RINs and biofuel mandates : comparing ethanol and biodiesel markets

The United States Congress set out to increase the blending of biofuels by updating and implementing the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) in 2007. The new mandate required that a combination of 36 billion gallons of ethanol, biodiesel, and cellulosic biofuel be blended annually, by 2022. To offset the cost of compliance with the mandate, Congress authorized the U.S. EPA to implement a renewable energy credit scheme for each type of biofuel produced. The credit, called a Renewable Identification Number (RIN), is generated for each gallon of biofuel produced and can be traded with other blenders who find it more expensive to blend biofuel. Few studies have focused directly on the RIN market. Subsequently, there is a dearth of understanding about how the RIN program actually effects the production of blended fuels under the RFS2. This research aims to extend the available research by quantifying the effect that RINs have on the ethanol and biodiesel markets, using blending margins as a predictor for RIN prices. The biofuel supply chain is also considered for this analysis insofar as geography plays an important role in the costs associated with procuring biofuel to comply with the RFS2 mandate. To measure the effect that RINs have on the production of blended fuel, this analysis assumes that blenders face a trade-off between physically moving biofuel to combine with conventional fuel, and purchasing a RIN. The analysis presented in this study provides a useful view of how blenders perceive the trade-off between blending biofuel and purchasing RINs in the immediate run. By understanding how blending margins effect RIN prices and in turn, how blenders respond to those prices, the hope is that this study can extend the understanding of the effectiveness of the current RIN program, relative to the goals set forth under the RFS2. This, in turn, should set the foundation for more sophisticated models in later research

Benefits of Alaska Native Corporations and the SBA 8(a) Program to Alaska Natives and Alaska

Senator Begich’s office asked ISER for assistance assembling information to document the social and economic status of Alaska Natives and the benefits of the 8(a) program. His purpose is to brief Missouri Senator McCaskill and her committee which is reviewing the status of ANC contracts awarded under SBA’s 8(a) program. This review was triggered by a 2006 GAO report recommending increased SBA oversight to 8(a) contracting activity. Highlights of the GAO report are provided in Tab A.1; a letter dated May 15, 2009, from Senators Begich and Murkowski to Sentaor McCaskill, outlining their concerns is provided in Tab A.2. As the Congressional Research Service report (Tab A.3) explains, the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program targeting socially and economically disadvantaged individuals was operating under executive authority from about 1970, and under statutory authority starting in 1978. A series of amendments from 1986 to 1992 recognized Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) as socially and economically disadvantaged for purposes of program eligibility, exempted them from limitations on the number of qualifying subsidiaries, from some restrictions on size and minimum time in business, and from the ceiling on amounts for sole-source contracts. Between 1988 and 2005, the number of 8(a) qualified ANC subsidiaries grew from one to 154 subsidiaries owned by 49 ANCs. The dollar amount of 8(a) contracts to ANCs grew from $265 million in FY 2000 to$1.1 billion in 2004, approximately 80 percent of which was in sole-source contracts. (GAO Highlights, Tab A.1) The remainder of this briefing book is divided in three sections. Section 2 addresses changes in the social and economic status of Alaska Natives from 1970--the year before the enactment of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and the subsequent creation of the ANCs--to the present. ISER’s report on the “Status of Alaska Natives 2004” (Tab B.1) finds that despite really significant improvements in social and economic conditions among Alaska Natives, they still lag well behind other Alaskans in employment, income, education, health status and living conditions. A collection of more recent analyses updates the social and economic indicators to 2008. There were many concurrent changes throughout this dynamic period of Alaska’s history and we cannot attribute all the improvements to the ANCs, though it is clear that they play an important catalyst role. In the final part of section 2 we attempt to provide some historical context for understanding the role ANCs have played in improving the well-being of Alaska Natives. Section C. documents the growth in ANCs and their contributions to Alaska Native employment, income, social and cultural programs and wellbeing, and their major contributions to the Alaska economy and society overall. Section D. Looks specifically at the 8(a) program. Although there are a handful of 8(a) firms with large federal contracts, the majority are small, village-based corporations engaged in enterprise development in very challenging conditions. A collection of six case studies illustrate the barriers to business development these small firms face and the critical leverage that 8(a) contracting offers them.Mark BegichIntroduction / Status of Alaska Natives 1970 to 2000 / Benefits from Alaska Native Corporations / Benefits from the 8(a) progra

