AutoSocks; don’t leave home without them

EPA Approves Modest Renewable Fuel Increase for 2017

Chart courtesy of EPA.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved a 6% increase in the level of biofuels that producers must blend with gasoline and diesel in 2017 that falls significantly short of amount required by the Renewable Fuel Standard by 2022.

Producers must blend 19.28 billion gallons of renewable fuel that includes cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, and advanced biofuel. Producers must blend 311 million gallons, 2 billion gallons, and 4.28 billion gallons respectively.

The Renewable Fuel Standard passed in 2005 and expanded in 2007 sets a goal of 36 billion gallons by 2022.

The EPA also approved 2.1 billion gallons of biomass-based diesel for 2018.

"Renewable fuel volumes continue to increase across the board compared to 2016 levels," said Janet McCabe, the EPA's acting assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation. "These final standards will boost production, providing for ambitious yet achievable growth of biofuels in the transportation sector. By implementing the program enacted by Congress, we are expanding the nation's renewable fuels sector while reducing our reliance on imported oil."

Read more from the EPA here.

Related: EPA Proposes Modest Renewable Fuel Increase for 2017

Follow @HDTrucking on Twitter

Fontaine names general manager of Garland, TX facility

Jeff Kolner has been named general manager of the Fontaine Modification operation in Garland, Texas. According to the company, he is responsible for sales and operations at the 45,000-sq. ft. facility.

This modification center specializes in auto transport cab lowering, dual drive controls, alternative fuel systems, paint services and chassis modifications on a wide variety of OEM platforms, with a special focus on Peterbilt trucks built in the OEM's Denton, TX, plant, according to Fontaine.

read more

FMCSA develops VA-based medical examiner plan

read more

CNG Supplier Hopes to Spur Adoption in Southeast

Since opening this CNG fueling station in Anderson, S.C., last year, Piedmont has reduced the price of its fuel to $1.37 per GGE. Photo courtesy of Piedmont Natural Gas

Fuel supplier Piedmont Natural Gas hopes to expand compressed natural gas (CNG) adoption with lowered fuel prices and contracts with government and commercial fleets in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Piedmont has been able to lower the price of its CNG by about 50 cents per gasoline-gallon equivalent due to a federal tax credit to incentivize the construction of CNG refueling stations,

The fuel supplier received approval from state regulators in North Carolina and South Carolina earlier this year to lower its prices, and did the same in Tennessee, where public CNG prices are unregulated. Currently, CNG from Piedmont costs $1.46 per gasoline-gallon equivalent in North Carolina and $1.37 in South Carolina.

Piedmont was recently awarded a contract from the City of Charlotte, N.C., to install a CNG station at the city's existing facility to fuel its refuse trucks. The company is also supplying CNG to private refueling stations for two national waste haulers. In addition, Piedmont has started construction on its 11th public CNG refueling station in Hickory, N.C.

Piedmont sold, delivered, or used approximately 5 million gasoline-gallon equivalents in the past year. About a third of the company's corporate fleet runs on CNG, according to the company.

Related: US Foods Partners with ampCNG on Texas Fueling Station

Follow @HDTrucking on Twitter

Celadon Achieves Two Notable Military Designations

Healthy Truck, Morneau Shepell launches new driver assistance program