TOP STORY

Setting the Record Straight on RINs

You may have seen some recent reporting with claims from refinery groups that RIN prices are the cause of currently increasing gas prices. Growth Energy shared the following straightforward statement to set the record straight on this false messaging:

"Oil prices drive the cost of gasoline, not RINs. In fact, in 2018 RIN prices declined throughout the year while gas prices surged in the summer months. The easy solution: blend more biofuels."

Just a few months ago, Senator Ted Cruz tried to spread the same false narrative in the U.S. Senate in an attempt to cap RINs at 10 cents apiece. This measure was swiftly defeated by our biofuels champions in the Senate.

While our industry works to set the record straight, be sure to review RINs 101 one-pager on why RINs have no effect on gas prices. 

IN GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

Week Two: Growth Energy Virtual Fly-In

Growth Energy continued its Capitol Hill virtual fly-in meetings this week with our members meeting with Members of Congress from Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Kansas.

As climate and infrastructure legislation makes its way around Capitol Hill, these conversations with policy makers are vital to ensuring biofuels are included as a piece of our nation's clean climate solution. In addition to establishing ethanol as a low carbon solution, our members and staff called on Members of Congress to support legislation that upholds RFS integrity, paves the way to higher ethanol blends, reduces trade barriers for U.S. ethanol, and secures emergency assistance in response to COVID-19.

Growth Energy: COVID Assistance is Welcome Relief for Biofuels Producers

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced yesterday that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin issuing a new round of pandemic assistance to key agriculture programs, specifically including biofuels. CEO Emily Skor welcomed this announcement in a statement:

“We are pleased that USDA plans to provide long-awaited assistance to biofuel producers, who were some of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. At its lowest, over half of the industry was offline. Secretary Vilsack’s announcement that aid is on the way is a light at the end of the tunnel. We look forward to working with USDA as they iron out the full details of this program for biofuel producers and revitalize the rural economy.”

Commencing in the spring, biofuels will be a recipient of a shared $6 billion investment using discretionary funding from the Consolidated Appropriations Act and other coronavirus funding that went unspent by the previous administration.

SCALE Act Re-Introduced in Congress

Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) in the Senate and Representatives Marc Veasey (D-TX) and David McKinley (R-WV) in the House re-introduced the Storing CO₂ and Lowering Emissions (SCALE) Act. This legislation establishes a comprehensive federal policy for the development of infrastructure to transport carbon dioxide (CO₂) captured from industrial facilities, power plants and ambient air through direct air capture and to safely store that CO₂ deep underground in saline geologic formations—an essential component of any broader strategy to achieve net-zero emissions and meet midcentury climate goals.

“As we have seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, CO₂ captured from ethanol plants has critically important commercial, agriculture, and municipal water uses," said CEO Emily Skor. "Whether it’s CO₂ for meat packing or municipal water treatment, or used as a coolant for vaccination storage, the CO₂ captured from ethanol plants is a necessary part of our country’s supply chain and we cannot afford another shortage threat. This bill would also allow the ethanol industry to capture more of its CO₂ and has the potential to permanently sequester CO₂ underground. We support the SCALE Act and encourage greater CO₂ reduction across the board.”

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

IN REGULATORY AFFAIRS

As rural communities continue to rebuild in the wake of COVID-19, and as motorists return to the roads, it’s critical that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) address the barriers that hold back the sale of higher ethanol blends like E15. Growing markets for biofuels could provide an economic lifeline for rural communities and ensure more motorists can enjoy cleaner, more affordable fuel options like E15.

The EPA is currently collecting comments on proposed new rules for fuel dispenser labels and fueling infrastructure for higher ethanol blends. With 95 percent of vehicles approved for E15 and 20 billion miles driven on the fuel, it’s time for EPA to fix the outdated and confusing fuel labels and clear hurdles to the sale of E15 through existing infrastructure. Expanding access to higher blends of ethanol will deliver immediate benefits for our environment and human health.

Join us today in calling on the EPA to help American farmers, biofuel workers, and motorists by fixing onerous labeling and infrastructure barriers to E15. The deadline to submit a comment is April 19th, 2021. 

Help us spread the word by sharing on your social media. Download our social media toolkit here.

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

IN COMMUNICATIONS

Cedar Rapids Gazette: A Rural Champion Back at the Helm at USDA

Ahead of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack's visit to Des Moines on Monday, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor and Iowa Farmers Union President Aaron Lehman penned an op-ed in the Cedar Rapids Gazette sharing Sec. Vilsack's unique position as the head of USDA to prioritize rural America and spotlight its role in climate change.

"President Joe Biden wove in key take-aways from his time in Iowa in his rural and climate plans, but to implement those plans into concrete action, he knew leaders in Washington, D.C. needed to prioritize policies and most importantly personnel that would be able to bring rural America into the fold of solving one of our most pressing challenges — addressing climate change.

"That’s why Growth Energy, Iowa Farmers Union, our farmers and member companies in the biofuels industry were pleased to see Biden nominate, and a bipartisan group of Senators — including Iowa’s own Senators Ernst and Grassley — swiftly vote to confirm rural economic champion and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture once again."

IN OUR ASSOCIATION

Celebrating National Agriculture Week

Our nation’s climate change agenda is big and bold – and should include rural America. This week during National Agriculture Week, we’re focusing on farmers and celebrating homegrown solutions, like biofuels, that can deliver the immediate results for cleaner air and a healthier world. A clean environment starts with agriculture.

Tomorrow: Emily Skor Joining Nebraska Ethanol Board Emerging Issues Forum 

Tomorrow, CEO Emily Skor will join the Nebraska Ethanol Board's 2021 Emerging Issues Forum, which will address issues ranging from FFVs, carbon sequestration, biocampuses, and what's ahead for the biofuels industry.

Be sure to tune in to hear Skor's thoughts on global ethanol demand, growing markets for higher ethanol blends, and working with the Biden Administration on biofuels.

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

ON THE TRACK

American Ethanol Gift Pack

Treat yourself to official American Ethanol NASCAR memorabilia this year! The pack includes:

• 2x3 American Ethanol flag
• 1:24 American Ethanol die cast 2021 ZL1 Camaro
• 1:64 American Ethanol matchbox car 2017 Camaro

For more information, please contact Director of Sales and Marketing Ryan Welsh.

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

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