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by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) The Senate rejected an attempt by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to cap the price of renewable identification numbers, or RINs, at 10 cents, as part of a proposed amendment to the COVID-19 stimulus bill, in the wee hours of the morning on Friday.
RINs are generated in the Renewable Fuel Standard when a qualified renewable fuel is either produced or imported. RINs then are bought within the refinery industry by companies that are not producing or buying enough renewable fuels to meet their blend volumes under the RFS. There are several nested categories for RINs depending upon the renewable such as corn ethanol or biodiesel which do have different values. D6 is considered the baseline RIN.
by Timothy J. Rudnicki (Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) In the past few weeks, we have been working with state lawmakers to advance a bill that would provide partial funding for fuel retailers to make the necessary infrastructure upgrades to offer E15. This initiative holds the potential to strengthen market signals to speed the adoption of E15 in Minnesota.
Let’s be clear, MN Bio-Fuels has long held the position that it is the duty and obligation of the petroleum industry to provide the necessary fueling systems to offer at least E15 to Minnesotans.
But 13 years after the RFS and the Minnesota Petroleum Replacement Law (which calls for 30 percent biofuel by 2025) and the availability of E15 for eight years, only 10 percent of fuel retailers offer E15.
Labeling
See 86 Fed. Reg. 5094.
The proposed rule addresses the sale and distribution of gasoline-ethanol blends containing greater than 10 volume percent ethanol and up to 15 percent volume ethanol.
EPA is co-proposing to either:
Modify the E15 label; or
Remove the label entirely and seek comment on whether state and local governments may be preempted from requiring different labels on fuel dispensers
EPA is also proposing to modify the underground storage tank (“UST”) regulations to grant certain allowances for compatibility demonstration for storage of ethanol blends. The objective is stated to be to facilitate the proper storage of E15 in USTs.
The federal agency is also proposing compatibility requirements for future UST installations or component replacements. This proposal is stated to be an attempt to ensure compatibility with higher blends of ethanol.