The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that would increase the renewable fuel volume requirements for all biofuels included in the program.
“The Renewable Fuel Standards program is a success story that has driven biofuel production and use in the U.S. to levels higher than any other nation,” EPA Office of Air and Radiation Acting Assistant Administrator Janet McCabe said. “This administration is committed to keeping the RFS program on track, spurring continued growth in biofuel production and use, and achieving the climate and energy independence benefits that Congress envisioned from this program.”
The EPA’s proposed volumes would represent a growth of approximately 700 million gallons from 2016 to 2017, including a 400 million gallon increase in advanced renewable fuels, which are those that reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by at least 50 percent.
The RFS, which the Clean Air Act requires the EPA to set, allows the agency to encourage the displacement of fossil fuels, reducing emissions and strengthening the country’s energy security through diversification.
The EPA is accepting public comments on these changes until July 11 and will host a public hearing on the topic on June 9 in Kansas City, Missouri.
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