Clean Fuels urges EPA to act on RFS volumes

Clean Fuels Alliance America has filed formal comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Renewable Fuel Standards for 2023–2025.
After sending signals supporting growth for biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuels in June 2022, EPA reverted to the pattern of flatlined volumes common in previous years. Clean Fuels has asked the agency to significantly increase the volumes for biomass-based diesel and other advanced biofuels over the next three years.
“The clean fuels industry today meets a significant portion of the nation’s demand for heavy duty on-road fuels, helping to lower diesel fuel prices that impact the costs of all consumer goods,” said Kurt Kovarik, vice president of federal affairs with Clean Fuels.
“The industry is investing to double production, based on signals from the administration in the SAF Grand Challenge and pledge to cut carbon emissions in half. Flatlined volumes for the RFS threaten to undermine our industry’s investments as well as derail the administration’s goals for domestic energy security, jobs, economic opportunities, and environmental gains.”
The Energy Information Administration recently projected that domestic renewable diesel capacity could more than double through 2025 to 5.9 billion gallons. EPA’s data show that more than 3.6 billion gallons of advanced biomass-based diesel was generated for the RFS program in 2022, an increase of more than 500 million gallons over 2021.
“In finalising the overdue rules for 2021 and 2022, Administrator Regan committed to increase availability of homegrown fuels, put the RFS program back on track, and deliver certainty and stability,” Kovarik added. “December’s proposed volumes for biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuels contradict this sentiment.”