EPA release of RFS volumes praised by biofuel leaders
August 06, 2013 | 08:58 PM
The Environmental Protection Agency today announced final 2013 volumes for renewable fuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard.
The final 2013 overall volumes and standards require 16.55 billion gallons of renewable fuels to be blended into the U.S. fuel supply (a 9.74 percent blend), EPA said in a news release.
This standard specifically requires:
EPA is also providing greater lead time and flexibility in complying with the 2013 volume requirements by extending the deadline to comply with the 2013 standards by four months, to June 30, 2014.
A January 2013 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals required the agency to reevaluate projections for cellulosic biofuel to reflect market conditions and the final rule was developed consistent with that approach, the agency noted.
Tom Buis
“Growth Energy is pleased that the EPA has finalized the 2013 biofuel volumes and has continued to show its strong commitment to the RFS,” said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis
“We look forward to closely reviewing the final rule and we strongly support increasing levels of renewable fuel into our nation’s fuel supply.”
Anne Steckel
The National Biodiesel Board commended the EPA “for maintaining a strong 2013 advanced biofuel requirement.”
“With this decision, the EPA is helping consumers, creating jobs and reducing emissions,” said Anne Steckel, NBB’s vice president of federal affairs
“This target will clearly be met, and it will continue to diversify our fuel supplies so that we’re not at the mercy of global oil markets every time we fill up at the pump.”
Brooke Coleman
Brooke Coleman, executive director of the Advanced Ethanol Council, said, “It is clear that U.S. EPA has done its homework when it comes to setting the 2013 standard. The commercial cellulosic biofuel facilities that U.S. EPA projected to start up in 2013 are indeed operating, and the adjusted targets reflect the number of actual gallons expected to be available through the end of the year.”
The Renewable Fuels Association noted that EPA has waived the cellulosic requirement from the statutory level of 1 billion gallons to 6 million gallons, but retained the overall advanced biofuel and renewable fuel requirements.
Bob Dinneen
RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen said: “First and foremost, by decreasing the cellulosic requirement by 99.4 percent to a very realistic, achievable number, the EPA has totally obliterated Big Oil’s myth that the RFS is inflexible and unworkable. As in years past, the finalized annual requirements are a testament to the inherent flexibility that is the backbone of the RFS.”
EPA promised “to use flexibilities” in the law to reduce the amount of biofuel needed next year, when the “wall” is projected to be hit, but that did not satisfy the oil and gas industry, The Hill reported.
Jack Gerard
“While the administration acknowledges that higher ethanol mandates are unworkable by suggesting a new approach for the 2014 standards, EPA missed an opportunity to fix the problem this year,” Jack Gerard, president and chief executive of the American Petroleum Institute, said in a statement.
The final 2013 overall volumes and standards require 16.55 billion gallons of renewable fuels to be blended into the U.S. fuel supply (a 9.74 percent blend), EPA said in a news release.
This standard specifically requires:
- Biomass-based diesel (1.28 billion gallons; 1.13 percent)
- Advanced biofuels (2.75 billion gallons; 1.62 percent)
- Cellulosic biofuels (6.00 million gallons; 0.004 percent)
EPA is also providing greater lead time and flexibility in complying with the 2013 volume requirements by extending the deadline to comply with the 2013 standards by four months, to June 30, 2014.
A January 2013 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals required the agency to reevaluate projections for cellulosic biofuel to reflect market conditions and the final rule was developed consistent with that approach, the agency noted.
Tom Buis
“Growth Energy is pleased that the EPA has finalized the 2013 biofuel volumes and has continued to show its strong commitment to the RFS,” said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis
“We look forward to closely reviewing the final rule and we strongly support increasing levels of renewable fuel into our nation’s fuel supply.”
Anne Steckel
The National Biodiesel Board commended the EPA “for maintaining a strong 2013 advanced biofuel requirement.”
“With this decision, the EPA is helping consumers, creating jobs and reducing emissions,” said Anne Steckel, NBB’s vice president of federal affairs
“This target will clearly be met, and it will continue to diversify our fuel supplies so that we’re not at the mercy of global oil markets every time we fill up at the pump.”
Brooke Coleman
Brooke Coleman, executive director of the Advanced Ethanol Council, said, “It is clear that U.S. EPA has done its homework when it comes to setting the 2013 standard. The commercial cellulosic biofuel facilities that U.S. EPA projected to start up in 2013 are indeed operating, and the adjusted targets reflect the number of actual gallons expected to be available through the end of the year.”
The Renewable Fuels Association noted that EPA has waived the cellulosic requirement from the statutory level of 1 billion gallons to 6 million gallons, but retained the overall advanced biofuel and renewable fuel requirements.
Bob Dinneen
RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen said: “First and foremost, by decreasing the cellulosic requirement by 99.4 percent to a very realistic, achievable number, the EPA has totally obliterated Big Oil’s myth that the RFS is inflexible and unworkable. As in years past, the finalized annual requirements are a testament to the inherent flexibility that is the backbone of the RFS.”
EPA promised “to use flexibilities” in the law to reduce the amount of biofuel needed next year, when the “wall” is projected to be hit, but that did not satisfy the oil and gas industry, The Hill reported.
Jack Gerard
“While the administration acknowledges that higher ethanol mandates are unworkable by suggesting a new approach for the 2014 standards, EPA missed an opportunity to fix the problem this year,” Jack Gerard, president and chief executive of the American Petroleum Institute, said in a statement.
