The Renewable Fuels Association has filed a motion to intervene on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency in a suit brought against the agency by the Center for Biological Diversity over the Renewable Fuel Standard. The environmental organization’s suit seeks a court review of EPA’s renewable volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard for compliance years 2020 through 2022, and …
RFA CEO Corrects Anti-Ethanol Fact Errors
As the saying goes, “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.” In a recent Washington Times guest column, anti-ethanol critic Jerry Jung, founder of the group “ReThink Ethanol,” presents complete falsehoods about both ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard as facts in order to try and prove his opinion that ethanol is bad. Renewable Fuels …
RFA Concerned With EPA Candidates for RFS Review
At least three of the 20 candidates the Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to review the environmental impacts of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for Congress have a serious bias against ethanol, according to the Renewable Fuels Association, and should not be considered. In comments submitted this week, RFA urged EPA to exclude these candidates from consideration to serve on …
EPA Official Speaks to Ethanol Conference
It was 12 years ago that Sarah Dunham, EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality Director, spoke to the Renewable Fuels Association’s National Ethanol Conference in Orlando. EPA’s rules for the expanded Renewable Fuel Standard had just been issued and 2022 seemed like a very long time in the future. This week, she addressed the conference again to talk about …
Senate Committee Hearing Looks at RFS
The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing Wednesday to examine the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Chairman Tom Carper (D-DE) said the committee has not held an oversight hearing on the RFS since 2016. “Since the implementation of the program, we’ve come a long way toward achieving our goals. Economic growth in agricultural communities has expanded …
EPA Extends RFS Compliance Deadlines
The Environmental Protection Agency announced four actions Friday that include extending the 2019 Renewable Fuel Standard compliance deadline for small refineries as well as the 2020, 2021 and 2022 deadlines for all companies subject to biofuel usage mandates. The final extensions (both for 2019-2022 and for 2023+) will help ensure that obligated parties are positioned to fully comply with their …
ACE Testimony Encourages EPA to Revise RFS Proposal
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings testified on behalf of the organization’s members today during a virtual public hearing on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) rulemaking for 2020, 2021 and 2022 compliance years. Jennings noted that they are pleased EPA proposed a statutory 15 billion gallons for 2022 and put forth a plan …
NBB Voices Biodiesel Comments on EPA Proposals
Five members of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) staff brought testimony to the Environmental Protection Agency during a virtual hearing today on proposed renewable volume obligations for 2020 through 2022. Testifying on behalf of NBB were Kate Shenk, Director of Regulatory Affairs; David Cobb, Director of Federal Affairs; Donnell Rehagen, CEO; Matt Herman, Director of Environmental Science; and Scott Fenwick, …
Ethanol Industry Testifies on EPA RFS Proposals
The Environmental Protection Agency is holding a virtual hearing today with fuel industry stakeholders on proposed renewable volume obligations for 2020 through 2022. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper kicked off the hearing for the ethanol industry with his comments that EPA’s proposal marks “an important and long-awaited step toward restoring order, integrity and stability to the Renewable …
EPA Biofuels Proposals Reaction
Biofuel supporters are having mixed reactions to the two proposals released this week by the Environmental Protection Agency related to the Renewable Fuel Standard. On the good side, EPA proposed to deny 65 pending small refinery exemption (SRE) petitions based on the Tenth Circuit court decision in Renewable Fuels Association et al. v. EPA. However, the proposed package setting Renewable …