: Fuels America Fights Back with “Oil Rigged”
Backers of renewable fuels say when it comes to the fight against Big Oil, the fight is rigged… oil rigged. Recently, Fuels America held a pair of news conferences. The first was to announce the launch of its “Oil Rigged” television and digital ad campaign and OilRigged.com, designed to “expose the many ways the oil industry is rigging the system …
Biodiesel/Hybrid Car Achieves 100 MPG Equivalency
Florida students have put together a biodiesel and battery powered hybrid that gets the equivalent of a gas-powered car getting 100 miles to the gallon. This story from NPR station WFSU says the Embry-Riddle University students designed the car as part of the EcoCAR 2 challenge, a program sponsored by GM and the U.S. Department of Energy that has university …
EPA Chief Discusses RFS With Ag Journalists
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy spoke to the North American Agricultural Journalists meeting in Washington DC on Monday and expressed confidence that the final rule for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) will be different than the proposed rule that reduces volume requirements for biofuels in 2014. According to Agri-Pulse McCarthy said EPA is in the process of reviewing more …
ASA Concerned over Argentine Biodiesel for RFS
While Argentine biodiesel is having a hard time getting into Europe, its prospects to make it into the U.S. could be boosted. And that is worrying soybean growers in this country. This story from Agri-View says the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering whether it should allow Argentine biodiesel to be eligible under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The potential …
EPA Approves Summer Gasoline RVP Requests
As reported by Platts, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved Florida’s and North Carolina’s requests to allow certain counties to continue using 9 RVP gasoline through the summer season (or known as the traditional VOC reduction season). As it relates to ethanol, this allows these counties to blend E15 (15 percent ethanol, 85 percent gasoline) throughout the summer. Last …
IRFA: Strong Plantings Report Calls for Strong RFS
Expected big plantings of corn and soybeans underscore the need for a strong Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). New estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) show a possible record amount of soybeans expected to be planted this year and the fifth largest corn acreage to be planted as well. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) says these factors show …
EPA’s Feeling About RFS? Depends Who’s Asking
How does the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) feel about its proposal to cut the amount of ethanol and biodiesel to be blended into the Nation’s fuel supply? Well, that depends on who the folks at the agency are talking to. Speaking before the House Appropriations Committee last week, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy seemed to backtrack on last January’s statements before …
BIO Calls on EPA to Approve New Biofuel Pathways
The Environmental Protection Agency has announced it will halt new petitions for renewable fuel pathways for six months or so. In response, the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) urged the agency to speed up rather than slow down the Petition Process for New Renewable Fuel Pathways under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The petition process was established in March of 2010 …