National Biodiesel Board going to court over biofuel requirements

The US National Biodiesel Board (NBB) is to argue before the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia regarding the 2014-2016 Renewable Fuels Standards (RFS) statute. The NBB’s case will be presented on the morning of 24 April, at the Circuit E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse, in Washington DC.

NBB argues that advanced biofuel requirements in the Renewable Fuel Standard should be higher, but the Environmental Protection Agency has acted to reduce the advanced biofuel volume requirement in recent years. NBB is set to challenge the EPA’s interpretation and use of its waiver authority under the statute

David Salamons of Morgan, Lewis and Bockius will present NBB’s case. The board has joined various ethanol groups in challenging the EPA’s general waiver authority.

The RFS statute is a law requiring increasing volumes of renewable fuels to be blended into fuels in the US. As the first advanced biofuel to achieve commercial scale production nationwide, biodiesel has been the source of most advanced biofuel production and blending under the RFS to date. 

A commercial trade association representing the US biodiesel industry, the NBB also coordinates research and development in the United States connected to the biofuel.