Considerations for Using a Geographic Information System to Assess Environmental Supports for Physical Activity

The use of a geographic information system (GIS) to study environmental supports for physical activity raises several issues, including acquisition and development, quality, and analysis. We recommend to public health professionals interested in using GIS that they investigate available data, plan for data development where none exists, ensure the availability of trained personnel and sufficient time, and consider issues such as data quality, analyses, and confidentiality. This article shares information about data-related issues that we encountered when using GIS to validate responses to a questionnaire about environmental supports for physical activity

Individual Value-Driven Rent Dissipation in Limited-Entry Fisheries: Experimental Evidence

Economists have devoted considerable attention to rent-dissipation in limited-entry fisheries as a result of excessive use of capital inputs, or "capital stuffing." We may refer to this mechanism of rent dissipation as "cost-driven rent dissipation." An alternative potential mechanism of rent dissipation, which we refer to as "value-driven rent dissipation," may occur if limited-entry management causes fishermen to receive a lower price for their fish than would be possible under an alternative management system. In theory, value-driven rent dissipation may occur if the marginal value to a fisherman from fishing differently (for example, more slowly to take better care of the fish and improve quality) is positive but less than the marginal cost from a reduced catch share. This paper describes an economic experiment to study value-driven rent dissipation in a limited entry fishery. Following an approach developed by Knapp and Murphy (2010), subjects "fish" competitively for beans by scooping them out of a large bowl and "delivering" them to a pitcher. Given the choice of delivering to a pitcher placed close by for a lower price or a pitcher placed farther away for a higher price, unless the price differential is sufficiently high, subjects choose the closer but lower-priced pitcher. With the introduction of an individual quota to replace the competitive fishery, value dissipation ends as subjects choose the higher-priced pitcher. This simple experiment provides a powerful demonstration of a less-appreciated mechanism of rent dissipation, which is useful for both research and teaching.Keywords: Fisheries Economics, Fish and Aquaculture Sectors Development, Contributions of Fisheries to Socioeconomic Wellbein

Maintenance of leaf N controls the photosynthetic CO 2 response of grassland species exposed to 9 years of free-air CO 2 enrichment

Determining underlying physiological patterns governing plant productivity and diversity in grasslands are critical to evaluate species responses to future environmental conditions of elevated CO 2 and nitrogen (N) deposition. In a 9-year experiment, N was added to monocultures of seven C 3 grassland species exposed to elevated atmospheric CO 2 (560 μmol CO 2  mol −1 ) to evaluate how N addition affects CO 2 responsiveness in species of contrasting functional groups. Functional groups differed in their responses to elevated CO 2 and N treatments. Forb species exhibited strong down-regulation of leaf N mass concentrations (−26%) and photosynthetic capacity (−28%) in response to elevated CO 2 , especially at high N supply, whereas C 3 grasses did not. Hence, achieved photosynthetic performance was markedly enhanced for C 3 grasses (+68%) in elevated CO 2 , but not significantly for forbs. Differences in access to soil resources between forbs and grasses may distinguish their responses to elevated CO 2 and N addition. Forbs had lesser root biomass, a lower distribution of biomass to roots, and lower specific root length than grasses. Maintenance of leaf N, possibly through increased root foraging in this nutrient-poor grassland, was necessary to sustain stimulation of photosynthesis under long-term elevated CO 2 . Dilution of leaf N and associated photosynthetic down-regulation in forbs under elevated [CO 2 ], relative to the C 3 grasses, illustrates the potential for shifts in species composition and diversity in grassland ecosystems that have significant forb and grass components.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78679/1/j.1365-2486.2009.02058.x.pd

Effects of a Flaxseed-Derived Lignan Supplement in Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Cross-Over Trial

