Energy

Oil, biofuel and farm groups that have historically been in competition for shares of the gasoline market have presented a unified ask to the Trump administration for higher volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard. 
While there are signs of significant progress in these groups coming together from a tumultuous first Trump administration, onlookers warn that some key details could still create fractures within the coalition. 

A flagship program to evaluate the impact of “climate-smart” practices and promote regenerative agriculture is starving for money.

The Trump administration is releasing $537 million for 543 biofuel infrastructure projects in 29 states. 

The Agriculture Department is lifting a freeze on clean energy funding programs but giving applicants 30 days to modify their proposals to remove unspecified references to DEI and “climate mandates.” A notice obtained by Agri-Pulse laid out options for revising projects.

In the first few months of the second Trump administration, there’s been a shift away from sustainability, DEI and climate-related initiatives in terms of federal programming and industry commitments. But agricultural and aviation groups hope Sustainable Aviation Fuel avoids the same fate.

Farm and biofuel groups are throwing their support behind an effort to overturn waivers the Biden administration issued to California for advanced clean car and truck rules.

The administration’s efforts to control food inflation could be running into a challenge with President Donald Trump’s trade policy. Former USDA Chief Economist Joe Glauber says reciprocal tariffs run the risk of undermining administration efforts to bring egg prices down — if adopted as described.

Today’s the deadline for departments and agencies to submit plans for large-scale staff reductions.

Permitting issues at the state level have been a key barrier to carbon pipeline projects. Now a new law in South Dakota has complicated plans for a 2,500-mile pipeline designed to capture CO2 from 57 ethanol plants in five states.

Lawmakers face a deadline of this Friday to avoid a government shutdown. But the partisan impasse over how to keep departments and agencies funded has yet to be resolved.