Archives

December 8, 2017

EPA Issues Final 2018 RFS Requirements

By Kathleen M. Roberts On November 30, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its final 2018 volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel.  A pre-publication of the final rule is available now.  The final rule sets the annual percentage standards for cellulosic biofuel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel for motor vehicle gasoline and...
December 1, 2017

EPA Denies Industry Request To Shift Point Of Obligation

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On November 30, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice in the Federal Register announcing its decision to deny several petitions requesting that EPA initiate a rulemaking to change the point of obligation for compliance under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program.  Under the RFS program, refiners and importers of gasoline and diesel fuel are identified as “obligated parties” responsible for compliance with the RFS...
November 17, 2017

EPA Close To Issuing In Final 2018 And 2019 Renewable Fuel Standard Volumes

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On October 31, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent its final rule to set the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volumes for 2018 and 2019 to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review.  Under the Clean Air Act (CAA), EPA must issue a final rule to set standards for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel by November 30, 2017.  Typically, OMB review is...
November 10, 2017

Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News

Bob Goodlatte, “House Lawmakers Tell EPA to Acknowledge Negative Impacts of RFS” Reuters, “DuPont to Sell Cellulosic Ethanol Plant in Blow to Biofuel” ExxonMobil, “ExxonMobil and Renewable Energy Group Report Progress in Cellulosic Biodiesel Research” Michigan State University, “Better Together: A Bacteria Community Creates Biodegradable Plastic with Sunlight”...
November 3, 2017

EPA Sends Letter To Senators Addressing RFS Issues

By Kathleen M. Roberts On October 19, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt sent a letter to Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Charles Grassley (R-IA), Pat Roberts (R-KS), John Thune (R-SD), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Deb Fischer (R-NE), and Ben Sasse (R-NE) to confirm his commitment to support the spirit and the letter of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program.  In the letter, Pruitt stated that, following a detailed analysis, numerous stakeholder...
October 6, 2017

Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News

Senator Rounds, “Rounds Asks EPA Administrator for Continued Support of Renewable Fuel Standard” DOE Joint Genome Institute, “2018 DOE JGI Community Science Program Allocations Announced” Brookhaven National Laboratory, “With Extra Sugar, Leaves Get Fat Too — Scientists Tip Balance of Plant Metabolism to Increase Oil Content in Leaves with Aim of Making Biofuels and Related Useful Chemicals” Cornell Chronicle, “Bioreactors on a Chip Renew Promises...
October 6, 2017

EPA Issues NODA Regarding RFS Program

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On October 4, 2017, EPA issued a NODA in the Federal Register to provide supplemental information and an opportunity for further public comment on potential reductions in the 2018 biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel volumes, and/or the 2019 biomass-based diesel volume under the RFS program.  The NODA follows the Agency’s July 21, 2017, proposed rulemaking on the volume requirements and provides additional information on...
October 6, 2017

Iowa Senators Respond To EPA NODA Regarding RFS Program

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. Last week, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) responded to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Notice of Data Availability (NODA) regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume requirements (see EPA Issues NODA Regarding RFS Program).  On September 27, 2017, Ernst sent a letter to President Trump expressing concern over the proposed reduction in the volume requirements for 2018 and 2019.  In the letter, Ernst...
September 22, 2017

Pruitt Responds To Senators’ Request For Details On Icahn’s Advisory Role

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On September 11, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt sent a letter to Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) in response to the request by Senator Whitehouse and four other Democratic Senators to explain Carl Icahn’s role in shaping the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program.  According to Pruitt, Icahn did not exercise excessive influence on the U.S. biofuels policy while acting as an advisor of President...
September 8, 2017

EPA Waives RFS Requirements For States Affected By Hurricane Harvey

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On August 31, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that requirements for reformulated gasoline and low volatility gasoline would be waived through September 15, 2017, for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas, Louisiana, and the District of Columbia.  EPA exercised its emergency fuel waiver authority to help ensure an adequate supply of fuel...