The 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee will hold its first public meeting this week on Wednesday, September 5 at 9:30 am Eastern. Agriculture Committee Chairmen Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Rep. K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, and Ranking Members Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., announced the meeting last month, saying that they are “committed to working together …
Ethanol Groups File New Lawsuit Over Exemptions
Two major ethanol advocacy organizations are demanding transparency from the Environmental Protection Agency on the granting of small refinery exemptions from Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) obligations. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Growth Energy filed a joint lawsuit in federal district court, alleging that EPA and Department of Energy have “improperly denied agency records requested …. under the Freedom of …
Ethanol Stakeholders Submit RFS Comments
Friday was the final day to submit comments to the EPA on proposed 2019 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) renewable volume obligations (RVOs) and ethanol stakeholders made sure they had their say. Despite the EPA specifically noting that comments on small refinery exemptions would be “deemed beyond the scope of this rulemaking,” every group commenting had something to say about the …
High Octane Ethanol Fits Fuel Economy Standards
The proposed Fuel Economy Standards for 2021-2026 Vehicles could put high octane ethanol in the fast lane at last. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are seeking public comment on a wide range of regulatory options proposed in the SAFE Vehicles Rule, including how high octane fuels could facilitate engine efficiency improvements and …
Trump in Iowa Reaffirms Support for Ethanol
As President Trump was starting a roundtable on workforce development in Iowa Thursday, his very first words were about ethanol. “I’m very close, I have to tell you, to pulling off something that you’ve been looking forward to for many years and that’s the 12 month E15 waiver,”said Trump. “It’s a very complex process.” Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor said …
USDA Announces Trade Disruption Relief for Farmers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will take several actions to assist farmers negatively impacted by recent trade actions. President Trump directed Secretary Perdue to craft a short-term relief strategy to protect agricultural producers while the Administration works on free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals to open more markets in the long run to help American farmers compete globally. Specifically, …
Growth Energy Ad Urges E15 Approval
Growth Energy has a new television ad running that casts a spotlight on the repeated calls from rural America for pro-biofuel policies from President Trump and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “Rural America is hurting, and these communities are counting on President Trump and his administration to uphold his promise to support biofuels,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “The …
Growth Energy Urges EPA to Correct RFS Course
Growth Energy is calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to chart a “major course correction on annual biofuel targets.” The proposed rule raises the total 2019 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) by 3 percent over the 2018 requirement, and maintains a 15-billion-gallon requirement for conventional biofuels like corn ethanol, but does nothing to address the 2.25 billion gallons worth of …
Growth Energy Hires New Communications VP
Jennifer Morris has joined Growth Energy as new Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs. Morris previously served as Senior Vice President of Corporate and Public Affairs at Edelman. “One of our main directives at Growth Energy is to effectively communicate that success story – whether it be to policymakers, consumers, members, or other industry stakeholders – in a way …
American Drivers Surpass 5 Billion Miles on E15
In the midst of Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) restrictions on the sale E15 fuel across most of the country, American drivers have still driven another billion miles on 15 percent ethanol fuel in the past two months, for a total of 5 billion miles on E15, according to Growth Energy. The latest milestone was reached as consumers only have access …