The Environmental Protection Agency has sent its next set of proposed biofuel volume mandates to the White House for review, signaling the long-delayed rule could be coming soon.
Under the Renewable Fuel Standard, the agency sets renewable volume obligations for different fuel types like biomass-based diesel, advanced and cellulosic biofuels. The Biden administration punted on releasing RVOs for 2026-2028 by the Nov. 1, 2024, statutory deadline, and indicated a final rule would likely not come out until December of this year.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin told senators Wednesday that the agency will engage in the rulemaking process over the next few months, with a public comment period before any final proposals.
“We did inherit a blown deadline,” Zeldin said. “We’re looking to not only resolve that deadline in setting RVOs, but to also look to the future and to operate going forward in a way where we don’t blow any deadlines moving forward.”
The EPA listed the volume targets for biomass-based diesel at 2.82 billion in 2023, 3.04 billion in 2024 and 3.35 billion in 2025. Biofuel industry groups have argued this last set of RVOs was set too low and did not properly reflect growth.
Ahead of the next set of RVOs, a unique coalition of oil, biofuel and farm groups have teamed up to present EPA with a unified volume request. It includes a 5.25-billion-gallon volume for biomass-based diesel, a 15-billion-gallon differential for ethanol and 10 billion Renewable Identification Number gallons for overall advanced biofuels.
Cut through the clutter! We deliver the news you need to stay informed about farm, food and rural issues. Sign up for a FREE month of Agri-Pulse here.
The American Petroleum Institute, National Oilseed Processors Association, Clean Fuels Alliance, Renewable Fuels Association, American Soybean Association and Growth Energy have backed these volumes.
These groups teaming up is a significant shift from the first Trump administration, where oil and biofuel interests often clashed on the RFS.
Still, it’s unclear exactly how the EPA’s proposal will align with the industry’s push.
For more news, go to Agri-Pulse.com.
