All Knowledge & Insights By Date

The Clean Air Act (CAA) requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine the applicable volume requirements for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for years after those specified in the statute. On June 17, 2025, EPA proposed the applicable volumes and percentage standards for 2026 and 2027 for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel (BBD), advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel. 90 Fed. Reg. 25784. EPA notes that the proposed rule also includes a number of regulatory...

On May 30, 2025, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced that it “removed barriers to domestic bioenergy production by updating its 45ZCF-GREET modeling tool to account for new feedstocks and methods of production, including ethanol from corn wet-milling and natural gas from coal-mine methane.” According to BETO, these measures will allow a wider range of farmers and companies to do business in the alternative fuels market. BETO notes that the U.S....

On May 7, 2025, Representatives Nikki Budzinski (D-IL) and Zach Nunn (R-IA) introduced the Agricultural Biorefinery Innovation and Opportunity Act (Ag BIO Act) (H.R. 3253), a bipartisan bill that would support the biofuel economy. According to Budzinski’s May 8, 2025, press release, the bill would update the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Section 9003 program to expand access to grants, streamline loan guarantees, and provide $100 million in mandatory funding over five years. The...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on April 28, 2025, that it has issued an emergency fuel waiver allowing the sale of gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol (E15) nationwide in summer 2025. EPA notes that this is consistent with President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) Declaring a National Energy Emergency, directing EPA to consider issuing emergency waivers to allow for year-round E15 sales. According to EPA, currently, in about half of the country, E15 cannot be sold...

Register Now For “PFAS Updates: What’s Happening in the U.S. and EU,” May 13, 2024, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT), Via Webinar: Register now to join Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) affiliate The Acta Group (Acta®) and EPPA for “PFAS Updates: What’s Happening in the U.S. and EU,” a complimentary webinar offering expert updates on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulatory developments. During this webinar, Meglena Mihova, Managing Partner, EPPA, and Richard E....

On March 31, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it will release obligated funding under the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) for 543 projects totaling $537 million in 29 states. According to the press release, USDA is “aggressively exploring additional ways to unleash American energy and incentivize the production and use of homegrown U.S. biofuels, including working alongside the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop Renewable...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule on March 14, 2025, extending the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) compliance reporting deadline for the 2024 compliance year. 90 Fed. Reg. 12109. As reported in our January 8, 2025, blog item, EPA published a proposed rule on December 12, 2024, that would partially waive the 2024 cellulosic biofuel volume requirement and revise the associated percentage standard under the RFS program due to a shortfall in cellulosic biofuel...

On January 16, 2025, Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) reintroduced the Farm to Fly Act (S. 144), which would help accelerate the production and development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through existing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs to allow further growth for alternative fuels to be used in the aviation sector and create new markets for American farmers. According...

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced on February 7, 2025, that its 2025 Project Peer Review, initially planned for April 22-25, 2025, is postponed until a future, yet to be determined, date. According to BETO, approximately 200 projects in its research, development, and demonstration portfolio “will be presented to the public and systematically reviewed by experts from industry, academia, and federal agencies.” BETO notes that the 2025...

ABA And B&C Announce Release Of Chemical Product Law and Supply Chain Stewardship Book: Chemical Product Law and Supply Chain Stewardship, edited by Lynn L. Bergeson and published by the American Bar Association (ABA), provides a road map to navigate efficiently the transformational changes in chemical product law, identifies the practical business and product stewardship implications of the new normal in product regulation, and explains the urgent need for supply chain awareness so that the...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on January 21, 2025, the availability of a final document entitled “Biofuels and the Environment: Third Triennial Report to Congress” (Third Report). 90 Fed. Reg. 7135. The document was prepared by EPA’s Offices of Research and Development (ORD) and Air and Radiation (OAR), in consultation with the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Energy (DOE). The Third Report builds on the first and second triennial reports, released in...

