Senator John Thune led a bipartisan group of his colleagues on Friday in sending a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson regarding the EPA’s pending decision on approving E15 (15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline) for use in non-flex fuel vehicles. “Homegrown biofuels can do even... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today reminded South Dakotans that they have until July 20, 2009 to comment on a proposal that would allow a higher percentage of ethanol to be blended with gasoline for use in non-flex fuel engines. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reviewing a fuel waiver application that... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today announced that several of his South Dakota funding priorities were included in the Fiscal Year 2010 Senate Energy and Water Appropriations bill, which was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee earlier today. “South Dakota communities rely on water systems to deliver a clean and reliable drinking... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today sent a letter to Bill Roderick, Acting Inspector General at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), asking him to investigate the apparent suppression of scientific views dissenting from the EPA’s April 17, 2009 Endangerment Finding for carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses, including methane. Recently discovered emails... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published the Notice of Funds Availability for the initial stage of the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) in the Federal Register. Senator Thune authored the BCAP, which was included in the 2008 Farm Bill. “Second generation biofuels... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today commented on a memo compiled by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) which warns of the negative economic consequences of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recently released “endangerment finding,” which would pave the way for the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions under the... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune was today joined by representatives from the South Dakota Corn Growers Association, the South Dakota Soybean Association, the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council, POET, and the American Coalition for Ethanol to voice their opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to include carbon outputs resulting from... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator John Thune released the following statement after today’s announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that it will institute new models to measure ethanol’s lifecycle carbon emissions, including measurements of carbon resulting from “indirect land use” in other countries: “While I am pleased the EPA issued a range... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today emphasized his support for the Open Fuel Standard Act (S. 835), which would significantly increase the number of flex fuel vehicles produced by U.S. auto manufacturers. Senator Thune is an original cosponsor of the bipartisan bill. “Flex fuel vehicles can create jobs in both the automobile... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune issued the following statement in response to the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) approval of a so-called low-carbon fuel standard that unfairly penalizes biofuels: “The California Air Resources Board’s decision to unfairly target ethanol for carbon emissions from around the world is one that could have a... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today sent a letter to Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) administrator Timothy Meeks urging the development of a wind power permitting process that does not unduly burden wind developers and land owners while at the same time accounting for wildlife habitat preservation issues. “South Dakota has the... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune announced today that South Dakotans have the chance to comment on a proposal that would allow a higher percentage of ethanol to be blended with gasoline for use in non-flex fuel engines. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) moved forward with a fuel waiver application that would... Continue Reading
