On the eve of Earth Day 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency began accepting public comment on the waiver request to raise the amount of ethanol blended into gasoline from 10 percent to up to 15 percent.
Citing the Earth Day connection, waiver petitioner Growth Energy urged Americans to support the increased use of clean, green ethanol by submitting comments supporting the request. According to Growth Energy, moving from the current ten percent blend up to a 15 percent blend could reduce an additional 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per year – a reduction equal to removing 3.5 million vehicles from the road.
“As citizens and policymakers alike work to green our planet, ethanol represents among the best solutions to fuel our country’s environmental sustainability, economic growth and energy independence,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. “Growth Energy encourages all Americans to stand with us in support of ethanol by making your voice heard to the EPA.”
Written comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0211, must be received within 30 days of today’s publication date. More information can be found on-line from EPA.
In 
It’s appropriately named Independence Station because it’s located in Independence, Oregon. But it could be named for the independence from foreign energy sources, as the “world’s greenest building” will be fueled with biodiesel.
Many warmer parts of the world, including the American Southeast, have been cultivating the jatropha plant as a source material for biodiesel. But farmers in colder climates would like to look into the warm-loving, non-food feedstock, too. Well, if everything goes well with research at a Pennsylvania school, they might just get the chance.
State senators in Iowa have passed a standard that would require all diesel fuel sold in the state contain 5 percent biodiesel. The measure still needs to clear the State House and gain the governor’s signature to become law. If it does, the Hawkeye State would become the eighth state in the nation to have a biodiesel requirement, joining Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, New Mexico and Massachusetts, which all have biodiesel mandates.
“Iowa has been a leader in the helping to establish biodiesel as a reliable and renewable energy alternative,” said Joe Jobe, National Biodiesel Board CEO. “Biodiesel gives all Iowans an opportunity to use a renewable fuel made for, grown by, refined by, and distributed by Iowans. This is empowering the citizens of the state to choose to use less foreign oil.” 
The 2009 Alternative Fuels & Vehicles (AF&V) Conference and Expo has kicked off in Orlando, Florida. The industry event represents all fuels, vehicles and technologies that provide an alternative to petroleum including: natural gas, ethanol, biodiesel, propane, electricity, and hydrogen, and their companion vehicles. 
The exhibit hall opened yesterday and showcases booths from a variety of alternative fuel industry groups and automakers. An important workshop was held this afternoon and focused on the untruths of the alternative fuel industry. The session, Eco-Smackdown: Industry Addresses Untruths About Alternative Fuels, included a panel of experts from industries representing propane, compressed natural gas, biodiesel, and ethanol. An overview was given of each fuel and the audience was allowed to ask how to dispel their untruths and negativity, mainly from the media.
Ethanol breakthroughs were discussed mentioning cellulosic, using corn cobs in pilot plants and the efforts to move from E10 to E15. Curtis Donaldson of CleanFUEL USA said, “How great would it be to combine all these alternative fuels and successfully displace 35 billion gallons of gasoline by the year 2025. The group agreed that it will take all the fuels to displace gasoline. Although there are myths and untruths, we are in a transition. This can be done.”
Currently most fuel in Oregon contains ten percent ethanol. The Oregon State Marine Board cites caution for using ethanol blended fuel in boats. They say that ethanol can dissolve the inside of certain boat fuel tanks and ethanol absorbs more water.
Looking for an environmentally friendly way to discuss the power of wind? On May 26-27, 2009, 
The focus of this year’s Earth Day Indiana event is “how to do cool environmental stuff” and the Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) and 
In preparation for the ruling, the ethanol industry has been working with CARB to document ethanol as a proven low carbon fuel. Today, the 