TOP STORY

Becker Refutes Oil Claims on Fox Business

'With ongoing conversations taking place over a potential 'giant package' for biofuels from the president, Green Plains, Inc. CEO and Growth Energy Board Member Todd Becker joined the Fox Business Network to discuss the issues facing our industry and refute claims by the oil industry.

During the interview, Becker addressed claims from the American Petroleum Institute that they face insurmountable economic hardship as a result of Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending requirements. He also underscored that, in fact, ethanol plants are idling or closing across the nation and these small refinery exemptions (SREs) are coming back on the nation's farmers and rural communities:

"It's really putting pain on the U.S. farmer with everything that's going on right now," Becker said. "These waivers are exempting these refiners, who are making significant profits, and exempting them from billions of gallons of gasoline, which is exempting them from billions of bushels of corn. And that's the thing that we're fighting for, its really affecting rural America."

Watch the full segment on the Fox Business website by click the image above or the button below:

To learn more about the devastating impact that small refinery exemptions have had on our industry and rural communities, download our latest fact sheet on the demand destruction here.

For more details, contact Vice President of Communications, Elizabeth Funderburk.

ON THE HILL

Growth Energy Submits Letter to House E&C Committee on Ethanol Benefits in Combating Climate Change

Last Friday, Growth Energy submitted a letter in response to questions from the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change on their plan to provide a 100 percent clean economy by 2050. The Committee asked stakeholders to respond to questions on the key policy, regulatory, and market considerations that should inform the development of climate legislation and how their industry can positively impact change.

Growth Energy outlined the numerous benefits that biofuels like ethanol have over petroleum fuels in reducing the carbon intensity of the transportation sector. Under the RFS, we've already seen the success of ethanol-blended fuel in achieving these climate goals and our letter detailed how they will continue to provide carbon reductions in the future:

"Our primary concerns as you develop your plan are how we can best utilize biofuels like ethanol to further reduce carbon emissions in the U.S. economy," our letter said. "As you look to reduce the carbon intensity of the transportation sector, biofuels can continue to play a key role in this transition. They are lower in carbon than traditional petroleum fuels, and so with every drop they are reducing carbon in our nation’s transportation fuel system."

We will continue to advocate for the benefits of biofuels like ethanol in combating climate change with our elected officials. To read our full letter to the House Energy and Commerce committee, visit our website here.

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

AT THE AGENCIES

State Update

For more details, contact Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Chris Bliley.

LEGAL REVIEW

Court Rejects 2018 RVO Challenges, Accepts Claim that EPA Violated Endangered Species Act

Earlier this month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit rejected all challenges to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2018 renewable volume obligation (RVO), except for one case that may have an impact on the biofuels industry.

In the case, American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) v. EPA (case no. 17-1258), the court considered two challenges to the 2018 RVO significant to our industry. In the first, the court rejected a challenge to EPA’s continued failure to address small refinery exemptions (SREs) – holding that the petitioner did not raise the challenge during the RVO rulemaking process. Of course, the rulemaking occurred in 2017, before it became widely known that EPA was radically escalating the number of SREs granted to the oil industry.

In the second challenge, the court agreed that the 2018 RVO did not comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) – stating that EPA was required to determine whether the 2018 RVO may affect endangered and threatened species. The court held that EPA failed to make a proper effects determination, and, rather than void the rule, it sent the rule back to EPA to make that determination. This means that the 2018 RVO will remain in effect while EPA responds to the opinion.

The court’s ESA ruling may prove significant if EPA determines that for the 2018 and future RVOs it should engage in a potentially lengthy ESA “consultation” process between EPA and other federal agencies to determine whether and how species are affected. Such a process could significantly complicate finalization of RVOs in accordance with RFS statutory deadlines.

Growth Energy often participates as an intervenor on behalf of EPA in response to challenges such as these. We will continue to track any challenges to annual RVOs and keep you up-to-date on our efforts to combat them. The full AFPM opinion given by the court can be viewed here.

For more details, contact General Counsel, Joe Kakesh.

MARKET DEVELOPMENT

CSP Daily News: Sheetz Puts Customers First With E15 Offering

Last week, CSP Daily News ran a profile of our Prime the Pump partner Sheetz, Inc. In an interview with Sheetz Executive Vice President of Fuels Mike Lorenz, the profile outlined the history of the company and its decision to begin offering higher blends of ethanol fuel like E15 and E85 at Sheetz retail locations:

"Part of our brand promise is to offer our customers a choice of quality products," Lorenz said. "We believe that E15 has a strong value proposition and therefore met that criteria. Why would you not buy a product that’s cheaper, environmentally friendly and better performing?"

For more details, contact Vice President of Market Development, Mike O'Brien.

The Weekly Rundown is the weekly newsletter for Growth Energy's members. It is published 51 times a year by the communications staff at Growth Energy. For more information, email team@growthenergy.org or visit our website GrowthEnergy.org. 

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