Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Tom Udall (D-NM) introduced legislation this week to update the nation’s antiquated public lands royalty system and ensure that taxpayers get fair returns on leases of public lands for oil and gas production. Introducing the bipartisan Fair Returns for Public Lands Act of 2020, Grassley said, “Low royalty rates on oil produced on federal lands …
Minnesota #Biodiesel Mandate Stands Firm
Minnesota has been and continues to be a leader in the support of biofuels and was the first state to pass a biodiesel mandate requiring B20 (20 percent biodiesel, 80 percent diesel), to be used in 2018. Last year a motley group of oil, gas, trucking, auto manufactures and dealers and trade groups, sued four key Minnesota state legislators directly …
Rep Black Intros Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension Bill
Another federal bill has been introduced to extend the biodiesel tax credit. Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) has introduced the “Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel Incentive Extension Act of 2016” (H.R. 5994). The bill extends the tax credit through 2018 and according to Black, would help fuel retailers continue to sell biodiesel blends at a cost competitive price as compared to traditional …
Washington’s Proposed Clean Air Rule Missing #Biofuels
The state of Washington has proposed its own Clean Air Rule (CAR) and according to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), the rule does not factor in the environmental and health benefits of ethanol blended fuels. In their comments submitted to the Washington Department of Ecology, RFA states that the proposed rule is inconsistent with virtually every other program designed to …
Hawaii Gov David Ige Signs State #Biodiesel Tax Credit
Hawaii Governor David Ige has signed the state’s Renewable Fuels Production Tax Credit into law. The bill is another mechanism the state is using to reach its goal of generating 100 percent of its electricity from renewable resources by 2045. Hawaii has the highest energy costs across America’s 50 states. Pacific Biodiesel Technologies President Robert King attended the formal signing, …
ASA Applauds Proposed #Biodiesel Bill
Last week Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash) introduced biodiesel legislation that would extend the $1 per gallon biodiesel tax credit through 2019 and only allow domestically produced biodiesel to quality for the credit. The American Soybean Association, applauded the proposed bill. “This bill allows producers the security they need to grow their operations in the coming years, …
House #Biofuels Caucus To @EPA: Get #RFS Back on Track
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) remains under fire regarding its proposed rule for the 2017 renewable fuel volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). This week, 17 members of the House Biofuels Caucus sent a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, urging the agency to complete its 2017 RFS “in a manner consistent with the Congressional intent to aggressively …
NBB Applauds Senators for #Biodiesel Tax Incentive Bill
Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash) plus 12 co-sponsors have introduced legislation to extend the biodiesel tax incentive through 2019 that is set to expire at the end of this year. The bill would also reform the tax credit to apply only to domestically produced biodiesel. The bill follows similar legislation Sens. Grassley and Cantwell previously introduced, including …
High Octane, Low Carb #Biofuels Better for Fuel Economy
Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader, Tom Daschle, is leading an effort to ensure that high octane, low carbon fuels are part of EPA’s midterm evaluation of the progress of federal fuel economy standards. Daschle was the author of the reformulated and oxygenated fuel provisions of the Clean Air Act, and also the lead sponsor of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), …
IA Gov Signs #Biodiesel Incentive Legislation
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed SF 2309 into law this week, a bill expanding state biodiesel incentives. The bill includes a tax credit that assists the states 13 operational biodiesel producers remain competitive in the marketplace. The bill also includes a retailer’s credit that encourages fuel retailers to carry higher blends of biodiesel than they may currently offer consumers. Gov. …