House Hearing on Future of Renewable Fuels Now

John Davis

Just a quick note to let you all know we are listening in on the House Energy and Power Subcommittee Hearing on Renewable Fuels. I’ll have more details later, but I can tell you that there is some differences in opinion between those testifying today. Jack Gerard, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Petroleum Institute is making the …

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Government, Legislation

DF Cast: What’s in the Farm Bill for Biofuels?

John Davis

The U.S. Senate has passed its version of the Farm Bill… or as Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack likes to call it by its more proper name, Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012, because of its all-encompassing nature (he even “fines” people in his office $1 for every time they give the shortened, less encompassing name)… and it …

Audio, Biodiesel, biofuels, Domestic Fuel Cast, Ethanol, Government, Legislation

Ag Energy Coalition Recognizes Work on Farm Bill

John Davis

A coalition working to make sure there are resources in this year’s Farm Bill to prop up renewable energy has recognized Ohio Congresswoman Rep. Marcy Kaptur and 16 other lawmakers for their work on energy programs in the current legislation: The Ag Energy Coalition applauded Kaptur and bill’s original co-sponsors, including Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa), Rep. …

Government, Legislation

Truman Project VP Talks Green Energy to Congress

John Davis

Folks from the Truman Project, a progressive think tank, were on Capitol Hill today, making their pitch for green energy. Mike Breen, Vice President of the Truman National Security Project and Operation Free Veteran, testified before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, talking about the need for clean, domestic energy: “The connection between our energy posture …

Energy, Government, Legislation

Biodiesel Leaders Call on Congress and Administration

More than 120 biodiesel leaders are in Washington D.C. this week to call on Congress to extend the expired biodiesel tax incentive and to urge the Obama Administration to quickly finalize the EPA’s proposal to grow biodiesel volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standard next year. Industry leaders met with White House officials and members of Congress. They will specifically be …

Biodiesel, Legislation, NBB

IRFA Asks President Obama to Take Action on Biodiesel

President Obama will visit TPI Composites, a wind manufacturer, in Newton, Iowa today as he urges Congress to act on the “To Do List,” specifically highlighting the need to invest in clean energy by passing legislation that will extend the Production Tax Credit (PTC) to support American jobs and manufacturing in the wind industry alongside an expansion of the 48C …

Biodiesel, Iowa RFA, Legislation

Groups Encourage Support of Energy Title Programs

More than 100 organizations that represent a broad range of renewable energy, farm, ranch, commodity, environmental and other groups have joined together to ask leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees to reauthorize and fund energy title programs from the farm bill that revitalize rural America and improve national security and the environment. According to the letter, the Rural …

Energy, Legislation

REG Launches New Advocacy Website

Renewable Energy Group® (REG) has a new policy advocacy website designed to centralize the company’s constituents and rally support for biodiesel policy issues. The new site design allows supporters to sign up for informational updates and alerts and then offers an-easy-to-use platform to contact state or federal elected officials. Go online for registration and more information. “We are urging the …

Biodiesel, Legislation, REG

NBB Testifies Before Senate Finance Committee

The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) testified this week to the Senate Finance Committee about the importance of reinstating the industry’s tax incentive. The $1-per-gallon biodiesel tax incentive expired on Dec. 31 for the second time in three years. Anne Steckel, NBB vice president of federal affairs, said in her testimony, that when the incentive was reinstated last year after a …

Biodiesel, Legislation

Obama Endorses Extending Tax Credit

In the State of the Union Address and other appearances this week, President Obama is endorsing a proposal that would extend the advanced energy manufacturing tax credit. The Security in Energy and Manufacturing (SEAM) Act, authored by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), is a job-creating clean energy tax cut, which has delivered nearly $125 million to seven Ohio manufacturers to …

Energy, Legislation, politics