EPA may be lowering renewable fuel targets that can hurt the BioFuel industry
96 views · Published 30 November 2018 · 3:00 · Indexed 27 September 2026
Channel: RFD-TV · 2018 · Entertainment
Anonymous reports from the EPA have suggested that agency may dramatically lower renewable fuel targets for the next three years. Ag industry say there’s no justification for that sort of action. RFD-TV’s Sarah Mock reports. EPA will start rulemaking early next year to set renewable fuel volume requirements through 2022, and they’ve been meeting with stakeholders for advice. “We’ve engaged with the EPA on the process and we’ve made our position clear. This is the perfect opportunity for EPA to give our industry a little bit of forward looking growth and increase in the volumes between 2020 and 2022.” But reports suggest that EPA may be planning to lower targets instead, a move that would favor the oil industry . “We think the EPA has no reason to lower the volumes. And given the industry has demonstrated it’s ability to grow and increase volumes and to provide the benefits that the RFS program was designed to provide that there is still the opportunity for future growth for both the biofuel sector and the ag sector.” Critics have focused on the failure of cellulosic biofuels to meet previous targets as evidence that EPAs proposed volumes have been out of line with actual production and overly favorable to the biofuel industry. Winters says the cellulosic sector suffered from uncertainty when EPA failed to issue rules three years in a row. “That undercut investment and had everything to do with why we are not producing more volume of cellulosic biofuels today. That sector still has grown. There’s a lot of cellulosic natural gas out there. But for biodiesel, we have always overproduced the volumes that EPA set.” As this and other conflicts around the RFS play out, some midwest lawmakers say their colleagues are growing timid about supporting alternative energies because of the abundance and cheapness of petroleum and natural gas. “You can see that right now in the house ways and means, where we’ve got about 25 extenders that are expiring and very little interest in extending them, except for a few, which thankfully biodiesel is one of them.” Grassley and other biofuel advocates are hoping to see the biodiesel tax credit extended before the end of this year, possibly by including it in other must pass legislation. For RFD-TV, I’m Sarah Mock in Washington. Senator Grassley also expressed his support for acting administrator andrew wheeler, who may be tapped for to become the permanent administrator of that department.Biodiesel advocates say he committed to more transparency and has followed through, but has not committed to increasing biofuel levels. Paul Winters, Director Of Public Affairs And Federal Communications Sen. Chuck Grassley Sarah Mock Washington Bureau Chief, RFD-TV @Sarah_K_Mock
