Workshop on Biofuel Greenhouse Gas Modeling --- February 28-March 1, 2022 --- ONLINE Public Comments DEADLINE: April 1, 2022

EPA is hosting a virtual public workshop on biofuel greenhouse gas (GHG) modeling February 28 - March 1, 2022. This is a virtual meeting and open to the public. The purpose of this workshop is to solicit information on the current scientific understanding of greenhouse gas modeling of land-based crop biofuels used in the transportation sector. The meeting is being conducted by EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) in consultation with the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Energy.

The information gathered as part of this workshop will be used to inform a range of current and future actions, including EPA’s methodology for quantifying the greenhouse gas emissions under the Renewable Fuels Standard. Through this workshop, we will initiate a public process for getting input on (i) how to incorporate the best available science into an update of our lifecycle analysis (LCA) of biofuels, and (ii) what steps EPA should take next in this work area.

Background

Biofuel greenhouse gas modeling is used by EPA and other federal agencies for research and policy decision purposes across a variety of programs. For example, EPA is required to model the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of biofuels under the RFS Program when determining whether an individual biofuel meets the greenhouse gas emission reduction requirement established by the Clean Air Act. In addition, EPA is required to more broadly evaluate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the overall RFS program when setting future volume obligations. Finally, the greenhouse gas emissions of biofuels are an important consideration of emerging policies designed to meet deep decarbonization goals.

This workshop seeks to solicit information on the current scientific understanding of greenhouse gas modeling of land-based biofuels and how this information can be applied to a range of current and future actions. EPA is explicitly seeking comment on the following questions: 1) what sources of data exist and how can they be used to inform the assumptions that drive GHG estimates; 2) how best to characterize the sources of uncertainty associated with quantifying the GHG emissions associated with biofuels; and 3) what model(s) are available to evaluate the lifecycle GHG emissions of land-based biofuels, and do the model(s) meet the Clean Air Act requirements for quantifying the direct and significant indirect emissions from biofuels.

Workshop Registration

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this workshop will be held virtually only using Zoom (i.e., there will be no in-person meeting).

Submitting Comments to the Public Docket

EPA is also opening a docket for comment submission. Please submit comments no later than April 1, 2022.

Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0921, using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not electronically submit any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Comments submitted to the EPA, including any personal information that is in the body of the submission, will be publicly posted to https://www.regulations.gov and are also made available for in-person viewing at the EPA Docket Center's Reading Room. There are some exceptions. Please see additional instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along with more information about dockets generally, available at http://www.epa.gov/dockets. READ MORE

Excerpt from Biomass Magazine: The EPA is specifically seeking public comments on what sources of data exist and how they can be used to inform the assumptions that drive GHG estimates; how best to characterize the sources of uncertainty associated with quantifying the GHG emissions associated with biofuels; and what models are available to evaluate the lifecycle GHG emissions of land-based biofuels and whether those models meet Clean Air Act requirements for quantifying the direct and significant indirect emissions from biofuels. READ MORE