On January 17, 2025, the Biden U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued an interim final rule with a request for comment that establishes technical guidelines for quantifying, reporting, and verifying the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with agricultural production of biofuel feedstock commodity crops grown in the United States in the context of environmental service markets. 90 Fed. Reg. 5497. The rule establishes guidelines for the reporting and verification of practices and...

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office’s (BETO) Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium (ChemCatBio) will hold a webinar on January 29, 2025, on programmable catalysis for chemical energy technology. ChemCatBio states that catalysis enables new frontiers in energy, such as converting biomass to high-value products and storing energy from abundant renewable energy. Challenges remain, however, when catalysts are slow, expensive, or produce too many side...

On January 8, 2025, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $6 million in funding for three projects that will advance biofuel development and support U.S. leadership in energy and emissions innovation. According to BETO, the projects will support research to improve performance and reduce costs of high-impact biofuel production technologies; scale up production systems with industry; and support...

2025 Forecast For U.S. Federal And International Chemical Regulatory Policy: On January 6, 2025, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), The Acta Group (Acta®), and B&C® Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM) published the “Forecast for U.S. Federal and International Chemical Regulatory Policy 2025.” This carefully curated document represents our seasoned team’s collective take on what to expect regarding global industrial, agricultural, and biocidal chemical initiatives in the New...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule on December 12, 2024, that would partially waive the 2024 cellulosic biofuel volume requirement and revise the associated percentage standard under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program due to a shortfall in cellulosic biofuel production. 89 Fed. Reg. 100442. As a result of this proposed change, EPA proposes to extend the RFS compliance reporting deadline for the 2024 compliance year. According to the proposed rule, EPA...

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), its global consulting affiliate The Acta Group (Acta®), and consortia management affiliate B&C® Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM) are pleased to share with you our 2025 Forecast. For all the reasons you might imagine, our seasoned team was especially challenged this year in speculating on what to expect in 2025 regarding global industrial, agricultural, and biocidal chemical regulatory and policy initiatives. Given the European Parliamentary...

On December 19, 2024, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced the availability of the Federal Sustainable Chemistry Strategic Plan (Strategic Plan). As reported in our January 19, 2021, memorandum, Subtitle E of TII of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA for FY2021) includes the text of the bipartisan Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2019. Subtitle E establishes an interagency working group led by OSTP to...

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced on December 16, 2024, its intent to fund research and development (R&D) projects in two priority areas, sustainable propane and renewable chemicals, and algal system cultivation and preprocessing: Sustainable Propane and Renewable Chemicals (SPARC) Funding Opportunity: According to BETO, producing chemicals and propane/liquid petroleum gas (LPG) from domestic renewable feedstock resources could help...

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS), an agency of the Rural Development mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), issued a final rule on December 9, 2024, that adopts changes from the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) that apply to the Biobased Markets (BioPreferred) Program. 89 Fed. Reg. 97459. RBCS notes that these changes include the merger of the Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement and the Voluntary Labeling...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on December 5, 2024, that it published updates to its Recommendations of Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing (Recommendations). EPA notes that this is the first time in almost ten years that it has comprehensively evaluated private-sector standards and ecolabels and expanded the Recommendations. According to EPA, the Recommendations “help buyers cut through the clutter to identify thousands of products and...

On December 11, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Idaho National Laboratory (INL) will hold a webinar on its Bioenergy Feedstock Library, “a cornerstone database resource funded by DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), and how it supports bioenergy research.” According to DOE, the Bioenergy Feedstock Library provides information and knowledge on over 100,000 bioenergy feedstock samples, supporting U.S. bioeconomy development by providing standardized data on biomass...

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced on November 13, 2024, the release of its latest Pathways to Commercial Liftoff report, “Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Sustainable Aviation Fuel,” which analyzes the technical and commercial readiness of several sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production pathways and highlights steps that both the public and private sector can take to make the United States a global leader in SAF production as soon as 2030. According to DOE, key findings from...

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) will host the next Project Peer Review from April 22-25, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia.  During the 2025 Project Peer Review, around 200 projects in BETO’s research, development, and demonstration portfolio will be presented to the public and systematically reviewed by external subject-matter experts from academia, industry, and federal agencies. BETO notes that the Project Peer Review will have several simultaneous...

