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EPA Releases Proposed Standards For Renewable Fuel Standard Program

The Environmental Protection Agency has released its proposed 2011 percentage standards for the Renewable Fuel Standard program, know as RFS2.

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) established the annual renewable fuel volume targets, with the goal of reaching overall level of 36 billion gallons in 2022. Under the standard, each refiner, importer and non-oxygenate blender of gasoline determines the minimum volume of renewable fuel to use in its transportation fuel.

The proposed standards are:
Biomass-based diesel: 0.8 billion gallons; 0.68 percent Advanced biofuels: 1.35 billion gallons; 0.77 percent Cellulosic biofuels: 5 - 17.1 million gallons; 0.004 - 0.015 percent Total renewable fuels: 13.95 billion gallons; 7.95 percent
EPA lowered the cellulosic volume from the EISA target because of market availability. EPA will continue to evaluate the market as it works to finalize the cellulosic standard in the coming months.

EPA is also proposing changes to the RFS2 regulations that would potentially apply to renewable fuel producers who use canola oil, grain sorghum, pulpwood, or palm oil as a feedstock. This program rule would allow the fuel produced by those feedstocks dating back to July 1, 2010, be used for compliance should EPA determine in a future rulemaking that such fuels meet certain greenhouse gas reduction thresholds.

The second change would set criteria for foreign feedstocks to be treated like domestic feedstocks in terms of the documentation needed to prove that they can be used to make qualifying renewable fuel under the RFS2 program.

EPA seeks comments on the renewable fuel standards and the proposed changes to the RFS2 regulations, which are due 30 days following publication of the proposed rule in the Federal Register.

For more information on the standards, visit www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/renewablefuels/regulations.htm.

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