EPA Announces Supplemental Notice for 2020 RFS to Address Small Refinery Exemptions

Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue issued the following statements after President Donald J. Trump successfully negotiated an agreement on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS):

“President Trump’s leadership has led to an agreement that continues to promote domestic ethanol and biodiesel production, supporting our Nation’s farmers and providing greater energy security,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Today’s agreement is the latest in a series of steps we have taken to expand domestic energy production and improve the RFS program that will result in sustained biofuel production to help American farmers."

By EPA Press Office

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Element Markets Renewable Energy’s Agreement with Monarch Bioenergy extended for Five Additional Years

Element Markets Renewable Energy (EMRE) has been awarded a five-year contract by Monarch Bioenergy (Monarch)—a joint venture between Smithfield Foods, Inc. and Roeslein Alternative Energy (RAE). The contract names EMRE as the exclusive marketer for the renewable natural gas (RNG) produced at Monarch’s biomethane production facilities in northern Missouri. Monarch converts hog manure collected from Smithfield Hog Production farms in that state into RNG, while simultaneously delivering ecological services and developing wildlife habitat. Through this joint venture, all Smithfield company-owned finishing farms in Missouri will have the infrastructure to produce RNG, resulting in approximately 1.3 million dekatherms annually once complete, which is the equivalent to eliminating 130,000 gasoline vehicles from the road.

“At Smithfield, our carbon reduction and renewable energy efforts play a powerful role in helping us feed the world’s growing population in a responsible way,” said Kraig Westerbeek, senior director of Smithfield Renewables and hog production environmental affairs for Smithfield Foods. “But we know that we can’t do it alone, and we look to partner with other industry leaders such as RAE and EMRE. This agreement is an example of how collaboration can create both business value and a more sustainable supply chain.”

By Element Markets

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Trump Officials Agree on Plan to Boost Ethanol, Biodiesel

The Trump administration has agreed to a new plan for boosting renewable fuels and offsetting waivers exempting oil refineries from mandates to use them, according to three people familiar with the matter who asked for anonymity before a formal announcement.

The tentative agreement, which follows weeks of negotiations, would allow the Environmental Protection Agency to offset those waivers in response to criticism from industry advocates and Midwestern politicians that the exemptions have hurt demand for corn-based ethanol and soybean-based biodiesel.

By Jennifer A Dlouhy, Mario Parker, and Jennifer Jacobs, Bloomberg

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Fortistar Celebrates 20 Years of Supplying Sustainable Power to the City of San Diego & U.S. Marine Corps

Fortistar and TruStar Energy, two of the nation’s leaders in renewable natural gas (RNG) production and compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel supply, know that a landfill is more than just a landfill—it is an opportunity to provide a valuable environmental service, is a revenue-generating resource and can power thousands of homes, businesses and vehicles. That is the case at the Miramar Landfill where, for more than 20 years, Fortistar has supplied clean, sustainable and reliable electricity to the City of San Diego and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Fortistar and its affiliate, TruStar Energy, will be celebrating this milestone as a corporate sponsor at the MCAS Miramar Air Show on Sept. 27, 2019.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), landfills are the third largest source of human-related methane gas emissions in the U.S. These methane gas emissions from landfills represent an opportunity to capture and generate a significant energy resource.

By Business Wire

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Study Finds Biomethane-fueled Cars the Most Environmentally-friendly Option

A recent study has revealed biomethane-fuelled cars are the best transportation option to preserve air quality. The research, conducted by IFP Energies Nouvelles in France, reveals that light vehicles running on biomethane are more environmentally-friendly than other technologies.

The study compares the carbon footprint of the lifecycle of compressed natural gas (CNG) and biomethane vehicles to that of diesel, gasoline and electric vehicles.

By BioEnergy Insight

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New York LCFS May Come Through One of Three Separate Channels in 2020

Three potential pathways exist for New York to approve a low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS) next year as support builds for the program, an industry source said.

Several North American jurisdictions, including Canada, Washington state’s Puget Sound Region, and Colorado, are either planning or exploring the implementation of clean fuel standards to lower the carbon intensity of their transportation sectors.

By Carbon Pulse

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California Dairy Farms Reach Major Milestone in Climate Goal

 Dairy Cares reports that the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announced this month that California's dairy farms will soon be more than halfway to achieving the state's world-leading target for reducing methane. The update was part of CDFA's announcement that an additional $102 million has been awarded this year to support the implementation of dairy methane reduction projects. 93 new projects were funded, including 43 methane digesters that capture methane and 50 alternative manure management projects. There are currently more than 229 dairy methane reduction projects in operation or under development on California dairy farms.

Through the implementation of these projects, CDFA estimates 2.2 million metric tons of greenhouse gases will be reduced each year. That's approximately 25 percent of the 2013 California inventory for dairy and livestock manure methane emissions. The state's target is a 40 percent reduction below 2013 levels by 2030. In total, the state has now invested $260 million in dairy methane reduction projects. California's dairy farm families and other investors have matched that with more than $360 million in private funding.

By Oil & Gas

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Los Angeles-Long Beach Port Trucking Company Replacing Entire Diesel Truck Fleet with Near-Zero Emissions Renewable Natural Gas Trucks

Total Transportation Services Inc. (TTSI) today announced it is replacing its entire diesel trucking fleet with near-zero emission natural gas trucks, which it plans to fuel with carbon negative renewable natural gas. The announcement was made in conjunction with the non-profit Coalition for Clean Air (CCA) to raise awareness of the importance of natural and renewable gas trucking to help improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Los Angeles region, especially at the L.A. and Long Beach ports.

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), along with environmental health non-profit BREATHE LA, fueling company Clean Energy, engine manufacturer Cummins Westport, and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) participated in today’s announcement. Twenty-five percent of TTSI’s investment in the new natural gas trucks was funded through CARB’s California Climate Investments initiative, a statewide program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities.

By Oil & Gas

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UPS is Converting Ground Fleets to Renewable Natural Gas

UPS (NYSE: UPS) purchased 170 million gallon equivalents of renewable natural gas (RNG) to use between 2020 and 2026. Since 2014, UPS ground fleets consumed 28 million gallons of RNG. In order to consume what was purchased, it must annually use close to the total consumed gallons of RNG from the last five years. 

UPS’ goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12% in its ground fleets by 2025. Drivers will be able to get RNG from the following locations: Phoenix; Commerce City and Trinidad, CO; Atlanta and Tifton, GA; Kansas City, KS; New Orleans, Port Allen and Shreveport, LA; Omaha, NE; Sparks, NV; Oklahoma City; Chattanooga, TN; El Paso, Fort Worth and San Antonio, TX; and Salt Lake City.

By Freight Waves

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