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced on November 20, 2024, the release of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Grand Challenge Roadmap Implementation Framework. Developed by an interagency team led by DOE, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the framework is a supplemental document to the roadmap. Whereas the roadmap identified the actions needed to...

On November 15, 2024, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released a report by the Biomanufacturing Interagency Working Group entitled “Building a Vibrant Domestic Biomanufacturing Ecosystem.” The Working Group includes representatives from the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of State, the...

TSCA/FIFRA/TRI EPA Proposes To Add 16 PFAS And 15 PFAS Categories To The TRI List Of Chemicals: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed on October 8, 2024, to add 16 individual per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 15 PFAS categories representing more than 100 individual PFAS to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) list of toxic chemicals subject to reporting under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) to...

On October 28, 2024, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) announced that a new NASEM initiative, the International Bioeconomy Forum, will launch in early 2025. According to NASEM, its International Bioeconomy Roundtable and the Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE) met on September 13, 2024, during the Global Bio-India 2024 conference in New Delhi, India, to discuss the scope of the International Bioeconomy Forum. NASEM states that the forum will...

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced on October 7, 2024, that researchers at its Agile BioFoundry (ABF) and Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Development Unit (ABPDU) successfully scaled up a biobased process that converts ethanol into “a valuable precursor for consumer products, such as paints, coatings, and diapers.” The researchers worked with industry partner Industrial Microbes to develop the process. Although acrylic acid is...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has opened registration for the 101st Agricultural Outlook Forum. The event, entitled “Meeting Tomorrow’s Challenges, Today,” will be held at the Crystal City Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia, on February 27-28, 2025. Additionally, USDA will livestream all Forum sessions on a virtual platform. According to USDA, the program will feature a presentation on the 2025 outlook for the U.S. agricultural economy and trade by USDA Chief Economist...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on October 29, 2024, that it is awarding $39 million in grants to U.S. business owners to increase the availability of domestic biofuels in 18 states and provide cleaner, more affordable fuel options. USDA will also make $200 million available through the new Biobased Market Access and Development Grants made possible by Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds. According to USDA, the awards and funding are made possible through the Higher...

On October 18, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury Department) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2024-74 for the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) credit created by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). According to the IRS’ October 18, 2024, press release, the SAF credit ranges from $1.25 to $1.75 for each gallon of SAF in a qualified mixture. To qualify for the credit, the SAF must have a minimum reduction of 50 percent in lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG)...

TSCA/FIFRA/TRI White House OSTP Releases PFAS Federal R&D Strategic Plan:The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced on September 3, 2024, the release of its Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Federal Research and Development Strategic Plan (Strategic Plan). Prepared by the Joint Subcommittee on Environment, Innovation, and Public Health PFAS Strategy Team (PFAS ST) of the National Science and Technology Council, the Strategic Plan provides a federal...

On September 26, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the winners of the 2024 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards for new and innovative green chemistry technologies. According to EPA, the winners have developed chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the generation and use of hazardous substances, use less energy, and are more sustainable. An independent panel of technical experts convened by the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute...

TSCA/FIFRA/TRI EPA Updates Safer Choice And DfE Standard: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on August 8, 2024, the availability of the final updated Safer Choice and Design for the Environment (DfE) Standard (the Standard). 89 Fed. Reg. 64915. According to EPA, the update includes a name change to the title of the Standard, a revision to the packaging criteria, a new certification for cleaning service providers, a new provision allowing for preterm partnership termination...

The Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants (BRAG) program supports the development of new information that will assist federal regulatory agencies in making evidence-based decisions about the effects of genetically engineered organisms on the environment. BRAG is co-administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and jointly funded by NIFA, ARS, and USDA’s Forest Service. NIFA announced on...

