The Environmental Protection Agency has until November 30 to release the 2017 renewable fuel volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard. Earlier the Agency proposed 14.8 billion gallons for corn ethanol. Renewable Fuel Association Senior Vice President Geoff Cooper says the EPA doesn’t have the authority to waive statutory RFS volumes on the basis of renewable fuel distribution or consumption capacity.

He says even if the EPA could base its RVOs on distribution and consumption capacity, the recent marketplace shows the final 2017 RVO should be set at the statutory level of 15 billion gallons.

Cooper says most of the indications are that the EPA will have to set the 2017 RVO level at 15 billion gallons.

Cooper expects the agency to meet the November 30 deadline of releasing the 2017 RVOS.