As a result of the continuing impacts of Gulf Coast-area refineries and disruption to the fuel distribution system caused by Hurricane Harvey, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt exercised EPA’s emergency fuel waiver authority to help ensure an adequate supply of fuel throughout the South, Southeast and the Mid-Atlantic. EPA has waived requirements for reformulated gasoline and low volatility gasoline through September 15 …
RFA asks EPA to Expand Hurricane Harvey Fuel Waiver
In a letter to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) asked the agency to “take immediate action to expand the scope and geographic coverage” of the fuel waiver issued by the agency Aug. 26 in response to Hurricane Harvey. “While EPA’s August 26 waiver of certain reformulated gasoline (RFG) and Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) requirements was a welcome step, …
WOTUS Comment Period Ends August 28
It was announced back at the end of June by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt that the EPA had sent its repeal of the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule to the federal register, thus beginning the process of ending the regulation. A comment period on WOTUS has been open but it will end August 28th. National Cattlemen’s …
Growth Energy Calls Court Decision on RVO’s a Win for Consumers
Growth Energy calls a court ruling against the Environmental Protection Agency a win for consumers. Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia struck down what Growth Energy calls a flawed methodology by the EPA to reduce the 2016 total Renewable Volume Obligations, or RVO’s, under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The court decision was in response to …
EPA, U.S. Army Move to Rescind 2015 “Waters of the U.S.”
The Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Army, and Army Corps of Engineers (the agencies) are proposing a rule to rescind the Clean Water Rule and re-codify the regulatory text that existed prior to 2015 defining “waters of the United States” or WOTUS. This action would, when finalized, provide certainty in the interim, pending a second rulemaking in which the agencies …
EWG Study Finds High Nitrate Levels in Rural Drinking Water Systems
The Environmental Working Group says rural water systems have high levels of nitrates. A new report and database released by EWG this week found that the 30 utilities with the distinction of the highest nitrate contamination in tests between 2010 and 2015 all exceeded the legal limit. And all 30 served small populations in rural, farm-based economies, according to Politico. …
Senate Committee Blocks E15 Bill
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has halted a bill that would have allowed gasoline with 15 percent ethanol to be sold year-round. The bill was co-sponsored by Republican Senators Deb Fischer of Nebraska and Chuck Grassley of Iowa, along with Democratic Senator Joe Donnelly of Indiana. Despite the bipartisan support, the legislation was unable to muster enough support …
Court Denies Petition to Ban Pesticide
A U.S. Appeals Court in San Francisco denied a petition from environmental groups to force the Environmental Protection Agency to ban the pesticide chlorpyrifos. Reuters says that decision ends one of three parallel attempts to get the ban put in place. The groups, including Earthjustice and the Natural Resources Defense Council, wanted the ban in place because they allege the …
Fighting for Exemption from Reporting of Manure Emissions
Farm and livestock groups will continue to fight for an exemption from emergency reporting of manure emissions after the EPA lost a federal court decision to environmental groups that sued over the exemption. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit denied a request by pork, poultry and other livestock and farm groups to rehear its rejection of an …
EPA To Hold RFS Hearing Next Month
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public hearing on its Renewable Fuel Standard volume obligations August first. The hearing, to be held in Washington, D.C., will take public comment on the 2018 renewable volume obligations, along with the 2019 RVO for biomass-based diesel, according to Ethanol Producer magazine. The agency released a prepublication version of the proposed rule …