B&C® Biobased and Sustainable Chemicals Blog

On January 11, 2016, EPA published a Proposed Rule in the Federal Register proposing to establish Minor New Source Review permitting requirements for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to disapprove severable portions of the State Implementation Plans (SIP) for Arkansas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.  The Minor New Source Review permitting requirements for GHG emissions will include Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting provisions for sources that are classified as major,...

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) Research Laboratory has developed a Draft Environmental Assessment and a Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the development of the Red Rock Biofuels facility in Lake County, Oregon.  The proposed facility is one of three projects awarded a contract under the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) Protection Act to produce drop-in biofuels for military and private-sector transportation needs.  Even though the facility will be located in a...

On January 12, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Federal Register notice announcing the availability of EPA’s response to a petition it received from the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®) under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). BRAG requested EPA to promulgate a rule pursuant to TSCA Section 8 that would establish a process to amend the list of natural sources of oil and fat in the “Soap and Detergent...

On December 21, 2015, LUX Research released a list of Top 10 Innovative Companies from 2015, chosen from 1,189 companies. Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®) Member Elevance Renewable Sciences received an honorable mention for its plan to expand production of specialty chemicals from crude palm oil outside of Europe and the Americas by building or retrofitting plants in Malaysia. The report rated the assessment of Elevance's prospects as "Positive." The other...

On December 16, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the Biogas Opportunities Roadmap Progress Report. The report shows the timeline of achievements that have been made since 2014 when the Roadmap was originally created, including the new Renewable Fuel Standard rule, streamlined REAP applications and scoring criteria, expanded biomass definitions, and increased funding for a larger range of...

On December 18, 2015, President Obama signed the omnibus spending bill, or Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, into law. The $1.1 trillion spending bill includes the retroactive extension of the $1 per gallon tax credit for biodiesel and renewable diesel blenders through December 31, 2016, while extending the second-generation biofuel production credit through January 1, 2017. In addition to extending tax credits for biofuels, the bill also funds a wide range of government programs through...

? DuPont, "DuPont Leaders Tout Biopolymers And Technology For Improved Sustainability" ? Avantium, "Avantium Reserves Capacity In Its First FDCA Production Plant For Mitsui" ? Renewable Energy Magazine, "Biofuels Make Significant Contribution To GHG Emissions Savings" ? Boyce Thompson Institute For Plant Research, "Harrison Receives Grant For Phosphate Biosensor Research" ? UMass Amherst News Archive, "UMass Amherst Chemist Receives NSF Grant To...

On December 14, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program: Standards for 2014, 2015, and 2016 and Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2017 in the Federal Register. The final rule will become effective on February 12, 2016, and establishes annual percentage standards for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel for motor vehicle gasoline and diesel produced or imported in the years 2014, 2015,...

On December 10, 2015, DOE's Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) released a summary report of the Bioproducts to Enable Biofuels Workshop, held on July 16, 2015. The workshop, co-sponsored by DOE and EERE, was held to receive input from stakeholders about the possible role of bioproducts in the biofuels industry, and to explore future research and development opportunities. The 40-page summary report includes responses from workshop participants identifying economic drivers, targets,...

On November 19, 2015, USDA published a Notice of the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21) Meeting in the Federal Register. The meeting will review the purpose, history, operational process, and member responsibilities of AC21; update committee members on relevant regulatory developments, initiatives, and USDA activities; and outline new tasks for the committee to address. There will also be an opportunity for members of the public to make oral statements, as...