The Environmental Protection Agency has scheduled a public hearing on its proposal to lower the volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for 2014. According to a notice in the Federal Register, the hearing will be held December 5 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia. The event will begin at 9:00 in the morning and “end …
Questions About EPA Authority for RFS Waiver
Even before the Environmental Protection Agency officially released its proposed 2014 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), questions arose about whether the EPA is overstepping its authority. University of Illinois Clinical Assistant Professor of Law and Policy Jonathan Coppess, former counsel to the Senate Ag Committee and former administrator for USDA, says there is a legal …
Iowa Gov Launches Site to Boost Biodiesel, Ethanol
Considering the fact that Iowa leads the nation in biofuels production, being a major player in the biodiesel and ethanol industries, it only makes sense the state’s governor launches an effort to protect the green fuels. This post from the Des Moines Register blog says Gov. Terry Branstad launched a new website to oppose the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal …
Ethanol Groups Talk to Farm Broadcasters
Ethanol was well represented at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting annual meeting last week in Kansas City to talk with reporters about issues facing the industry. Bob Dinneen, Robert White and Dawn Moore with the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) did a number of interviews with farm broadcasters about important topics, like the growth in the number of stations offering …
EPA Proposal Pulls the Rug on Advanced Biofuels
According to the Michael McAdams, president of the Advanced Biofuels Association, if the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sticks with the 2.2 billion gallons in the final rule, the agency will pull the rug out from underneath the growing advanced biofuel industry. This was in response to the EPA’s proposed 2014 fuel for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that proposed the …
AP Story Causing Stir Before Release
The ethanol industry has gone on the offensive to defend itself against an Associated Press “investigative report” that has yet to be released for publication. Fuels America held a conference call today about the article which is embargoed until after midnight but was circulated last week on the internet. The call included Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) Vice President of Research …
AP Story Fact Checking
A yet-to-be officially published “investigative report” by the Associated Press is causing an uproar in the ethanol industry which is responding ahead of time with fact checking on the article. The article included interviews with several industry leaders and farmers who are disturbed by what they have read in advance copies. One of those interviewed at length by the AP …
Ohio Ethanol Plant Signs up for Enogen
Corn featuring the Syngenta Enogen trait designed for ethanol production will soon be used at an Ohio biorefinery. Syngenta has signed a commercial agreement with Three Rivers Energy, LLC of Coshocton, Ohio, to use grain featuring Enogen trait technology following the 2014 corn harvest. “We are thrilled to announce this agreement with Three Rivers Energy, as we extend our Enogen …
DuPont: Lowering RVO Targets Would Be a Mistake
A company with experience successfully commercializing a variety of new technologies says it would be a mistake if government targets for renewable fuels are lowered. During yesterday’s Fuels America conference call on the prospect the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could drop renewable volume obligations (RVOs) next year from the statutory level of 14.4 billion gallons to between 12.36 and 13.18 …
Lowering RFS Will Raise Big Oil Profits
Big Oil will reap big profits if the Environmental Protection Agency actually proposes a substantial cut to the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requirement for conventional biofuel blending, according to a new analysis released by the ethanol industry today. The analysis finds that the oil industry stand to make an additional $9-14 billion in 2014 if the EPA were to …