RNG NEWS
Stay up to date with the latest stories, insights, and announcements.Scientists, advocates spar over role of biomass energy in climate change policies
By Robert Walton, Utility Dive.
Dive Brief:
- The Washington Post reports that appropriations bills for fiscal year 2017 being considered in the U.S. House and Senate could direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to consider biomass energy as carbon neutral, over the objections of some scientists who say it is no so clear-cut a distinction.
- While forests do store carbon over time, some scientists say their ability to act as a carbon sink takes place over years—while burning trees for energy releases the carbon all at once.
- Earlier this year, the Senate included a biomass amendment when it passed the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016, directing the Environmental Protection Agency to develop policies considering biomass to be carbon neutral.
Tax-Writers Gear Up to Release Proposals; Senate Democrats Hope to Move Energy Tax Extenders
Legislative Activity
Coming Soon: The GOP’s Tax Reform “Blueprint”
With House Republicans expected to roll out their comprehensive tax “blueprint” this month – and lawmakers set to leave Washington on Friday, June 24 – it is likely that we will see the proposal released this week. The “blueprint,” however, it is quite possible that the final product may not contain many substantive details (though perhaps more detail will be included on the corporate and international tax portions); instead, it will likely serve more as a messaging piece for Republicans’ tax priorities in the 115th Congress. In speaking about what to expect, House Ways and Means Committee member Kenny Marchant (R-TX) noted that he hopes not to “alarm people” by how “radically [we’ve] lowered the rate, and change[d] the revenue side of [things] – how many deductions have to go away to get to that result.”
As for Senate Republicans, we may also soon see Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch’s (R-UT) “corporate integration” proposal, which is expected to seek to provide a dividends-paid deduction to corporations in an effort to end the double taxation of corporate income. Senator Hatch had previously indicated his proposal would be released sometime in June once it receives a score from the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT). The Senate will be in session next week while the House is on recess, which may be a particularly opportune time for Senator Hatch to finally unveil his proposal.
GOP panel to question McCarthy on scientific basis for rules
By Amanda Reilly, E&E Publishing.
In what's likely to be a contentious matchup, U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy this week will face congressional critics over her agency's use of science.
The hearing Wednesday in the House Science, Space and Technology Committee could cover a broad range of topics, as GOP critics on the committee have expressed concerns about the scientific underpinning of a number of agency rules.
"The purpose of this hearing is to examine the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recent regulatory agenda, the scientific and technical justification for these regulations, and these regulations' impacts on the American people," a Science Committee spokesperson said Friday.
Report: Global bioenergy sector to grow at ‘steady pace’
By Bioenergy Insight.
The global bioenergy sector is growing at a steady pace, reveals the 3rd Global Bioenergy Statistics report by the World Bioenergy Association (WBA).
In the year 2013, global biomass supply increased to 57.7 exajoules (EJ), accounting for 10% of the global energy supply.
In terms of final energy consumption, the bioenergy use increased by 1.23 EJ – a modest increase of 0.05% over the past year – and the share of bioenergy in final energy was 13.9%.
The share of renewables was steady at 18.3%, with renewables contribution in electricity at 22%, and the slow pace of growth is unsettling, WBA says in the report.
Ambitious New York climate bill dies in Senate
By Argus.
Washington, 20 June — A bill to slash greenhouse gas emissions in New York, potentially by creating only the second economy-wide cap-and-trade program in the US, died in the state Senate without a vote.
The ambitious legislation, which did not advance out of committee, would have required the state to achieve zero emissions by 2050 and to get half of its electricity from renewables by 2030. It would have effectively put into law and expanded on proposals supported by governor Andrew Cuomo (D).
The Assembly, which Democrats lead, had approved the bill, A10342 , earlier this month by a 96-43 vote. Environmentalists said the bill also had enough support to pass the Republican-controlled Senate, but it was not called up for a vote before the legislature ended its session over the weekend
EPA Publishes RIN Data for May
By Erin Voegele, Ethanol Producer Magazine.
The U.S. EPA has published renewable identification number (RIN) data for May, reporting nearly 1.62 billion RINs were generated during the month, bringing the net total for the first five months of the year to 6.76 billion.
According to EPA data, 16.01 million D3 cellulosic RINs were generated in May, bringing the net total for the first five months of the year to 62.85 million. So far this year, 1.78 million D3 RINs have been generated for ethanol, with 35.86 million generated for renewable compressed natural gas and 27.06 million generated for renewable liquefied natural gas. Nearly 58.18 million D3 RINs have been generated domestically, with 6.52 generated by importers.
House Republicans Signal Cooperation on Energy Bill
By Jack Fitzpatrick, Morning Consult.
House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and House Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) released a joint statement Monday indicating a willingness to work with senators on reconciling the two chambers’ energy bills.
The Senate passed a bipartisan energy bill in April 85-13. The House then amended the bill to include its own more partisan GOP language, adding several provisions that had attracted veto threats from the White House. Efforts to go to conference have stalled in recent weeks, but Upton and Bishop said Monday that they don’t intend to pass something that President Obama will veto.
Senate, House Move Toward DOI, EPA Spending Bill
Energy Brief: Week in Review & What’s Ahead
By Asha Glover, Morning Consult.
Senate, House Move Toward DOI, EPA Spending Bill
The Senate Appropriations Committee’s Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Tuesday advanced its $32.034 billion fiscal 2017 bill to appropriate funds for agencies including the Interior Department and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The bill cuts EPA funding and would prohibit the Waters of the United States rule. However, it provides funding to help address water infrastructure issues, such as those in Flint, Mich.
The measure was advanced in 16-14 partisan vote Thursday. It has been reported to the Senate.
In the House, the Appropriations Committee also advanced their version of the bill, which is full of controversial riders. The bill would provide $32.1 billion to agencies, $1 billion below the Obama administration’s proposal.
Energy Bill Conference Path Is Still Unclear
Duke Energy Finalizes Second Swine WTE Project
By Megan Greenwalt, Waste 360.
Duke Energy has finalized a second deal in 2016 to buy captured methane gas derived from swine waste.
In March, the company announced a project with Carbon Cycle Energy to use swine waste-derived gas at four power plants in North Carolina.
For its newest project, the Charlotte, N.C.-based utility company will partner with Optima KV, a Wilmington, N.C.-based partnership that brings together experts in bioenergy, agriculture, project finance, and environmental stewardship. The project will be located at farms in Kenansville, N.C. -- the heart of Smithfield Foods' pork operations.
Nestlé Waters Opens Switzerland’s Largest Agricultural Waste to Biogas Plant
By Ben Messenger, Waste Management World
Drinks manufacturer, Nestlé Waters and renewable energy developer, Groupe E Greenwatt, have inaugurated Switzerland’s largest anaerobic digestion plant for recycling agricultural waste into biogas and fertiliser.
Located in Treize-Cantons the biogas plant will treat around 25,000 tonnes of manure and from 27 local farms and 3800 tonnes of organic wastefrom the processes that produce Nespresso and Nescafé.
An opening ceremony was attended by State Councilor Jacqueline de Quattro, head of the regional development and environment department.
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