IN REGULATION

EPA Gives Giant Refiner "Hardship" Waiver

Yesterday, it was reported that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had granted one of the nation's largest oil refiners a small refinery "hardship" waiver for three of their smaller refineries.  This was done despite the larger company operating with a net profit of $1.5 billion last year and the company’s overall refining capacity well exceeding the 75,000 barrel a day threshold for the Renewable Fuel Standard’s (RFS) small refinery exemption.  Furthermore, refiners are required to show that they suffer a “disproportionate economic hardship” by complying with the RFS.  It is difficult to see how that happened here.  And most jarring of all, the EPA is doing all of this in secret – refusing to release any information about the waivers to the public.

Every time the EPA grants a secret compliance waiver, that waiver destroys demand for a gallon of homegrown biofuel.  That lost demand means those biofuels can’t make their way to consumers, can’t contribute to U.S. energy security, and can’t grow the U.S. economy. The public deserves to know exactly which companies are getting millions of dollars in handouts behind closed doors.  Please know we will continue to press the EPA to present a reasonable solution instead of what appears to be a blanket waiver for oil refiners.

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

IN THE COURTS

PES Bankruptcy Update: Growth Energy Fights Back

Growth Energy is leading the charge to push back against the proposed settlement in the bankruptcy of the Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) refinery. On Monday, we filed a memorandum opposing the settlement deal between PES and the EPA. The one-sided settlement negotiated by the EPA accepts almost no compliance with the RFS requirements on which PES had defaulted at the end of March. It gives a complete pass to viable third parties, like Carlyle Group who have direct liability for compliance with the RFS; and it fails to assure future compliance. Growth Energy has made it clear to the court that the EPA must do better to ensure that refiners are in compliance with environmental laws.

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

ON THE HILL

Mid-level Ethanol Blends Key to More Efficient Engines, Meeting Future Vehicle Standards

For several years, we have strongly emphasized the fact that fuels and engines are a system and that high-octane fuels – such as ethanol blends like E25-E30 – should be part of this discussion. We have provided a wealth of data to show that midlevel ethanol blends can be used by automakers to produce smaller, more efficient engines that will help meet future vehicle standards. We will continue to remain engaged with automakers and government stakeholders to ensure that biofuels are part of any long-term plan for engine efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction.

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

Washington Update

Congress is in its second week of recess around the Easter holiday after passing a bill to fund the government through September 30. We continue to track discussions around the RFS and RINs in the Trump Administration and are hearing that at some point soon, senior officials in the White House, EPA, and USDA are planning on presenting options to the president on how to handle the situation. One of the options is reportedly to kick back to Congress, and others will include providing RVP relief through the EPA.

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

AT THE PUMP

Tobi Award Winner: Steve Walk

This year’s Tobi award for market development was awarded to Steve Walk, managing director of Protec Fuels. Through his leadership, Protec now markets E15 and E85 through 400, mostly branded retail outlets. Protec has grown in expertise, service and pricing power. They distribute to retailers from their home state of Florida, north to Maryland and west to Texas.

Steve Walk is an unsung hero and an example of the caliber of partners we work with every day to make higher ethanol access a reality. When Prime the Pump was first formed, he dived in straight away and started developing plans for adding E15 and E85 to his retail network. When the USDA BIP program was developed, he stepped in again to exponentially grow the sites for E15 and E85. Whenever there is a technical issue or challenge regarding dispensers, sampling protocols, or even marketing, he has quietly led the way. Because of his leadership, he has earned the respect of his retail peers and those that work closely with him in the biofuels industry.

Thank you, Steve, for your commitment to biofuels and being a leader in building the market!

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

AT THE PLANTS

Second Annual Bio-Processing Leadership Conference 

The second annual Bio-Processing Leadership Conference was held in Sonoma, Calif., on March 19-21 and designed as an intimate setting that encouraged involvement by all participants.   The event was hosted by Christianson PLLP, ERI solutions, Fremont Industries and Phibro EPG along with presentations from ICM, Fluid Quip, Lucas E3 and Saola Energy.  The topics covered were understanding and preventing wear and tear of capital assets; maintaining or improving efficiencies in the plant process; benefiting from and complying with LCFS; new engineering and technological advancements (both large and small); the outlook for growth in ethanol exports, and financial stewardship for the plant shareholders.   The event was attended by management of over 50 plants who were able to enjoy the wine country of California to its fullest.

For more details, contact Vice President of Development Kelly Manning.

CONSUMER OUTREACH

E15: The Best Bang for Your Buck

Here's a fun fact: E15 is the most affordable option at the pump! Help us get the word out that E15 costs five to 10 cents less than regular gasoline on average, which means it provides more dollars per mile! Here's another fun thing: Ethanol supports nearly 360,000 jobs right here in the United States. Tell the world about the benefits of E15! 

For continued content and updates, please follow Get Biofuel’s social channels on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

IN THE FASTLANE

Sneak Peek at the New American Ethanol Mazda MX5

American Ethanol is a proud partner of Kyle Mohan Racing, and we are excited to unveil the first look at Kyle’s brand new, redesigned Mazda MX5 Formula Drift car! We have worked with Kyle in year’s past, but this year, American Ethanol will be featured much more prominently on Kyle’s competition car. Kyle is looking forward to continuing to represent American Ethanol on and off the track to show race fans and gearheads everywhere that ethanol is the smart choice for anyone who values engine performance and reliability. Stay tuned to our social media channels and be sure to follow Kyle on Instagram and Facebook to see what we have in store this year!

For more details, contact Manager of Communications Austin Dabney.

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. 

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