Congress Should Repeal the RFS, Not Strengthen It

Several Senators, led by Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, recently signed a letter urging the Environmental Protection Agency to increase the annual blending targets for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for 2017. Their criticism of the RFS program misses the mark. Instead of strengthening the standard, Congress should focus on repealing the mandate in its entirety. […]

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Congress Should Take Steps to Repeal RFS

WASHINGTON – Today, American Energy Alliance President Thomas Pyle issued the following statement on Rep. Bob Goodlatte’s bill to reform the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): “We are encouraged by Rep. Goodlatte’s effort to fully repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard. Not only is the RFS an ill-advised policy that raises food and fuel prices for American […]

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EPA’s Expanded Definition of Cellulosic Biofuels: A+ Grades for C- Performance

Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule expanding the types of fuels that can qualify as cellulosic biofuel under the Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS).[i]   For the EPA this is perfect timing, as it still has yet to finalize the RFS standards for 2014, but is proposing to significantly increase the cellulosic […]

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IER Comments on EPA's Flawed Biofuel Mandate

Yesterday, the Institute for Energy Research (IER) submitted a public comment on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program for 2014. IER commends EPA for proposing to reduce the total renewable fuel mandate for this year, but explains that EPA does not go far enough. Furthermore, EPA has once again proposed […]

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EPA Pledges to 'Reconsider' Unrealistic Biofuel Mandate

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced it will “reconsider” last year’s unrealistic cellulosic biofuel mandate in light of the industry’s inability to meet production targets. In a letter to the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy admitted that expected production at a crucial cellulosic facility did not match reality: We […]

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EPA's 2014 Ethanol Mandate Ignores Reality

The proposed 2014 mandate for the Renewable Fuel Standard Program demonstrates that the RFS is irreparably broken and should be scrapped. Until Congress repeals the entire RFS, EPA should lower the total ethanol mandate and set the advanced ethanol and cellulosic ethanol mandate to zero. Despite years of trying, EPA has proven incapable of setting […]

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AP Exposes 'Secret, Dirty Cost' of Federal Ethanol Mandate

All energy sources involve tradeoffs. Ethanol production, for example, requires vast amounts of farmland and additional use of fertilizer can contaminate water supplies. As a new Associated Press investigation uncovered, the environmental tradeoffs associated with ethanol production have intensified as the federal ethanol mandate has expanded. The AP explains: With the Iowa political caucuses on […]

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Cellulosic Production (Still) Falls Woefully Short of Mandate

The EPA recently released updated Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) data showing Renewable Identification Number (RIN) generation for the month of September. A RIN is a 38-digit number assigned to a gallon of ethanol that refiners use to demonstrate compliance with the RFS. The updated data show, once again, that the EPA’s mandate for the use […]

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AAA Slams ‘Outdated’ Federal Ethanol Mandate

Yesterday, AAA called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to lower the 2014 ethanol mandates under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). AAA’s statement comes in response to a recently leaked draft copy of the EPA’s 2014 requirements, in which the agency weighs decreasing the total biofuel mandate. EPA’s leaked draft proposes reducing the total renewable […]

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