At the same time the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) submitted comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s annual proposed Renewable Fuel Standard rule on Friday, the industry was hit with a court ruling that upholds the agency’s method for setting biomass-based diesel volumes in the 2017 RFS rules. In comments on the RFS rule, NBB urged EPA to increase advanced biofuel …
Biofuels Industry to EPA: Restore Lost Gallons
Ethanol and biodiesel producers, corn and soybean farmers, all had the same message to the Environmental Protection Agency regarding proposed renewable volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) – restore the gallons of biofuel blending volumes lost under the numerous small refinery exemptions granted by the agency over the past two years. Industry organizations delivered comments to the EPA …
RFA: Docs Show EPA Ignored Recommendations
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is sharing documents that show the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) disregarded Trump Administration recommendations regarding small refinery exemptions. Documents obtained by RFA show that the EPA ignored strong recommendations from within the Trump Administration to redistribute Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending obligations lost to small refinery exemptions in the proposed rule for 2020 Renewable Volume …
Fallout from EPA Refinery Waivers Continues
President Trump reportedly held a meeting with his cabinet Monday concerned about backlash from farmers over new small refinery waivers, but an EPA official added fuel to the fire yesterday by saying there was “zero evidence” of demand destruction for ethanol due to the numerous refinery exemptions allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency. “To suggest that there is ‘zero evidence’ …
RFA CEO Surprised by New Waivers
Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Geoff Cooper was surprised and angry when the Environmental Protection Agency waited until the very end of the day Friday to announce 31 more exemptions from complying with the Renewable Fuel Standard were granted to oil refineries, representing 1.43 billion gallons of additional lost RFS demand. “We don’t understand how in the world …
Farm and Biofuel Groups Dismayed by EPA Refinery Waivers
Small refinery waivers will continue to take a chunk out of the gallons of biofuel that should be blended into our nation’s transportation fuel supply under the Renewable Fuel Standard, thanks to the Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement late Friday that granted 31 more exemptions, representing 1.43 billion gallons of additional lost RFS demand. Only six of the requests for 2018 …
Coalition Goes to Court Over Biofuel Waivers
A coalition of seven agricultural and biofuels organizations is seeking court action to force the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to account for lost biofuel volumes resulting from small refinery exemptions granted by the agency. The coalition consisting of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Growth Energy (Growth), National Biodiesel Board (NBB), National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), …
Biofuels Groups Testify at EPA RFS Hearing
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) heard concerns from many biofuels industry stakeholders during a public hearing Wednesday in Ypsilanti, Michigan on the proposed rule to set 2020 renewable volume obligations (RVOs) and the 2021 RVO for biomass-based diesel under the Renewable Fuel Standard. Much of the comments from both sides of the issues centered on whether or not EPA …
EPA Chief Urged to Visit Ethanol Plant
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler visited an oil refinery in Pennsylvania Monday at the request of Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), who just last week filed legislation in Congress to eliminate corn ethanol from the Renewable Fuel Standard. Now ethanol producers would like to see Wheeler visit one of their plants. “This refinery produces 200k barrels/day and is a great economic driver …
RFA CEO Blasts RFS Reform Bill
Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Geoff Cooper criticized recycled legislation introduced last week by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Pat Toomey (R-PA) that “abolishes the corn ethanol mandate in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).” “Perhaps Senators Feinstein and Toomey are confused about the RFS. There is no ‘corn ethanol mandate’ under the program and there never has been. …