Under the biofuels plan announced Friday, the Environmental Protection Agency will propose and request public comment on expanding biofuel requirements beginning in 2020 and will seek comment on actions to ensure that more than 15 billion gallons of conventional ethanol be blended into the nation’s fuel supply beginning in 2020, and that the volume obligation for biomass-based diesel is met. …
EPA and USDA Announce Biofuels Agreement
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and USDA Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued joint statements on an agreement promoting biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard. “President Trump’s leadership has led to an agreement that continues to promote domestic ethanol and biodiesel production, supporting our Nation’s farmers and providing greater energy security,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Today’s agreement …
Corn and Ethanol Producers Waiting for Relief
Ethanol producers and corn farmers held a telephone press conference Wednesday to spotlight recent research on the impacts of ethanol plant closings, a new survey on voter attitudes about ethanol, and a potential White House agreement to promote further renewable fuels use. The main message from Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper, new National Corn Growers Association President …
Survey Finds Support for RFS, Not for Waivers
A new survey of registered voters finds strong opposition to allowing oil refiners out of their obligations to blend renewable fuels into gasoline. New polling data released today by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) found opposition to refinery waivers by a margin of nearly two to one. The nationwide survey by Morning Consult also found strong support for ethanol and …
Corn Growers Urge President to Uphold RFS
As harvest is getting into high gear at the end of a difficult year, corn farmers are urging President Trump to follow the law and keep the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) whole. Leaders of corn grower organizations in 23 states sent a letter to the president last week, calling on him to stop the harm caused by waivers and restore …
RFA to Lawmakers: Thanks for Letter to EPA
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is applauding lawmakers for support of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). RFA thanked a bipartisan group of 25 members of the U.S. House of Representatives for asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to prospectively restore RFS volumes lost to small refinery exemptions. In a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, the House group also asked …
Court Rules Against NBB on Small Refinery Exemptions
Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit dismissed a petition filed by the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) on regarding the 2018 Renewable Fuel Standard rule EPA’s refusal to properly account for retroactive small refinery exemptions. The Court dismissed NBB’s petition on the technicality that the biofuel industry did not comment on the topic and provide EPA …
RFS Support is Key Iowa Voter Issue
A majority of Iowa voters say the future of biofuels will play a role in how they vote in 2020, according to the Iowa Biodiesel Board. New public opinion research shows a decisive 78 percent of voters in Iowa support expanding biofuel usage in the U.S. through the federal Renewable Fuel Standard. In addition, 77 percent of voters said it’s …
Biodiesel Industry Hits Keep Coming
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 …