Ethanol organizations received a Government Accounting Office report on biofuels this week with mixed reviews. On the plus side, the GAO report indicated that using indirect land use change to evaluate the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions for biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard may be difficult due to uncertainty in how that can accurately be measured. According to the report, …
DF Cast: RFA, NBB Submit RFS-2 Comments
Back in May, the EPA put out its proposal for the new Renewable Fuels Standard… aka RFS-2… that got a lot of people talking about what is in the new standard. Some of the biggest backers of some of the greenest fuels, ethanol and biodiesel, are worried RFS-2 will actually keep these mainstays of the renewables out of the program …
Renewable Energy Interests Praise, Criticize Boxer-Kerry Climate Bill
Backers of weaning the U.S. off of non-renewable, foreign petroleum are giving mixed reviews to the latest climate bill introduced today in the U.S. Senate. Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) debuted the “Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act,” an 821-page bill designed to “create clean energy jobs, reduce pollution, and protect American security by enhancing domestic …
Ethanol Plants Left Out of Greenhouse Gas Reporting
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued final regulations for the nation’s first greenhouse gas reporting system to begin in 2010, but ethanol plants have been removed from the initial list of facilities required to report emissions. The regulations require large emitters of heat-trapping emissions to begin collecting greenhouse gas (GHG) data under the new program which will cover approximately 85 …
Ethanol Group Finalizing Comments to EPA
The Renewable Fuels Association today released comments to be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency regarding proposed regulations to implement the expanded renewable fuel standard (RFS) program enacted by Congress in the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) in 2007. “Reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil was part of the Energy Security Act, providing economic opportunity and job creation and …
EPA Admits Uncertainty in Indirect Land Use
A group of Midwest senators led by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) dropped an amendment to appropriations legislation that would have prohibited the EPA from spending funds to include international indirect land use change (ILUC) emissions in the implementation of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). Sen. Harkin withdrew his amendment after receiving a letter from EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson that promised …
Renewable Energy One of Obama’s Pillars in UN Speech
Renewable energy was part of Barack Obama’s speech to the United Nations today, as the American president outlined his vision for the future before the world body. Obama told delegates that the U.S. has spent $80 billion in clean energy. But the overall efforts of using renewable energy to save the climate are for the entire world: We will move …
Proposed EPA Regs Would Cost Corn Growers
A study commissioned by the National Corn Growers Association finds that proposed regulations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement the expanded Renewable Fuel Standard would cost the ethanol industry as much as $420 million a year. The study found that the up-front cost to the ethanol industry for compliance with the new regulations could total $30 million, with …
Minnesota Governor Talks Ethanol
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty supports an increase in the amount of ethanol blended into gasoline to at least 15 percent and is hopeful about the future of next generation biofuels. The governor who might run for president in 2012 answered several questions about ethanol from reporters after helping celebrate the grand opening of the new
Midwest Senators Sponsor Ethanol Amendments
Iowa’s two senators and others from the Midwest are co-sponsoring amendments to legislation that funds the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which would address two important issues facing the ethanol industry. Iowa Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), along with Ben Nelson (D-NE) introduced an amendment to the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations bill that would prevent the EPA from going …