U.S. House Panel to Review RFS ‘Implementation Issues’ on June 22

Source: By Jeff Barber, OPIS • Posted: Friday, June 17, 2016

In a statement, the House Energy and Commerce Committee said the panel’s hearing will examine the RFS program and “receive an update on the status and implementation of the program.”

“The RFS specifies increasing amounts of renewable fuels to be added to the nation’s gasoline and diesel fuel supply each year through 2022, but it provides [the Environmental Protection Agency] with some authority to lower the annual volumes as circumstances warrant,” the statement said. “For 2016, EPA reduced the statutorily required gallons in order to minimize blendwall-related issues, but the 2017 targets go beyond the blendwall. After 2022, EPA has wide discretion to set the RFS targets, raising concerns about the long-term direction of the program.”

“Next week’s hearing will present us an opportunity to receive an update on the program and provide us a much needed implementation status update,” Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) said. “For the sake of consumers, corn and soybean growers, ethanol and biodiesel producers, refiners and gas station owners and equipment makers, we must also ensure that the program strikes the right balance.”

A list of those scheduled to testify at the hearing was not immediately available.

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