On August 20, 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) announced seven additional awards to bioindustrial firms via the Distributed Bioindustrial Manufacturing Program (DBIMP), bringing the DBIMP to 13 awards to date totaling $23 million. The following companies will receive funding to produce business and technical plans that detail construction of domestic bioindustrial manufacturing production facilities: Battelle, based in Columbus, Ohio, was awarded $1.85 million to plan a facility for...

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced on September 4, 2024, that its Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is overseeing a call for industry partnerships to connect industry stakeholders with the capabilities of the Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium (FCIC). According to DOE, the funding opportunity will provide resources that allow partners to collaborate with FCIC researchers to address the cost and risk impacts of feedstock and process variability across the bioenergy and...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on August 29, 2024, that it is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards from companies or institutions that have developed a new green chemistry process or product that helps protect human health and the environment. According to EPA, its “efforts to speed the adoption of this revolutionary and diverse discipline have led to significant environmental benefits, innovation and a strengthened economy.” EPA...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on August 8, 2024, the availability of the final updated Safer Choice and Design for the Environment (DfE) Standard (the Standard). 89 Fed. Reg. 64915. According to EPA, the update includes a name change to the title of the Standard, a revision to the packaging criteria, a new certification for cleaning service providers, a new provision allowing for preterm partnership termination under exceptional circumstances, and the addition of...

The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Biomaterials Program published a request for information (RFI) on August 20, 2024. NSF requests input from stakeholders on opportunities, challenges, emerging areas, and frontiers in biomaterials research. 89 Fed. Reg. 67498. According to NSF, the RFI will help inform future program directions, new initiatives, and potential funding opportunities. The Biomaterials Program supports fundamental materials research related to biological materials;...

TSCA/FIFRA/TRI EPA Releases Draft Risk Evaluation For 1,1-Dichloroethane And Draft Hazard Assessment Of 1,2-Dichloroethane For Public Comment And Peer Review: On July 2, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of the draft risk evaluation for 1,1-dichloroethane (1,1-DCE) and the draft human health hazard assessment supporting the draft risk evaluation for 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCE, also known as ethylene dichloride) prepared under the Toxic Substances Control...

On August 1, 2024, Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) introduced the Renewable Chemicals Act of 2024 (S. 4931), bipartisan legislation that would “advance the manufacturing of renewable biochemicals from domestic biomass in the United States by creating a tax credit for the production of these chemicals by American companies.” According to Brown’s August 13, 2024, press release, the legislation would help to build new markets for domestically produced biomass, advance...

The Agile BioFoundry’s (ABF) 2024 Industry Day will be held virtually on September 12, 2024. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), ABF aims to develop biomanufacturing tools, processes, and partnerships that enable sustainable industrial production of renewable fuels and chemicals. Attendees will: Learn about ABF’s strategy to support U.S. biomanufacturing and current industry needs; Discover ABF’s biomanufacturing tools; Hear more about...

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced on July 18, 2024, that it selected 13 small businesses to develop innovative biobased products and biomass processing technologies. The companies, located across ten states, have been selected to receive up to $206,500 each for this Phase I Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) award. According to BETO, of the 13 awards, six are first-time awardees, four are located in Historically Underutilized Business...

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office’s (BETO’s) Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium (FCIC) intends to issue in September 2024 an Industrial Partnership Call (IPC) to allow collaboration between industry stakeholders and FCIC researchers. According to BETO, research areas may include biomass supply, handling, transport, storage, preprocessing, and initial chemical conversion. To maximize the likelihood of near-term impact for industrial partners, BETO...

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On July 5, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its spring 2024 Unified Agenda, which includes the following items regarding biobased products and biotechnology: Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program: The Higher Blends Infrastructure Program is designed to increase the sales and use of higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel by expanding the infrastructure for renewable fuels derived from U.S. agricultural products. The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS)...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced on June 25, 2024, that it will soon publish a request for information (RFI) in the Federal Register, beginning a 60-day public comment period. According to APHIS, the RFI will explore options to reduce the regulatory burden for modified microbes. APHIS states that it developed the RFI in response to stakeholder requests. Specifically, APHIS will request comments to help identify: Potential...