EPA’s compliance delay without issuing overdue RFS rules creates additional uncertainty

The U.S. EPA announced Nov. 18 further extensions for oil refiners to comply with past-due Renewable Fuel Standard obligations from 2019 and 2020, which the agency previously extended in April. EPA still has not issued 2021 and 2022 RFS rules or the 2023 volumes or announced decisions on pending small refinery exemptions.

“The Biden administration and EPA are sending the wrong signals on fuel availability and gas prices,” said Kurt Kovarik, NBB’s vice president of federal affairs. “The uncertainty they are creating for the RFS will undermine biodiesel and renewable diesel producers, blow up demand for cleaner fuels, and derail the nation’s progress toward carbon reductions. This is simply a gift to refiners who have ignored the RFS obligations for more than a year and a half and are demanding the administration bail them out. EPA needs to finalize RFS rules now.”

The U.S. biodiesel and renewable diesel industry supports 65,000 U.S. jobs and more than $17 billion in economic activity each year. Every 100 million gallons of production supports 3,200 jobs and $780 million in economic opportunity. Biodiesel production supports approximately 13 percent of the value of each U.S. bushel of soybeans.

Made from an increasingly diverse mix of resources such as recycled cooking oil, soybean oil and animal fats, biodiesel and renewable diesel are better, cleaner fuels that are available now for use in existing diesel engines without modification. NBB is the U.S. trade association representing the entire biodiesel and renewable diesel value chain, including producers, feedstock suppliers, and fuel distributors.