The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has canceled its annual Washington, D.C. Fly-in and Government Affairs Summit scheduled for next month due to the number of congressional offices declining meeting requests in response to concerns about the rapid spread of COVID-19. Many congressional offices have notified ACE they are not scheduling “any in-person meetings for the foreseeable future due to …
Farmers, Biofuel Producers Urge Trump to Support RFS
Farmer leaders and biofuel producers from the Midwest today expressed their concerns about news that the Trump administration has reversed course and decided to side with oil companies in their court battle against biofuels. The debate centers around a unanimous court decision that would halt the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) abuse of Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel …
Ethanol Case Groups Disappointed in Appeal Extension
The four organizations involved in the case against the Environmental Protection Agency over granting of small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) are disappointed the Trump Administration has been granted more time to consider an appeal of the court decision siding with the plaintiffs. The petitioners in the case—the Renewable Fuels Association, National Corn Growers Association, American Coalition …
President Trump May Appeal Court Decision
Biofuel and agricultural organizations are up in arms over news reports out late Thursday saying President Trump is now planning to appeal the 10th Circuit Court decision regarding EPA’s granting of Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs). Oil state interests, led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), have been pressuring the White House to fight the unanimous court ruling that threatens to completely …
Still Waiting on EPA Response to 10th Circuit Court Ruling
No announcement yet from EPA on how the agency will address the recent 10th Circuit Court ruling regarding small refinery exemptions (SREs), but officials continue to promise it will be soon. “We are working through the issues on the court decision, trying to decide the right path forward,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing Wednesday. …
Ethanol Industry Anxiously Awaits EPA Decision on SREs
Ethanol stakeholders were hopeful that an announcement would be made on Friday about how EPA will deal with the recent court ruling on small refinery exemptions, but Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Geoff Cooper says they are anxiously awaiting that decision. “We don’t know what exactly what EPA is going to do, but we know what they should …
Senators Claim Court Decision Jeopardizes Refineries
A group of senators from oil-friendly states sent a letter to President Trump last week claiming that if the recent 10th Circuit Court decision on small refinery exemptions is allowed to stand it “will jeopardize nearly all small refineries” in the country. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) Chairman Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) spearheaded the letter urging the …
USDA Secretary Talks Biofuels at #Classic20
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue had a lot to say about biofuels during his address at the 2020 Commodity Classic in San Antonio Friday. While no announcement has been made by EPA yet, Secretary Perdue confidently told the audience that the recent 10th Circuit Court decision will mean less small refinery waivers. “I think you will see those waivers …
Wheeler Questioned About Decision on SRE Program
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler told a House subcommittee hearing on Thursday that there is no final decision yet on how they will respond to the recent 10th Circuit Court ruling regarding the Small Refinery Exemption (SRE) program. “We’re still in discussions with the Department of Justice trying to analyze the 10th Circuit opinion, we have no announcements …
Legislation Would Target Oil Subsidies
Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Tom Udall (D-NM) introduced legislation this week to update the nation’s antiquated public lands royalty system and ensure that taxpayers get fair returns on leases of public lands for oil and gas production. Introducing the bipartisan Fair Returns for Public Lands Act of 2020, Grassley said, “Low royalty rates on oil produced on federal lands …