Increasing consumer fuel choice and solving the “chicken and the egg” challenge to energy independence are the goals of two bills introduced this week in the U.S. House of Representatives. On Wednesday, Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) introduced the Consumer Vehicle Choice Act of 2010 (H.R. 5633) and the Consumer Fuels Choice Act of 2010 (H.R.5632). The first would mandate …
Grassley: Funding Key to Bill with Biodiesel Measure
The bill that would renew the $1-a-gallon federal biodiesel tax incentive could pass right… if Democrats would just fund the entire bill. That’s according to a key Republican senator trying to renew the tax break. This article from the Minnesota Independent says U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) believes the jobs bill, which has an extension of unemployment benefits that is …
Senators Call for Increasing Ethanol Blend Rate
Midwestern senators are calling on the Obama administration to stop delaying testing that would allow an increase in the blend rate of ethanol in gasoline to 15 percent. In a letter to President Obama, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and six other senators expressed concern that the Department of Energy (DOE) has not yet completed testing higher blends of ethanol …
Ethanol Good For America Says IA Ag Secretary
This was me moments before rain drops hit Iowa Speedway again yesterday. After years of taking photos of other people getting a ride in the Indy 2-Seater I finally had my chance. But just as we were about to pull onto the track rain canceled the deal. Oh well, maybe another time. I do think I look good in an …
Ethanol Groups Frustrated Over E15 Delay
The ethanol organization that filed the petition with the EPA to increase the ethanol blend rate to 15 percent has gotten very little information about why a decision is being delayed again. “We’re trying to find out what additional tests have been added in,” said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis during a press conference today. “The people who filed the …
Connecticut Gov Signs Biodiesel Heating Oil Mandate
Connecticut Yankees (and any other immigrants to the Nutmeg State) will be able to stay warm … and green … in winters in the future, thanks to biodiesel. That state’s Governor Jodi Rell has signed into law a 2 percent biodiesel in heating oil mandate that kicks in next summer. However, Heatingoil.com reports it does have some conditions attached: Although …
Making the Case for Getting Rid of Biofuels Subsidies
As the biodiesel industry anxiously awaits Congress’ renewal of the federal $1-a-gallon biodiesel tax credit, an energy consulting company that specializes in biodiesel and ethanol operations is actually calling for elimination of these types of credits for all biofuels. This opinion piece in Biofuels Digest from Sklar & Associates makes the case that we don’t have to give the biofuels …
Challenges Undermine Clean Energy Future
“If we refuse to take into account the full costs of our fossil fuel addiction — if we don’t factor in the environmental costs and the national security costs and the true economic costs — we will have missed our best chance to seize a clean energy future.” That is what President Obama said in his speech at Carnegie Mellon …
State Ag Directors Support Ethanol Tax Incentives
Eight state departments of agriculture are asking Congress to extend the ethanol tax incentive set to expire at the end of the year. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today joined seven of his colleagues in requesting congressional leaders to act quickly to extend the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC), which expires at the end of the year. Legislation …
Levin, Baucus Put Biodiesel Credit in Unemployment Bill
Legislation that would reinstate the federal $1-a-gallon tax credit for biodiesel has been attached to a new bill would extend unemployment benefits. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Sander Levin (D-Michigan) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Montana) introduced the measure today: The bill would extend for one year (through 2010) the $1.00 per gallon production tax credit for …