Flaxseed consumption has been shown to improve blood lipids in humans and flaxseed-derived lignan has been shown to enhance glycemic control in animals. The study aimed to investigate the effect of a flaxseed-derived lignan supplement on glycemic control, lipid profiles and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic patients.This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial and it was conducted between April and December 2006 in Shanghai, China. Seventy-three type 2 diabetic patients with mild hypercholesterolemia were enrolled into the study. Patients were randomized to supplementation with flaxseed-derived lignan capsules (360 mg lignan per day) or placebo for 12 weeks, separated by an 8-week wash-out period. HbA1c, lipid profiles, insulin resistance index and inflammatory factors were measured. Sixty-eight completed the study and were included in the analyses. The lignan supplement significantly improved glycemic control as measured by HbA(1c) (-0.10+/-0.65 % vs. 0.09+/-0.52 %, P = 0.001) compared to placebo; however, no significant changes were observed in fasting glucose and insulin concentrations, insulin resistance and blood lipid profiles. Urinary excretion of lignan metabolites (enterodiol and enterolactone) was significantly higher after the lignan supplement intervention compared to baseline (14.2+/-18.1 vs. 1.2+/-2.4 microg/mL, P<0.001). Data also suggested minimal competition between lignan and isoflavones for bioavailability when measured by the excretion concentrations.Daily lignan supplementation resulted in modest, yet statistically significant improvements in glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients without apparently affecting fasting glucose, lipid profiles and insulin sensitivity. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and explore the efficacy of lignans on type 2 diabetes.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00363233

Transancestral mapping and genetic load in systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with marked gender and ethnic disparities. We report a large transancestral association study of SLE using Immunochip genotype data from 27,574 individuals of European (EA), African (AA) and Hispanic Amerindian (HA) ancestry. We identify 58 distinct non-HLA regions in EA, 9 in AA and 16 in HA (B50% of these regions have multiple independent associations); these include 24 novel SLE regions (Po5 10 8), refined association signals in established regions, extended associations to additional ancestries, and a disentangled complex HLA multigenic effect. The risk allele count (genetic load) exhibits an accelerating pattern of SLE risk, leading us to posit a cumulative hit hypothesis for autoimmune disease. Comparing results across the three ancestries identifies both ancestry-dependent and ancestry-independent contributions to SLE risk. Our results are consistent with the unique and complex histories of the populations sampled, and collectively help clarify the genetic architecture and ethnic disparities in SL

Use of complementary and alternative medicine for weight control in the United States

Objectives: The purpose was to assess the prevalence and correlates of complementary and alternative medicine use for weight control. Design: A list-assisted random-digit-dialed telephone survey of adults was conducted in the fall of 2002 (n = 11,211). The focus of the study was complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use, other than dietary supplements, in the previous 12 months. Settings/location: The sample of respondents was drawn from the total noninstitutionalized U.S. adult population residing in telephone-equipped locations. Subjects: The sampling procedures were designed to obtain adequate representation of Hispanic and non-Hispanic black respondents. Data from the total sample of 11,211 were weighted to achieve an estimate of the U.S. population. Analyses focused on 372 people who had used CAM within the previous 12 months. Results: Of the total, 3.3% (n = 372) had used a CAM therapy in the previous 12 months. Higher adjusted odds ratios for CAM use were found among respondents who were exercising for weight control; using a lower carbohydrate, higher protein diet; using a nonprescription weight-loss product(s); overweight; physically active; and not satisfied with one\u27s body (adjusting for age, race, gender, education, and city size). The most often used therapies were yoga (57.4%), meditation (8.2%), acupuncture (7.7%), massage (7.5%), and Eastern martial arts (5.9%). CAM users used CAM therapies on their own (62.6%), in a group setting (26.8%) or with a CAM practitioner (10.6%). Conclusions: The use of CAM therapies other than dietary supplements for weight loss was relatively low. The most popular therapy was yoga, and the majority of CAM users used CAM therapies on their own. Persons who had used other weight loss methods had greater odds for using CAM int eh previous 12 months, suggesting that CAM use is often added to other weight-loss strategies