The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing Wednesday to discuss the Renewable Fuels for Ocean-Going Vessels Act, introduced earlier this year by Sens. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). The legislation would open new markets for U.S. farmers and biodiesel renewable diesel producers by allowing them to preserve Renewable Identification Number credits (RINs) under the Renewable …
Biofuels on USDA Deputy Secretary’s Mind at 2025 FPS
USDA Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Vaden filled in for his boss at the 2025 Farm Progress Show Tuesday, chatting on the mainstage with Mike Pearson of This Week in AgriBusiness and answering question from farm reporters on site, expressing the administration’s strong support for domestic biofuels. “I think it’s fair to say that the second Trump administration has been …
Clean Fuels Says EPA SRE Decision Creates New Uncertainty
Making the announcement Friday on Small Refinery Exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard, the Environmental Protection Agency also indicated it would propose a supplemental rule in the coming month to consider reallocating the associated RIN gallons and address the impact on the recently proposed 2026-2027 RFS volumes. Clean Fuels Alliance America hopes to work with EPA to quickly finalize this …
EPA Announces Decisions on Small Refinery Waivers
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today took action on the backlog of 175 Small Refinery Exemption (SRE) petitions from 38 small refineries for 2016 – 2024 compliance years. After carefully reviewing all information, EPA is granting full exemptions to 63 petitions, granting partial exemptions to 77 petitions, denying 28 petitions, and determining 7 petitions to be ineligible. EPA is …
Happy 20th Anniversary to the RFS
It took a Texas oil man to finally unleash the power of renewable fuels. In the aftermath of 9/11, energy independence became a driving force for President George W. Bush, and he saw the potential for our nation’s productive farmers to help attain that goal. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 was signed on August 8 of that year at …
RFA Supports EPA’s Proposed RFS Volumes
The Renewable Fuels Association submitted detailed comments to the Environmental Protection Agency this week expressing strong support for the agency’s proposed Renewable Fuel Standard volumes for 2026 and 2027, while also recommending slight modifications to the agency’s plan for prioritizing American-made renewable fuels over import-based fuels. RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper wrote that the proposed volumes “will provide the …
RFA CEO Responds to EPA Endangerment Finding Proposal
Last week, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin released a new proposal to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding, which would effectively repeal all vehicle greenhouse gas standards. It would also mark one of the largest deregulatory actions in American history. According to EPA, the Endangerment Finding is the legal prerequisite used by previous administrations to regulate emissions from new motor …
Ethanol Report on the RFS at Twenty
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 was signed by President George W. Bush on August 8 of that year at Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico – symbolizing a new approach to energy economics and security, diversifying our transportation fuel supply by incentivizing ethanol and biodiesel by initiating the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). This month marks the 20th anniversary …
Land Use Change Study Author Moves to MSU
The author of a 2022 land use change study out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison that caused negative headlines for the ethanol industry is moving to Michigan. Tyler Lark will join the Michigan State University Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences in August as an assistant professor after spending the last six years as a scientist in the University …
Back to the Future with the RFS
For the first time in 20 years, the Senate has a strong ethanol champion as Majority Leader in Sen. John Thune (R-SD). The last time was another South Dakotan, Democrat Tom Daschle, who was instrumental in crafting the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Jonathon Lehman, who has been the American Coalition for Ethanol lobbyist for many years, served as Counsel to …