Oil industry study shows plan to undermine RFS
March 9, 2018
BY The Iowa Biodiesel Board
Iowa Biodiesel Board Executive Director Grant Kimberley joined Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw at a joint press conference March 9 to discuss a just-revealed oil industry study. It shows Renewable Fuel Standard waiver credits, sometimes referred to as a RIN price cap, would decimate current demand for biofuels. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has called for the caps, even as oil companies are posting record profits while agriculture struggles.
“It cannot be stated strongly enough that Sen. Cruz’s plan for RFS waiver credits would decimate current demand for biofuels,” Kimberley said. “A new analysis by the National Biodiesel Board and the World Agricultural Economic and Environmental Services found that capping the price of conventional biofuels’ RIN credits would significantly harm the production of biodiesel and related industries.
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“According to this analysis, capping the price of conventional ethanol RINs would lead to a reduction of up to 300 million gallons in biomass-based diesel volumes each year. That happens to be almost exactly what the state of Iowa’s entire biodiesel industry produced last year. It would also lead to $185 million more in feed costs for livestock producers—likely leading to an increase in food costs for consumers, and 16 cents less per bushel of soybeans.
“Gutting the RFS would worsen the struggles farmers are already facing and could push us even deeper into an ag recession. Biodiesel supports 64,000 American jobs and the biodiesel sector has plants in just about every state. It supports the jobs of 2 million farmers as well.
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“We hope President Trump sees through this bad deal and rejects a cap on RIN prices. I urge him not to cave in to the interests of certain oil companies and refiners, and stay true to rural America.”
Some biofuels advocates have reported being invited to a White House meeting Monday, March 12, to discuss the future of the RFS. In advance of the meeting, an RFS rally against the “Ted Cruz Oil Refinery Bailout” is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, at Bill Couser’s Farm, 20243 620th Ave, Nevada, Iowa.
Biodiesel is an advanced biofuel made from agricultural byproducts and coproducts, such as soybean oil. The Iowa Biodiesel Board is a state trade association representing the biodiesel industry.
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The USDA on March 25 announced it will release previously obligated funding under the Rural Energy for America Program To receive the funds, applicants will be required to remove “harmful DEIA and “far-left climate features” from project proposals.
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Nearly 1.52 billion RINs were generated under the RFS in February, down more than 25% when compared to the 2.04 billion that were generated during the same month of last year, according to data released by the U.S. EPA on March 20.
The U.S. EPA on March 20 published updated SRE data showing that four new SRE petitions have been filed under the RFS in the past month. According to the agency, 156 SRE petitions are currently pending.
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