EPA to Issue New Renewable Fuel Standard "Very Soon"

Date: January 26, 2010

Source: News Room

The EPA expects to issue a new renewable fuel standard "very soon," according to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson in remarks before the Washington Auto show. She said her agency is "working very hard to finalize the [new rule] as soon as possible." It is now at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an interagency review. The rule would establish new, specific volume standards for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-derived diesel, advanced biofuel and total renewable fuel that must be used in transportation fuel each year. It would also include new definitions and criteria for both renewable fuels and the feedstocks to produce them, including greenhouse gas emission thresholds for renewable fuels. Last May, the EPA proposed implementing a rule to address changes in the Renewable Fuel Standard program as required by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Under that legislation, the total renewable fuel standard for 2010 is 12.95 billion gallons. The requirement increases to 36 billion gallons by 2022.

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