Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin promised Wednesday that the definition of “Waters of the United States” will be revised “once and for all.” “The previous Administration’s definition of ‘waters of the United States’ placed unfair burdens on the American people and drove up the cost of doing business,” said Zeldin during a press event Wednesday morning. “Given the …
Biofuels Questioning at Zeldin Hearing
President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for EPA Administrator faced questions from members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Thursday on a number of topics, including the Renewable Fuel Standard and year-round E15. Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) received a commitment from Zeldin to provide more certainty to the biofuels industry by following the law as it relates to the timeline …
Ethanol Report on EPA E15 Waiver
The emergency fuel waiver issued by the Environmental Protection Agency to allow sales of E15 this summer will help American consumers save money at the pump, while also cutting greenhouse gas emissions and harmful tailpipe pollution, but the Renewable Fuels Association says a permanent legislative solution is still necessary. The emergency waiver issued Friday follows a concerted effort by RFA …
Biden Administration Delays GREET Model Revision
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addressed the Commodity Classic in Houston on March 1 and announced that the Biden Administration will miss its self-imposed March 1 deadline to complete modifications to the GREET model for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). The model is critically important for determining eligibility for the Inflation Reduction Act’s “40B” SAF tax credit and the administration agencies …
EPA Announces E15 Waiver Approval for 8 States in 2025
The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday approval of requests from state governors to remove the 1-psi volatility waiver for gasoline-ethanol blends containing 10 percent ethanol in their states, but delays the effective date to April 28, 2025. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack previewed the announcement earlier this week at the National Ethanol Conference, adding that he believes the approval will ultimately …
Corn Ethanol and EPA Science Advisory Group
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) heard testimony Thursday from ethanol organizations challenging a recent report on the climate impacts of corn ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The workgroup draft commentary was sent to EPA Administrator Michael Regan regarding the RFS “Set” Rule. Dr. Sheila Olmstead, University of Texas at Austin Professor of Public Affairs, …
EPA Administrator Grilled on Summer E15
Despite repeated questioning from members of the House Agriculture Committee on the topic, EPA Administrator Michael Regan refused to say when, or if, the agency will grant emergency waivers to allow retail sales of E15 this summer. “If I give you an answer today I can guarantee you that somebody’s going to file into court and it’s going to be …
RFA CEO Discusses EPA Proposal
Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper held a telephone media call with reporters Thursday shortly after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its proposed rule to establish required Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volumes and percentage standards for 2023, 2024, and 2025, as well as to propose a series of important modifications to strengthen and expand the RFS program. …
RFA CEO Comments on EPA Final RFS Rules
The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a package of actions Friday setting biofuel volumes for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program for years 2020, 2021, and 2022, and introducing regulatory changes intended to enhance the program’s objectives. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, the final regulatory actions taken by EPA “bring certainty back to the Renewable Fuel Standard and pave the …
Senators Press EPA Administrator on E15
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan appeared before the Environment and Public Works Committee Wednesday to talk about the agency’s budget request, but some senators wanted to know what he was going to do and when he was going to do it to make E15 (15% ethanol fuel) available in the summer months this year. Both Sens. Joni Ernst …
Biofuels Groups Comment on RFS Proposals at EPA Hearing
Ethanol and biodiesel industry representatives provided comments during a virtual hearing Tuesday on the Environmental Protection Agency’s 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 …
2021 NASDA Annual Meeting
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Hybrid Annual Meeting – Louisville, KY – Sept. 19-22 – hosted by NASDA president and Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles with the theme “Redefining Agriculture” U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, provide perspective on administration priorities and issues important to …
Grassley Challenges Biden Administration on Biofuels
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) gave a speech on the Senate floor Tuesday challenging the Biden Administration’s support of biofuels in general and ethanol in particular. “Reuters reported the Biden Administration is considering ways to allow U.S. oil refiners to not meet their biofuels blending requirements,” said Grassley. “The same administration has proposed hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies for …
Ethanol Report 4-28-21
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week on the appeal of a case over the Small Refinery Exemption program under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The case was decided unanimously last year by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, which held that only small refineries that have remained continuously exempt from obligations under the RFS are …
Vilsack and Regan at Agri-Pulse Ag and Food Policy Summit
The fifth annual Agri-Pulse Ag and Food Policy Summit was held virtually March 22-24, offering insight from members of Congress, political appointees, food and agricultural leaders from coast to coast, along with industry and academic experts with the theme: “Climate Risks, Rewards and Uncertainties.” Newly confirmed Biden appointees Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and EPA Administrator Michael Regan were among …