Members of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition are urging Congressional leaders to provide relief for the biofuels industry in the latest COVID-19 emergency relief package being considered. Coalition chair and vice chair South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz sent a letter to Senate and House leadership this week urging them to support the Senate’s Renewable Fuel Feedstock …
Ethanol Report 5-29-20
As America gets moving again, ethanol is ready to fuel summer adventures. Ethanol production is slowly climbing back up after hitting historic lows due to coronavirus restrictions keeping people from traveling. Now that people are getting back on the road and in the water, Renewable Fuels Association Vice President of Industry Affairs Robert White talks about some of their summertime …
Iowa Legislature Urged to Renew Biofuel Tax Differentials
Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) members are urging state lawmakers to reauthorize biofuel tax differentials before the end of this legislative session. House File 2279 and Senate File 2403 would extend and modernize fuel tax differentials for E15 and higher ethanol blends and B11 and higher biodiesel blends, which are set to expire on June 30, 2020. With the passage …
RFA Decries “Gap Year” Refinery Waiver Requests
The Renewable Fuels Association is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to deny the latest attempt by the petroleum industry to circumvent the 10th Circuit Court decision which severely limits small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by seeking past-year waivers from renewable volume obligations. In a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper …
Ethanol and Oil State Senators Compete for EPA Help
During a hearing last week before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler was pushed by senators on both sides of the Renewable Fuel Standard for a commitment to helping them. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), who spearheaded a letter to Wheeler from oil state senators, expressed his dissatisfaction with the 10th circuit court decision regarding small …
ACE Calls on EPA to Maintain RFS
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to resist calls for to waive or significantly reduce the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs). “None of the requests from governors, senators, and attorneys general for EPA to waive the RFS this year have been accompanied by the evidence, which is required by the law …
Illinois Zein Protein Plant Switches to Hand Sanitizer
Global Impact Innovation (GII) has switched from producing Zein protein to producing and delivering hand sanitizer at mass-scale in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Zein protein from corn has a variety of industrial and food uses. Since beginning production in mid-April 2020, GII has manufactured and delivered close to 100,000 gallons of sanitizer with a significant portion of its early …
USDA Food Safety Using Nebraska-made Sanitizer
Nearly 7,000 gallons of Nebraska-made sanitizer has been donated for use by USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) employees around the country responsible for ensuring the safety of meat, poultry, and egg products. There are 6,500 FSIS field offices across the nation. The USDA’s initial request included 6,500 gallons of hand sanitizer but deliveries have continued as the need remains …
Senate Bill Would Help Biofuels Producers
Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MI) have introduced bipartisan legislation to provide emergency relief to ethanol producers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill would allow USDA to reimburse biofuel producers through the Commodity Credit Corporation for their feedstock purchases in the first quarter of this year. According to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), as of May 19, …
ACE to Co-Locate Annual Meeting with Fuel Ethanol Workshop
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) will be co-locating its 33rd annual conference this year in conjunction with the rescheduled International Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW) & Expo on August 25, in Omaha, Nebraska. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the economic hardship it’s brought to bear on the ethanol industry, ACE believes hosting this year’s gathering in association with …