Reps Urge End to Abuse of Small Refinery Exemptions

Cindy Zimmerman

A bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives is urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to stop issuing Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) for large or unqualified refiners under the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) program.

Reps. Cindy Axne (D-IA) and Adrian Smith (R-NE) led 35 other representatives in a letter sent to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, highlighting how the expansion of biofuel waivers hurts farmers who rely on demand for corn-based ethanol and other biofuels and has increased our dependence on foreign oil.

“Our farmers and rural communities rely on a thriving biofuels market to support their families and create good-paying jobs. Increasing Renewable Fuels Standards (RFS) waivers not only threatens our energy security, but stifles competition in an industry that is an economic driver and job creator across Iowa and the Midwest,” said Rep. Axne. “I’m proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to meet our RFS goals and reduce our reliance on foreign oil.”

Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE) at 2016 ACE Fly-in

“Waiving the Renewable Fuels Standard impedes the biofuels market and limits consumers’ options at the pump,” Rep. Smith said. “I look forward to working with the Administration to keep our commitments to the biofuels industry, which in turn will help foster the development of greater American energy independence.”

Ethanol industry representatives thanked the members for their support. “We strongly agree with this bi-partisan group that EPA must restore the renewable fuel blending requirements that were erased through these clandestine waivers. The refinery exemptions have had devastating impacts on our nation’s farm sector and renewable fuels industry, and the bailouts have resulted in American consumers paying more money at the pump for dirtier fuels,” said Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Geoff Cooper.

ACE, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

Petition Urges Car Makers to Build More FFVs

Cindy Zimmerman

A grassroots effort has begun to let auto manufacturers know American drivers want more flex-fuel vehicle options.

In recent months, auto manufacturers have signaled they are pulling back on the production of flex-fuel vehicles, which can run on a variety of higher ethanol blends up to E85. Two members of the ethanol industry decided to let auto makers know how Americans feel about that by starting a petition. Paul Kamp with Whitefox Technologies and the Chicago Bioenergy Group spearheaded the petition, along with Chris Schwarck of Absolute Energy.

The petition reads:

We are consumers of your vehicles and we request that you manufacture cars and trucks of all models, engines and trim levels that will allow the use of higher ethanol blends such as E15, E20, E30 and E85. This would make our purchasing experience more enjoyable and less cumbersome than it is today. Many of us can simply not find the vehicles we wish to purchase. In addition, this would be beneficial to your sales presentation to offer environmentally friendly vehicles that burn clean, high-octane American made fuel, while supporting rural America and U.S. agriculture.

See it and sign it – here.

E85, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Flex Fuel Vehicles

Stay Strong Nebraska Helping Farmers and Ranchers Rebuild

The flood waters may be receding, but the damage from them still remains and Nebraska farmers and ranchers will need help for some time yet to rebuild. “Stay Strong Nebraska” is an initiative created to do just that, providing easy access to the Nebraska Farm Bureau Disaster Relief Fund and Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund with all donations remaining in the state.

Federal officials estimate the bomb cyclone weather phenomenon and subsequent flooding caused $1.4 billion in damages in the state of Nebraska. The damage assessment accounts for livestock, crop loss and infrastructure damage, but does not reflect personal property losses such as homes and farm buildings. Steve Nelson, president of Nebraska Farm Bureau, has met with dozens of families in many of the agricultural communities impacted by the recent storms. Listen to the update he gave on the situation at last week’s Water for Food Conference in Lincoln.

WFF19 Presentation by Steve Nelson, Nebraska Farm Bureau

Nebraska Cattlemen is also taking action to help ranchers and cattlemen. Pete McClymont, executive vice president of Nebraska Cattlemen, said the response from the community has been generous and heart-warming. “Gifts received by Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund will be disbursed to cattle producers in need, regardless of membership in Nebraska Cattlemen,” said McClymont. “This entire process has been very humbling knowing some cattlemen and women that were heavily impacted have already turned away assistance. We want every rancher, farmer, producer that has been impacted to know there are monies for qualified applicants. Every dollar given to a fund was donated with those impacted in mind.”

Nebraska-based agency Swanson Russell is helping with the effort and has created some media materials for use, including radio and TV spots, and are encouraging people to use them and spread the word that donations are still needed.

