Advanced BioFuels USA

(Environmental Protection Agency/Federal Register)  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a virtual public hearing to be held on January 4, 2022, on its proposal for the ‘‘Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program: RFS Annual Rules,’’ which was signed on December 7, 2021. An additional session will be held on January 5, 2022, if necessary, to accommodate the number of testifiers that sign-up to testify. EPA is proposing the 2020, 2021, and 2022 renewable fuel standards for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel. EPA is also proposing to address the remand of the 2016 standard-setting rulemaking, extend certain RFS compliance and attest engagement reporting deadlines for the 2019, 2020, and 2021 compliance years, and several regulatory changes to the RFS program.

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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA is proposing to modify the 2021 and 2022 statutory volume targets for cellulosic biofuel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel, and to establish the 2022 volume target for biomass-based
diesel, as well as to modify the previously established cellulosic biofuel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel volume requirements for 2020. In addition, EPA is proposing the 2020, 2021, and 2022 renewable fuel standards for all four of the above biofuel categories. EPA is also proposing to address the remand of the 2016 standard-setting rulemaking, as well as several regulatory changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program including regulations for the use of biointermediates to produce qualifying renewable fuel, flexibilities for regulated parties, clarifications of
existing regulations, and an extension of certain RFS compliance and attest engagement reporting deadlines. The RFS Annual Rules proposal was signed on December 7, 2021, and  will be published separately in the Federal Register on a later date. The prepublication version is available at https://www.epa.gov/renewable-fuelstandard-program/proposed-volumestandards-2020-2021-and-2022.   READ MORE

Biofuels industry testifies on proposed RFS reset (Farm Progress)

by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy)  RFS INPUT DAY: EPA holds its public hearing today on its latest biofuels blending proposals under the Renewable Fuel Standard, and ME expects things to get testy. The proposals would retroactively lower blending targets for 2020 while increasing them for 2022 — which has drawn anger from both the agriculture sector, which was disappointed by the 2020 decrease, and from refiners, who have been decrying the targets as burdensome.

It’s been a political tug of war between two vital constituencies for the Biden administration: organized labor and agriculture, and Democratic lawmakers were not afraid to voice their opposition to the EPA proposal unveiled late last year. Advocates from both sides, including organized labor, business leaders and elected officials are planning to testify. The hearing will kick off virtually at 9 a.m. today and cut off by 5 p.m. at the latest. EPA is keeping an additional session Wednesday in its pocket in case there are too many folks chiming in today.  READ MORE