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 …
Global Clean Fuel Standards
In recent years, we have seen several countries beginning to develop clean fuel standards that can offer both opportunities and challenges for U.S. ethanol producers. A panel at the National Ethanol Conference focused on “The Emergence of International Clean Fuel Standards: Innovation Drivers or Industry Protectionism?” with insights on where global standards for clean fuel are headed. Renewable Fuels Association …
Biofuels Part of USDA Innovation Agenda
At the start of USDA’s 2020 Agriculture Outlook Forum on Thursday, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the Agriculture Innovation Agenda, a new initiative to stimulate innovation so American agriculture can achieve the goal of increasing production by 40 percent while cutting the environmental footprint of U.S. agriculture in half by 2050. To do so, USDA has set benchmarks to …
Beyond the Road Benefits of Ethanol
Off the road, on the racetrack, or in the water, the benefits of ethanol go beyond the highway. Attendees at the 25th National Ethanol Conference got to hear about ethanol’s success in recreational uses like off-road vehicles and boats, providing power, reduced emissions and lower fuel costs. They also got to see Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) flex-fuel Jeep Wrangler up …
Low Carbon Future for Ethanol
One of the biggest opportunities for the ethanol industry is regional low carbon fuel standards. A panel moderated by Neil Koehler of Pacific Ethanol, Inc., discussed the path forward for decarbonizing liquid transportation fuels at the 2020 National Ethanol Conference in Houston, Tex. Participants in the panel included: Christopher Hessler, AJW, Inc.; Jeremy Martin, Union of Concerned Scientists; David Clay, …