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 […]
In Hungary, although the European Union committed to phase out subsidies for fossil fuels by 2020, one spectacular last subsidy is now in the works in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Biofuel producers from the V4+ countries say in some CEE Member States, governments are now considering suspending, or have already suspended, biofuel blending mandates […]
In Washington, Reuters reports that the Environmental Protection Agency did not file an appeal to the decision by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals on small refinery exemptions made in January, which the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers calls “astonishing” and “effectively ends the small-refinery exemption program,” a move that has been praised by the […]
In India, the Daily Pioneer newspaper reports that the Chhattisgarh state cabinet has approved proposals for public private partnership model ethanol plants to be set up at cooperative sugar mills in Kawardha, Pandaria, Balod and Ambikapur. The Indian government has been providing soft loans and other support to try to encourage sugar mills to introduce […]
In Washington, Bloomberg reports that the White House doesn’t plan to appeal the January ruling by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals that pushed back against the Trump Administration’s policy that significantly increased the number of small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The administration had sought and received an additional two weeks to […]
In South Carolina, at the direction of the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense, the Medical CBRN Defense Consortium released a Request for Information seeking solutions to combat the novel Coronavirus (2019-NCoV) pandemic with a focus on the following areas: 1) Diagnostics/Monitoring, 2) Surveillance, 3) Information Systems for Point of […]
In Germany, while is true that plastics made from corn, wheat, or sugarcane are, in principle, climate-neutral and protect declining oil reserves—a broad shift in consumption from conventional to bio-based materials could be bad news for the environment given the current state of technology. After all, plant based raw materials are produced on land and […]
In Belgium, Bloomberg reports that the COVID-19 pandemic that has brought many parts of the world into lockdown will seriously impact its ability to investigate allegations of trade dumping, like ongoing concerns about Argentine and Indonesian biodiesel or US-origin ethanol, especially now that prices are so low they could spark an import window even if […]
In Washington, with the coronavirus affecting so many Americans and causing so many questions and concerns about the national economy, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper today released the following statement: “Our hearts go out to all those directly affected by the coronavirus, especially those who have lost loved ones, who are ill […]
