The U.S. Senate has voted 52 to 46 along party lines to confirm Andrew Wheeler as administrator of the U.S. EPA. Wheeler has held the post of acting EPA administrator since July 9, 2018, following Scott Pruitt's resignation earlier that month.
Feb. 27, Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, introduced the Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act of 2019 (S.581), legislation that would remove burdensome regulations on domestic energy production.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., have introduced a bill to extend 29 tax credits, including those that benefit producers of renewable diesel, second generation biofuels and bioenergy.
The EPA has issued a statement confirming plans to complete its E15 rule by June 1 in response to remarks made by Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue on Feb. 27 in which he said the rule would not be complete on time. Perdue has since revised his remarks.
After the antidumping tariffs on biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia were suspended, European imports showed a steep rise. In previous years, biodiesel imports from Argentina and Indonesia only played a secondary role, but this has changed.
Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Wyden introduced the Tax Extender and Disaster Relief Act of 2019 on Feb. 28. The questions for biodiesel producers and blenders now become whether this will make it to a floor vote, and how soon.
U.S. EPA's decision to delay fuel economy rules until “later in the year� provides the Urban Air Initiative an opportunity to continue educating the agency on the benefits of clean octane from higher ethanol blends.
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said Feb. 27 that he does not expect the U.S. EPA to complete its E15 rulemaking by June 1, but added the USDA is encouraging the agency to announce discretionary enforcement of current regulations.
In a letter signed by a bipartisan group of 14 senators, the legislators ask the U.S. Department of Commerce to develop a complete record of Argentina's biodiesel trade actions before determining whether revisiting the U.S. duties is warranted.
On Feb. 22, the U.S. EPA published a notice in the Federal Register announcing a proposed consent decree that would require the agency to complete an anti-backsliding study on the Renewable Fuel Standard by March 30, 2020.
Three fuel retailers who spoke at the Renewable Fuel Association's recent National Ethanol Conference in Florida told attendees that education is the key to growing the market for ethanol-blended fuels.
Growth Energy, the U.S. Grains Council and Renewable Fuels Association jointly submitted comments to Environment and Climate Change Canada supporting their goal of reducing the carbon intensity of Canada's fuel stream through the Clean Fuel Standard.
On Feb. 21, the U.S. EPA released updated data on small refinery hardship waivers filed under the Renewable Fuel Standard, reporting that 15 new waivers for the 2018 compliance year were filed between Dec. 18, 2018 and Feb. 10, 2019.
FROM THE MARCH ISSUE: Agricultural organizations in Kansas and Ohio have programs aimed at ethanol education, training teachers and even providing funding to ensure the knowledge is passed on to students.
FROM THE MARCH ISSUE: North and South America, as well as Asia,are strong markets for ethanol.
The Governors' Biofuels Coalition announced Feb. 18 that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will serve as chair and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem will serve as vice chair of the coalition during 2019.
FROM THE MARCH ISSUE: Chippewa Valley Ethanol Co.'s Bob Jewell shares what he's learned about efficiency through biofilm control.
FROM THE MARCH ISSUE: Ethanol is the right choice for Canada's environmental goals
FROM THE MARCH ISSUE: Correcting misconceptions about E15 to gain wider adoption.
Randy Ives—a longtime agribusiness delegate to theUSGC and a key figure in the organization's development of DDGS and ethanol market development programs—was honored last week with the Council's Lifetime Achievement Award.
Legislation introduced this month in the U.S. House of Representatives that aims to support the development and demonstration of carbon capture and removal technologies could benefit ethanol producers, according to Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill.
The RFS Power Coalition today applauded the spending bill passed by both the House and the Senate. The committee report of the Interior-EPA portion of the spending package includes a provision to encourage EPA to process eRIN applications.
The U.S. DOE has announced a plan to provide $66 million for new genomics-based research on plants and microbes. The $30 million plant initiative aims to expanding knowledge of gene function in plants to be grown for bioenergy and bioproducts.
On Feb. 11, five Republican senators sent a letter to Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler suggesting that his willingness to bend to oil industry interests over the Renewable Fuel Standard will impact their upcoming confirmation votes.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., is urging the U.S. EPA to finalize a rule to allow year-round sales of E15. Due to the delay created by the recent government shutdown, he said he is concerned with the agency's ability to complete the rule by this summer.
Former U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle delivered a speech at the RFA's National Ethanol Conference advocating for a high-octane standard while keeping the RFS, removing regulatory barriers for higher ethanol blends, and collaborating with stakeholders.
Aemetis Inc. announced Feb. 13 that the USDA has issued a conditional commitment under the 9003 Biorefinery Assistance Program to guarantee a $125 million, 20-year loan to the Aemetis cellulosic ethanol plant to be built in Riverbank, California.
United States Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Censky spoke at the Renewable Fuels Association's National Ethanol Conference, and told attendees that USDA is a strong advocate for the U.S. ethanol industry, both at home and abroad.
At the final day of the NEC in Orlando, Florida, RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper honored East Kansas Agri-Energy and past RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen for their dedication to the ethanol industry.
The U.S. ethanol industry faced a number of regulatory and marketplace challenges in 2018, but continued to make a remarkable contribution to the nation's economy, according to a new study released at the RFA's 24th annual NEC.
Advertisement
@ Copyright 2024 - BBI International - All rights reserved.