2021 is getting off to a whirlwind start for the ethanol industry. The year is barely started and the industry has already seen an unexpected Supreme Court unexpectedly taking up the Tenth Circuit Court decision from last January, heard rumors of last minute granting of small refinery waivers, and then got hit with four proposals from the outgoing EPA related …
EPA Proposal May Mean No Last Minute Waivers
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a new rule Thursday that would extend 2019 and 2020 Renewable Fuel Standard compliance year deadlines due to the “uncertainty” surrounding small refinery exemptions. EPA notes that the Tenth Circuit Court case, which is now pending on the Supreme Court’s docket, has the potential to impact the availability of SREs going forward. Because of …
Democrat Senators Urge Biden to Restore RFS
A group of Democratic Senators sent a letter to President-elect Joe Biden urging him to “restore the integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard and quickly reverse the damages done to the RFS by the outgoing Trump administration.” The letter was sent rom Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tina Smith (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Richard …
Ethanol Supporters React to Reports of More Waivers
Reports that the Trump Administration is possibly planning to grant a number of 2019 small refinery exemptions this week have led to strong outcry from ethanol organizations and farm state lawmakers. Rep. Cindy Axne (D-IA), co-chair of the House Biofuels Caucus, led a bipartisan letter urging President Trump to direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to immediately reject the issuance …
RFA Announces DC Staff Changes
The Renewable Fuels Association has announced two new staff members for the organization’s Washington DC office. Troy Bredenkamp is joining the association’s staff as its new Senior Vice President for Government and Public Affairs. Bredenkamp, who currently serves as the Executive Director of Renewable Fuels Nebraska, starts in RFA’s Washington office on January 19. He replaces Jessica Bennett, who is …
Supreme Court Will Hear RFS Waiver Case
Late Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review the 10th Circuit Court decision made a year ago this month that invalidated several small refinery exemptions issued by EPA under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The decision is in response to a petition submitted in September by HollyFrontier Corporation and CVR Energy, two of the refineries named in the case. The …
Gov. Reynolds to Address Virtual 2021 Iowa RFA Summit
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds will once again join other biofuel supporters from around the country at the Virtual Iowa Renewable Fuel Summit to look back on past obstacles overcome and future growth opportunities within the state for biofuels. “Governor Kim Reynolds has been a true champion for biofuels and has taken every opportunity to seek growth opportunities for ethanol and …
Groups Reject EPA Excuse for Non-Compliance with Court Order
Farm and biofuel organizations are rejecting the Environmental Protection Agency‘s excuses for failure to comply with a 2017 court order invalidated the agency’s improper waiver of 500 million gallons for 2016. The coalition, which includes the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, National Biodiesel Board, American Coalition for Ethanol, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, and National Sorghum Producers, this …
EPA Proposes Consent Decree for One Refinery Waiver
This week, the Environmental Protection Agency published a notice of proposed consent decree and request for public comment in the Federal Register to settle a 2019 refinery waiver petition by February 19. United Refinery filed a complaint against EPA in July 2020 alleging that the agency “failed to take final action on its petition for a small refinery hardship exemption …
Ethanol Groups Want Transparency in SRE Process
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Growth Energy filed a joint FOIA request Tuesday calling on the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy to release the names and locations of refineries granted exemptions from their Renewable Fuel Standard obligations. RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper and Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor offered the following joint statement on the …