In Florida, Law.com reports that the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has upheld a 2017 conviction against Lee John Maher who through his company Clean Fuel LLC falsely received a $2.2 million federal grant funneled through a state energy grant meant to be used for building a biodiesel facility. He was convicted on charges […]
In Washington, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and 12 of their Senate colleagues today sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requesting additional funds be allocated to the biofuel industry through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) during the unprecedented economic circumstances brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. […]
In Washington, 34 bipartisan Senators wrote a letter to Secretary of Agriculture urging the Administration to ensure the continuity of our country’s food supply and to support rural areas during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by providing needed relief to farmers. “We write to ask that you take action to ensure the continuity of our country’s […]
In Switzerland, Reuters reports that local press said the country shed its 10,000 metric ton emergency ethanol reserve in 2018 when it was privatizing its alcohol industry, but the move has left the country without needed supplies to produce disinfectants to battle COVID-19. Switzerland keeps emergency reserves of a wide range of food commodities. MPs […]
In Washington, D.C., Reuters reports that a letter addressed to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue from representatives in the biofuels industry asked the Trump administration for funds to help survive the decreased demand prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. The letter asks for funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation to help the biofuels […]
In Belgium, last week a consortium of associations representing the European biofuels value chain wrote a letter to the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal to highlight the challenges the value chain is facing, especially the proposed derogations of biofuel blending mandates, saying they can provide both fuel as well as feedstock […]
In Washington, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation issued final regulations for 2021-2026 vehicle fuel economy and emissions standards. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, the final rule ignores the input of automakers, ethanol producers, farmers, environmental groups, retailers and others who called on the agencies to establish a pathway in the […]
In Washington, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says its mission is to protect human health and the environment, and during this time of unprecedented public health concerns, that mission is even more critical. On March 26, EPA released a temporary policy regarding the agency’s enforcement of environmental legal obligations during the COVID-19 pandemic. This temporary policy is not […]
In Washington, the Environmental Protection Agency does not intend to unilaterally revisit or rescind any previously granted small refinery exemptions issued for prior compliance years. As noted in the temporary policy on COVID-19 Implications for EPA’s Enforcement and Assurance Program, EPA is focused on protecting our employees and ensuring continued protection of public health and the environment […]
In Minnesota, more than 20 organizations including ethanol companies, agriculture associations, electric utilities and others have come together in the state to push a “technology-neutral” policy aimed at decarbonizing transportation, which has surpassed electricity production as the state’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, according to Aberdeen News. “Supporters say the idea, which is likely […]
