The long-awatied notice of proposed rulemaking on the Renewable Fuels Standard will be issued Tuesday morning at 10:00 Eastern time by the Obama administration. The announcement will be made jointly in a press conference by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson who will discuss President Obama’s commitment to advance …
U.S. Slow to Adopt E15 While Brazil Considers E30
While the United States government drags its feet on making a decision to offer American motorists the choice to use E15 at the pump, the Brazilian government is contemplating an ethanol blend increase from E25 to E30. Currently the EPA comment period to get feedback on the increase to E12 or E15 is open, and the U.S. ethanol industry is …
EPA Rulemaking on RFS May Come Soon
The notice of proposed rulemaking on the Renewable Fuels Standard may be imminent. News out of Washington last week was that the Office of Management and Budget has completed the review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s rule, specifically as it relates to indirect land use and greenhouse gas emissions of biofuels compared to gasoline. Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen …
Ethanol Production Increase
Ethanol production was up in February compared to the previous month and a year ago. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), American ethanol facilities produced 647,000 barrels per day in February. That’s up 25 percent from February 2008 and 17,000 barrels per day more compared to the previous month. Ethanol demand, as calculated by the Renewable Fuels Association, also …
Senate Bill Would Curb Unproven Indirect Land Use Measures
U.S. Senator John Thune has introduced a bill designed to strengthen the Renewable Fuels Standard and prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from using inaccurate indirect land use models to discredit the positive environmental impacts of ethanol. “Following California’s recent decision to use flawed models to estimate ethanol’s environmental impact, I am concerned that the EPA could soon apply similar standards …
Ethanol Petition Comment Period Extension Requested
More than 30 organizations are requesting an extension of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) comment period for a petition that would increase the permitted amount of ethanol in gasoline from its current 10 percent level to 15 percent. The organizations signing on to the request range from livestock and meat associations to food processors, environmental groups and representatives of boats …
Corn Farmers Provides Facts About Land Use
Last week’s ruling by the California Air Resources Board on a low carbon fuel standard that penalizes corn ethanol on the basis of indirect land use has mobilized corn growers to get the facts out about the environmental impact of the nation’s largest crop. “It’s a little known fact that we are growing five times as much corn as our …
Renewable Energy in First 100 Days Progress Report
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack counted progress toward energy independence among the Obama administration’s first 100 days accomplishments. During a meeting in Washington DC with agricultural journalists this week, Vilsack said implementing the 2008 Farm Bill was his number one priority when he took the office of secretary. “The president gave me an instruction when he hired me to continue …
Farm Bureau Supports Increasing Ethanol Blend Level
The American Farm Bureau Federation believes the federal government should increase the ethanol blend level up to 15 percent to help protect the environment, create jobs and reduce dependence on foreign oil. In a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Lisa Jackson, AFBF president Bob Stallman said increasing the ethanol blend level up to 15 percent from the current level of …