Another day, more jobs lost due to Congress’ inaction on renewing the $1-a-gallon federal biodiesel tax credit. This time, it’s the Maple River Energy biodiesel plant near Galva, Iowa. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association says 12 of the facility’s 18 employees are being laid off until the biodiesel blenders credit is reinstated: Delayne Johnson, General Manager of Maple River Energy, …
Biodiesel Board Cites Earth Day in Renewal Call
This past week marked the 40th anniversary of the original green event, Earth Day. And the National Biodiesel Board used the occasion to call for an important tax break for the original advanced biofuel – biodiesel. This NBB press release says renewal of the $1-a-gallon federal tax incentive is imperative for the economic health of the country and the ecological …
House Leader: Biodiesel Incentive Back by Summer
A key Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives has set a goal of Congress renewing the $1-a-gallon federal biodiesel tax incentive and sending the measure to Pres. Obama by the end of May. The Des Moines (IA) Register reports that House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Michigan Democrat Sander Levin made the prediction: The House and Senate have been …
USDA Watching and Waiting on Biodiesel Incentive
Federal ag department officials seem to be rooting for renewal of the $1-a-gallon biodiesel tax incentive to finally pass Congress … but no one from USDA is pressuring lawmakers to get the deal done. During yesterday’s event in Hawaii, where the U.S. Navy and USDA pledged to work together to produce more biofuels for the service’s renewable energy goals, reporters …
Lack of Biodiesel Tax Cut Cuts REG Iowa Workforce, REG Launches Facebook Page
Iowa-based Renewable Energy Group has had to lay off 45 percent of its workforce in the company’s home state, due to the failure of Congress to renew the $1-a-gallon federal biodiesel tax credit. REG is expected to meet with two key members of Congress, Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) and Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), at REG facilities in each of the …
New Energy Plan – Offshore Drilling
President Obama gave a speech this morning from a hanger at Andrews Air Force Base reiterating our country’s need for energy independence. This will be done, he says, through energy initiatives and the government will “lead by example.” In the background, a Navy Green Hornet jet that will fly on a mix of 50 percent biomass on earth day next …
Pennsylvania Biodiesel Heating Oil Mandate Considered
Pennsylvania residents might soon take the chill off their cold winter nights (and cool spring, summer and fall days and nights) with a dose of biodiesel. This post from Heatingoil.com says a new bill introduced in the state legislature by Sen. Ted Erickson would require heating oil to be blended with biodiesel, as well as lowering the sulfur content in …
Biodiesel Incentive to Wait At Least Until Mid-April
Although it has a broad base of support across the country (unlike a certain health care measure that 60+ percent of Americans don’t favor), renewal of the federal $1-a-gallon biodiesel tax incentive seems that it will have to wait at least a month at the earliest before Congress will get to it. This article from Reuters says with Congressional recesses …
Biodiesel – A Great Success Story
“Biodiesel is a great fuel. It’s a great success story,” said Rob Joslin, the President of the American Soybean Association when I asked him during an interview (see below for audio) why biodiesel is so important to our country. While the biodiesel has had great success, it is currently facing a challenge – the $1 per gallon tax credit expired …
GWEC Releases “Great Expectations” Wind Report
“It is clear that Congress must pass a strong federal renewable electricity standard so that investors, developers and state policy makers are working together to achieve a common goal,” said Iowa Governor Chet Culver today during a press call to release the findings of a new wind energy report: Great Expectations: U.S. Wind Energy Development, the Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition’s …