The Algal Biomass Organization (ABO) may be relatively young, having been formed in March of 2006, but they have made some significant strides in Washington, D.C. in lobbying for advanced biofuels such as algae, to play on the same field as cellulosic biofuels. I caught up with Mary Rosenthal, ABO’s executive director after her multi-day trip to D.C. to learn …
Montana Biodiesel Research Facing Budget Cuts
State funding for a biodiesel research facility in Montana could be on the chopping block. This story from TV station KXLH in Helena says the cut would hit the Montana State University-Northern lab in Havre: Five years ago, MSU-Northern received $800,000 in grant funding for infrastructure and staffing for a new biofuel lab at the MSU-N Bio-Energy Center Now the …
Sen. Klobuchar Introduces Ethanol Legislation
A bill introduced yesterday by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tim Johnson (D-SD) called the Securing America’s Future with Energy and Sustainable Technologies (SAFEST) Act establishes strong renewable energy and energy-efficiency standards, incentives for developing biofuels and biofuel infrastructure, and targets for the availability of advanced vehicle technologies. More specifically, the legislation would establish new incentives for biofuels infrastructure and …
More Wheeling & Dealing in DC on Ethanol
There is more wheeling & dealing on ethanol measures going on in DC today. Sens. Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) introduced a bill that would repeal the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) also known as the blender’s credit. Policy makers have been attempting to end VEETC for many years and made an unsuccessful, but down to the …
Coalition Urges Congress To Axe Ethanol Tax
The fight over the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) continues. Earlier this week, a coalition of “usual suspects” made up of 90 business associations, taxpayer advocates, hunger and development organizations, agricultural groups, free-market groups, religious organizations, environmental groups, ‘budget hawks’, and public interest groups sent a letter to the Congressional leadership asking them to axe the tax. In addition, …
“Say No to OPEC” Campaign Launches
Just in time for Congressional lawmakers to return to work, Growth Energy launched a DC advertising blitz, “Say No to OPEC, Say Yes to America.” According to the organization, the campaign includes a display ad in Roll Call and online ads – including home-page takeovers – on TheHill.com and on the daily E&E Newsletter. Chris Thorne, Public Affairs Director for …
Oil Scores a Victory in House, Ethanol Continues Battle
In an update to a story posted earlier this week, in a late night vote the House of Representatives have approved provisions that would block the implementation of E15 into the marketplace. Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK) presented a provision to the House Continuing Resolution (a short-term resolution that would fund the government through the end of this year) that would …
Republicans Turn Their Ire Toward Ethanol
Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK) has submitted a proposed amendment to the House Continuing Resolution, a short-term resolution that was enacted during the lame duck session last year that would fund the government through March 2011, that would block E15 from gaining market share throughout the U.S. This past January, the EPA approved the use of E15, a blend of 15 …
DF Cast: New Year, New Legislation for Ethanol, Biodiesel
The new year brings talk of new legislation for the ethanol and biodiesel industries. In this edition of the Domestic Fuel Cast, we talk to some of the leaders of the green fuels’ industries, as well as the head of the nation’s largest farm organization, to get their takes on what should be coming from Washington, D.C. as far as …
Sen. Harkin Introduces “Biofuels Market Expansion Act”
U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) introduced a new piece of legislation today, called the “Biofuels Market Expansion Act of 2011.” The bill, if passed, would ensure an increasing number of automobiles in the U.S. be flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs), expands the number of blender pumps and make renewable fuel pipelines eligible for the federal loan guarantee pipeline program. The bill …