Stay Strong Nebraska 30 second radio spot

Stay Strong Nebraska Media Kit

AgWired Animal, AgWired Energy, AgWired Precision, Audio

Indiana Corn Holds High Octane Fuel Summit

Cindy Zimmerman

It was a full house last week at the Dallara IndyCar Factory for the Indiana Corn Growers High Octane Fuel Summit. The annual event was rebranded by the Indiana Corn Growers Association (ICGA) to cover marketing and equipment topics in addition to policy discussions

Among the presentations at the event was a panel discussion moderated by American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Senior Vice President and Market Development Director Ron Lamberty on future fuels.

The panelists Tom Navarre of Family Express, Nathanial Doddridge of Casey’s General Store, and Martin Dunifon with Gasoline Equipment Services Company discussed real life E15 and flex fuel station conversion, benefits and challenges of offering higher ethanol blends, and the growth of ethanol sales in their markets.”

Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Geoff Cooper also presented at the event.

ACE, corn, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA

U.S. Grains Council Board Names Next President And CEO

Cindy Zimmerman

U.S. Grains Council (USGC) Director in Mexico Ryan LeGrand has been named as its next president and chief executive officer, effective next month.

LeGrand joined the organization in Mexico in 2015 and has served as the director of the Council’s Mexico City office since 2016. In this capacity, he has overseen the expansion of the Council’s programming in that country to include ethanol promotion and worked to steady relations with the U.S. and Mexican feed and livestock industries during the negotiations of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

“I am honored to have been selected for this role at the Council and look forward to expanding trade opportunities for the grain, ethanol and related products we promote around the world,” LeGrand said. “The American farmer works extremely hard each year to produce quality crops, and I look forward to working with our members and staff to continue our mission of opening, maintaining and defending foreign markets.”

During his tenure with the Council in Mexico, LeGrand has also led efforts for U.S. grains including increasing U.S. DDGS demand, cultivating both large and small craft brewers to purchase more U.S. barley and encouraging sorghum use by Mexican livestock producers.

LeGrand previously worked for Gavilon as the director of ingredients in Mexico, located in Guadalajara, managing the company’s feed ingredients trading, import and distribution throughout the country. LeGrand also served as the director of exports for Hawkeye Gold, LLC, exporting DDGS to Latin America and Asia. Early in his career, he worked a year in the Council’s Washington office as a manager of international operations.

LeGrand holds a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University in international business.

Listen to this interview with LeGrand from the 2016 Export Exchange in Detroit

Sharing the Benefits of #Ethanol with Mexico –
Interview with Ryan LaGrande, USGC

Audio, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Grains, USGC

New Mexico Welcomes E15

Cindy Zimmerman

New Mexico has become the 31st state to add E15 at the pump for consumers.

According to Growth Energy, a Murphy USA station in Albuquerque is now one of nearly 1,800 locations nationwide to offer E15, also known as Unleaded 88.

Growth Energy works with leading retailers including Casey’s, Cumberland Farms, Family Express, Holiday, Kum & Go, Kwik Trip, Minnoco, Murphy USA, Protec Fuel, QuikTrip, RaceTrac, Royal Farms, Rutter’s, Sheetz, and Thorntons to offer E15 Unleaded 88 as a choice for drivers.

E15, Ethanol, Growth Energy

Lawmakers Rally for Biodiesel Tax Incentive

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) hosted a press conference on Capitol Hill Wednesday featuring an all-star lineup of Congressional biofuels champions.

The bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers included Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D-IA), Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL), Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). Grassley introduced The Tax Extender and Disaster Relief Act of 2019 in February to renew a range of tax credits, including the biodiesel tax incentive, that expired in December 2017. Finkenauer, Bustos, LaHood, Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) and Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE) on April 4 sponsored The Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension Act of 2019, which would extend the tax credit for 2018 and 2019.

In addition to the members of Congress, representatives of NBB member companies American GreenFuels, HERO BX, Newport Biodiesel, Western Dubuque Biodiesel, state soy associations, and regional Clean Cities Coalitions were on-hand for the rally to discuss the impact of the 16-month lapse of the credit.

