The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis today released a comprehensive plan titled “Solving the Climate Crisis: The Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just America.” The Climate Crisis Action Plan, released as a majority staff report, has received the early support of agricultural organizations and biofuels groups pleased to see the …
SIRE Donates Hand Sanitizer for RFA Promotional Events
Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) has donated 1,000 bottles of its proprietary SIREtizer hand sanitizer to the Renewable Fuels Association to distribute at summer ethanol promotional events upcoming events, including the Sturgis motorcycle rally in South Dakota, where RFA has had a presence for more than a decade. “Like so many others in our industry, SIRE was able to step-up …
Senators Urge EPA to Reject Retroactive Waivers
A bipartisan group of 16 senators sent a letter this week urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reject any petitions for Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for past compliance years. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and a dozen others said in the letter to EPA Administrator …
Ethanol Report 6-25-20
Ethanol production is slowly coming back now after reaching record lows due to coronavirus restrictions that took a toll on transportation fuel consumption. But recovery is still a long way off and the uncertainty posed by the threat of EPA granting more small refinery exemptions is making it even more difficult. The Congressional Biofuels Caucus is doing all it can …
RIP Ethanol Industry Leader Bob Sather
The ethanol industry has lost a good friend and industry leader in Bob Sather who passed away on June 16 after a long battle with prostate cancer. Sather entered the ethanol industry after retiring from a career in education in Wisconsin. He became a founding member of Ace Ethanol in Stanley, Wisc., and served as the Director of Government Relations …
RFA Webinar to Train Safety Trainers
The Renewable Fuels Association, in partnership with TRANSCAER, is hosting a free Ethanol Emergency Response “Train the Trainer” webinar on Tuesday, June 23. The webinar will take place from noon to 2 p.m. ET and is funded through a Federal Railroad Administration/TRANSCAER grant. It is designed to train a group of individuals who can then turn around and pass that …
Biofuels Caucus to Hold Town Hall on Ethanol
Members of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus will hold a virtual town hall “An Open Discussion with Congressional and Industry Leaders on the Challenges, Opportunities and Next Steps for the Ethanol Industry” today at 5 PM Eastern time. Participating in the meeting will be Biofuels Caucus members Reps. Collin Peterson (D-MN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Dave Loebsack (D-IA), and Rodney Davis (R-IL). …
RFA Calls on President to Reject Refinery Waivers
Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Geoff Cooper penned a letter to President Donald Trump yesterday on the anniversary of his appearance at an Iowa ethanol plant calling on him to reject attempts to grant the oil industry more waivers from renewable fuel obligations. “One year ago today, you visited Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy in Council Bluffs to join us …
Ethanol Report 6-11-20
One year after President Trump visited Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) to celebrate allowing E15 to be sold in the summer months, the ethanol industry is facing its toughest year ever, despite the fact that sales of E15 have indeed increased significantly. In this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast, we take a look back at President Trump’s visit and …
President Trump at Iowa Ethanol Plant – One Year Later
It was one year ago today that President Donald Trump made a victorious visit to Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) ethanol plant in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to celebrate regulatory changes that would finally allow year-round retail sales of 15% ethanol (E15). At the event, the President also heard from farmers and ethanol industry leaders about the devastating impact of RFS …