BY U.S. Grains Council Found In:Markets, Business, PolicyJoana Hassan re-joined the U.S. Grains Council on August 26 as the ethanol programs coordinator at the organization’s Washington, D.C., headquarters. Hassan worked in the same position from September 2017 to June 2018. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Markets, Business, PolicyThe Trump Administration is expected to update an existing proposed RFS rulemaking this week to increase proposed 2020 RVOs, a move designed to quell outrage from the ag and biofuel communities over the administration's treatment of SREs. READ MORE

BY Renewable Fuels Association Found In:Business, PolicyDrone attacks Sept. 14 in Saudi Arabia destroyed oil fields and caused a record spike in oil prices overnight, calling into question claims that increased U.S. oil production has made America energy independent. The RFA says ethanol can help. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Markets, Business, PolicyColorado has taken an initial step toward considering the establishment of a Low Carbon Fuel Standard. The Colorado Energy Office issued a documented quote (DQ) Sept. 11 inviting bids from independent contractors to conduct a LCFS feasibility study. READ MORE

BY Advanced Biofuels Canada Found In:Markets, Business, PolicyCanada’s national clean fuels associations forecast greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions of over 50 million metric tons (Mt) per year by 2030 through greater production and use of renewable energy in Canada. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Operations, Markets, Feedstocks, PolicyA report recently filed with the USDA FAS's Global Agricultural Information Network predicts Argentina’s production and consumption of fuel ethanol will remain stable this year at approximately 1.1 billion liters (290.59 million gallons). READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Business, PolicyThe USDA announced Aug. 30 it is seeking applications for fiscal year 2020 funding under the Rural Energy for America Program, which helps agriculture producers and rural small businesses make renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Business, PolicyMinnesota Gov. Tim Walz and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem sent a letter to President Trump Sept. 4 urging him to mitigate the effects of small refinery exemptions. Walz and Noem are the chair and vice chair of the Governor’s Biofuels Coalition. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Business, PolicyThe U.S. EPA posted a notice to its websites Sept. 4 announcing a MOU with the Internal Revenue Service under which the agencies have agreed to share information in an effort to identify and respond to fraud related to renewable fuels. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Markets, Business, PolicyThe government of Brazil announced Sept. 2 it has raised the quota on U.S. ethanol imports under the tariff rate quote (TRQ) to 750 million liters (198.13 million gallons), up from 600 million liters per year. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Cellulosic, Business, PolicyThe comment period of the U.S. EPA’s proposed rule to set 2020 RVOs under the Renewable Fuel Standard, along with the 2021 RVO for biomass-based diesel closed Aug. 30. More than 5,600 comments were filed on the rulemaking. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Cellulosic, Business, PolicyThose who wish to weigh in on the U.S. EPA’s proposed rule to set 2020 renewable volume obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard and the 2021 RVO for biomass-based diesel have less than a week to do so. READ MORE

BY Renewable Fuels Association Found In:Business, PolicyDocuments obtained by the RFA show that the U.S. EPA ignored strong recommendations from within the Trump Administration to redistribute RFS blending obligations lost to SREs in the proposed rule for 2020 renewable volume obligations. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Business, PolicyA dozen members of Congress, led by Rep. Abby Finkenauer, D-Iowa, sent a letter to U.S. Comptroller General Gene Dodaro Aug. 21 urging the U.S. Government Accountability Office to examine the review and approval of SREs under the RFS. READ MORE

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Business, PolicyAn emailed memo dated Aug. 20 from Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue obtained by Ethanol Producer Magazine outlines several actions federal officials are considering in response to backlash over the U.S. EPA’s Aug. 9 approval of 31 SREs. READ MORE