TOP STORY

Reminder: Member Webinar Today

Reminder: Please join Growth Energy for an all member webinar today, March 31st at 10 AM CDT/11 AM EDT

Our team will provide more information on efforts to re-establish year-round E15, recent work around low-carbon ethanol modeling, upcoming RFS activities, and potential low carbon legislative and regulatory activities. 

ALL-MEMBER WEBINAR

TODAY, THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2022

10 AM CDT/11 AM EDT

https://growthenergy-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FZPp6TxATduor_XVoAYs5g

For more information, please contact Senior Vice President of Development Kelly Manning.

IN COMMUNICATIONS

Social Media Toolkit: Make Your Voice Heard on Gas Prices, E15 Waiver

Gas prices have hit historic highs and saving money at the pump has never been more top of mind for the American people. As you know, increasing the use of more homegrown, low-carbon biofuels in our fuel supply can better shield American drivers from the continued volatility in the global oil market.

It's vital that we continue to share the savings that higher blends of biofuels are providing at gas stations across the country and amplify why we need a nationwide waiver to allow for the year-round sale of E15.

Our message only gets stronger with more photos and videos circulating on social media that point to the lower prices of higher ethanol blends and more calls to the Biden Administration's EPA to allow for the year-round sales of E15. Using the hashtag "#E15Now", we need your help in creating a wave on social media highlighting E15 as a low-cost option to high gas prices and the need for access this summer. We're looking for:

• Photos of the prices at the pump that reflect lower E15 costs.
• Calls for EPA to issue an emergency waiver so E15 can be sold this summer.

For more information, please contact Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs Elizabeth Funderburk.

IN OUR ASSOCIATION

Growth Energy Welcomes Vertimass as New Associate Member

We are pleased to announce the addition of Vertimass to Growth Energy. Vertimass LLC was awarded a worldwide exclusive license for novel catalyst technology invented at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the conversion of ethanol into jet fuel, diesel fuel, and gasoline blend stocks that are compatible with the current transportation fuel infrastructure.

“Vertimass is pleased to join Growth Energy and we look forward to working with them to further promote renewable fuels and chemicals in the United States to mitigate climate change,” said John Hannon, Chief Operating Officer of Vertimass LLC. “The Growth Energy team has been great to work with and they offer many networking opportunities for deploying the Vertimass alcohol to SAF technology.”

Please join us in giving Vertimass a warm welcome!

For more information, please contact Senior Vice President of Development Kelly Manning.

IN GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

Update: Congress Champions Biofuel As A Solution to Skyrocketing Gas Prices

To address rising gas prices, biofuel champions on both sides of the aisle in Congress continue to call on the Biden Administration to increase access to higher blends of biofuels like E15 to save Americans money at the pump and bolster American energy independence. Check out a few of the latest actions, statements and tweets from our champions over the past week:

• U.S. Representatives Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), and Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) introduced the Home Front Energy Independence Act in the House.
  
  
• Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) filled up on higher blends of biofuels in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, where she shared a video of ethanol easing the price burden at the pump.
  
  
• Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) promoted passage of the Year-Round Fuel Choice Act in Michigan to lower gas prices and strengthen American energy independence, while supporting local farmers
  
  
• Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) doubled down on her request to President Biden and EPA Administrator Regan to grant a nationwide Reid vapor pressure (RVP) waiver to allow the sale year-round E15.
  
  
• U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) told Brownfield Ag News that it’s critical to expand the availability of U.S. biofuels following the import ban on Russian oil.

Make Your Voice Heard on the Home Front Energy Independence Act

Gasoline prices have surged to record levels as war in Ukraine inflames the global energy crisis. For too long, the U.S. has relied heavily on foreign sources of petroleum and petroleum products — like Russia — to meet our nation’s energy demands — leaving American drivers at the mercy of volatile energy markets. Fortunately, U.S. leaders have an opportunity to provide American consumers with immediate relief from high gas prices at the pump.  

Introduced by U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and U.S. Representatives Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), and Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) the Home Front Energy Independence Act would: 

• Codify the ban on imports of Russian petroleum; 
• Make the sale of E15 year-round permanent; 
• Create a tax credit for higher biofuel blends; 
• Streamline E15 labeling; 
• Invest in E15 infrastructure; and 
• Extend the biodiesel tax credit by three years. 

If enacted, this bill will help stop Russia from profiting off U.S. drivers and boost U.S. energy security by increasing the supply of lower-cost, homegrown biofuels available to motorists. 

For more information, please contact Vice President of Government Affairs John Fuher.

IN REGULATORY AFFAIRS

E85 Continues Rapid Growth in California, Latest CARB Data Show

The volume of E85 sold in California in 2021 jumped by about 55% since 2020 and nearly doubled since 2018, according to new data released by the California Air Resources Board, or CARB.

The implementation of the state's low-carbon fuel standard has led to the surge in sales, primarily because ethanol is more widely available than other biofuels including biodiesel and renewable diesel. In fact, ethanol accounts for the majority of biofuels sold in California.

Last year, California drivers bought nearly 62.5 million gallons of E85, a blend containing up to 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, for use in flexible-fuel vehicles. That's an increase from about 40 million gallons in 2019 and 2020, and 33.8 million gallons in 2018.

Update: E15 in Phoenix 

As you may know, the greater Phoenix area in Arizona is one of the three remaining areas that does not allow the sale of E15, in addition to California and Montana. In some good news out of Arizona last week, the state is moving to update its Cleaner Burning Gasoline regulation to remedy this and allow E15 to be sold in Phoenix. 

The Arizona Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures Services Division will host a workshop on Tuesday, April 12 at 9:00 a.m. to review proposed changes to the Arizona Administrative Code, Title 3, Chapter 7. During this workshop, they will review Article 7, Motor Fuels and Petroleum Products, including proposed changes to allow the sale of E15 in the Cleaner Burning Gasoline area. Growth Energy plans on participating and working to finalize the change. Stay tuned for more updates.

For more information, please contact Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Chris Bliley.

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