US senators encourage EPA to increase biodiesel target under RFS

In the US, a bipartisan group of 40 senators are calling for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to increase the biodiesel targets in the newest Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) proposal.

The group, including Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Al Franken (D-Minn.), EPA administrator Gina McCarthy a letter calling on the EPA to raise the 2018 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO) for biomass-based diesel.

The EPA is required to set annual RFS volume requirements for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and renewable fuel under the Clean Air Act.

Biomass-based diesel requirements were previously set to increase 2 billion gallons in 2017, and the EPA recently proposed to increase biomass diesel requirements to 2.1 billion gallons in 2018.

Senators said the 100 million gallon increase is not enough, and called for the requirements to be raised at least 400 million gallons more to 2.5 billion gallons.

“The biodiesel industry has met RFS criteria for growth, exceeding the goals that Congress envisioned when it created the RFS bipartisan support in 2005 and supporting over 47,000 jobs,” the group wrote.

“To date, biodiesel and renewable diesel have delivered the majority of the advanced biofuels under the RFS. We believe it is clear that these fuels offer the best opportunity for growth in the near future.

“We urge [the EPA] to continue to support higher RVOs for biodiesel to encourage additional development and use of this fuel,” the senators added.