RFS Public Comment Period Opens Friday

Source: By Todd Neeley, DTN/Progessive Farmer • Posted: Friday, July 21, 2017

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will officially open a public comment period on Friday on the latest renewable volume obligations for the Renewable Fuel Standard, with the comment period slated to end on Aug. 31, http://bit.ly/….

The agency announced on July 5 proposed RVOs that were met with mixed reviews in ethanol and agriculture circles.

The EPA proposal leaves corn ethanol untouched, while falling short of expectations for the biodiesel industry. A public hearing on the RVOs has been scheduled for Aug. 1 in Washington, D.C., http://bit.ly/….

Corn ethanol blending requirements would be set at 15 billion gallons for 2018, but overall biofuel blending obligations would be slightly lower overall, based on the EPA proposal.

EPA proposed the overall total RVO for 2018 would drop from 19.28 billion gallons to 19.24 billion gallons.

The proposal calls for reducing advanced biofuels blend volumes, including biomass-based biodiesel, of the RFS from 4.28 billion gallons to 4.24 billion gallons.

EPA would set biodiesel’s RVO at 2.1 billion gallons for 2019. The blend requirement for cellulosic ethanol is proposed at 238 million gallons, a 73-million gallon decline from last year’s level.

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