Sustainable Bioenergy, Farms, and Forests - May 16, 2014

A weekly look at sustainable bioenergy, farm, and forest policy issues

 

Senators and Industry Speak Out In Favor of Biodiesel

With a final decision in the Renewable Volume Obligates (RVOs) expected in June, the biodiesel industry is getting increasingly vocal about the damage that regulatory uncertainty has already caused their industry. Biodiesel is the first commercial scale advanced biofuel, as defined by the EPA. It is sourced from reclaimed fats and oils, including soybean oil, as well as recycled cooking oil and animal fats. Despite production levels of nearly 1.8 billion gallons of biodiesel last year, the proposed RVOs would reduce this amount to 1.28 billion gallons, squeezing this successful industry.

 

Biomass Thermal Utilization Act of 2013 Revived as Amendment in Senate

On May 15, Senators King (I-ME), Collins (R-ME), Shaheen (D-NH) and Begich (D-AK) offered a biomass amendment (SA 3132) to H.R. 3474, the Hire More Heroes Act of 2014. While H.R. 3474, a bill aimed at simplifying the hiring process for veterans, passed the House of Representatives without amendment on March 11, on a vote of 406-1, it currently has 165 amendments in the Senate and is being used as a vehicle for tax-extender legislation.

 

To Contact the Author: Jessie Stolark at jstolark[at]eesi.org

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