Listen to the rally here:

NBB biodiesel tax incentive rally
Biodiesel, NBB

LAX Catering Company Moves to Propane Autogas

Cindy Zimmerman

Los Angeles International Airport catering services provider HACOR, Inc. joined with alternative fuel system manufacturer ROUSH CleanTech last week to announce the purchase of seven Ford F-750 delivery trucks fueled by propane autogas. The companies held a press conference at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo (known as ACT Expo) in Long Beach, California, to unveil HACOR’s new propane autogas vehicles.

HACOR, Inc., serves multiple airlines, delivering up to 15,000 airline meals daily at Los Angeles Airport. “LAX will significantly benefit from our low emission catering trucks, as will the nearby communities that we are operating from and within,” said Jason Lee, general manager of HACOR. “The versatility and reliability of these propane vehicles allows us to operate our standard delivery and operating methods but with a low emission fuel.”

Each of HACOR’s vehicles is equipped with a Ford 6.8L V10 engine with a ROUSH CleanTech fuel system certified to 0.02 grams per brake horsepower-hour. This engine has the lowest nitrogen oxide (NOx) levels of any propane engine in class 4-7 vehicles and is 90 percent cleaner than the Environmental Protection Agency’s most stringent heavy-duty engine standard. Nitrogen oxides are regulated under federal air quality standards because they are known to be harmful to human health and to the environment.

autogas, Propane

Groups Urge EPA to Drop RIN Reform and Get E15 Done

Cindy Zimmerman

Biofuel stakeholders want EPA to get rid of the excess baggage and get E15 to the finish line before summer driving season starts.

The comment period on EPA’s proposed rule “Modifications to Fuel Regulations to Provide Flexibility for E15; Modifications to RFS RIN Market Regulations” ended Monday with major organizations sending in theirs at the end of the day.

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) strongly supports the proposed regulatory fix would allow year-round sales of E15 in conventional gasoline markets for the first time, but discouraged EPA from finalizing any of the four proposed Renewable Identification Number (RIN) market reforms.

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings said, “With just over 30 days to go until the start of the 2019 summer driving season, time is of the essence. We encourage EPA to move forward to finalize a rule allowing RVP relief for E15 but to cast aside the unnecessary and harmful proposals to reform the RIN market.”

“Unless the EPA acts quickly, the summer market for E15 will be lost, which means higher fuel prices for consumers and another devastating blow to America’s rural workforce,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “We cannot afford to let anything derail this opportunity to help revitalize growth in the heartland, and urge regulators to get this rule over the finish line by June 1, just as President Trump directed.

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) also supports EPA’s proposal to provide parity for E15 with standard 10 percent ethanol blends, NCGA cautioned EPA against finalizing proposed Renewable Identification Number (RIN) market rule changes that would be counterproductive to greater biofuels blending supported by the E15 rule.

The National Biodiesel Board also disagreed with EPA’s proposal to modify RIN market regulations without first showing data-based evidence of problems within the RIN market. “The proposed RIN market reforms are unnecessary, as EPA has yet to see data-based evidence of RIN market manipulation. Reforming a system that, while certainly not perfect, is working as intended with no evidence of manipulation has the potential to disrupt and even undermine the system that obligated parties use to demonstrate compliance with the RFS,” NBB writes in the comments.

ACE, Biodiesel, corn, EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, Growth Energy, NCGA, RFA

RFA Submits Comments on E15/RIN Reform Proposal

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) submitted comments on deadline day Monday for EPA’s proposal allowing 15 percent ethanol blends (E15) to take advantage of the 1-psi Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) waiver that currently applies to E10 during the summer months.

RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper says the organization “strongly supports” the proposed regulatory fix would allow year-round sales of E15 in conventional gasoline markets for the first time, finally opening the marketplace more broadly to a fuel that provides consumers higher octane, lower cost, and reduced tailpipe emissions.

However, RFA does not support the second part of the proposed rule which has to do with RIN reform. RFA’s comments discouraged EPA from finalizing any of the four proposed Renewable Identification Number (RIN) market reforms.

Cooper summarizes RFA’s comments to EPA and talks about what happens next:
Interview with RFA CEO on EPA comments

RFA’s full comments to EPA are available here.

Audio, EPA, Ethanol, Ethanol News, RFA