The Environmental Protection Agency released its final rule for the 2020 Renewable Fuel Standard. The National Biodiesel Board is disappointed as the rule maintains volumes for advanced and biomass-based diesel in 2020 and 2021 at current levels. NBB Vice President of Federal Affairs Kurt Kovarik says the rule will stifle biodiesel growth, plus it doesn’t properly account for the volumes lost to small refinery exemptions.
He says the EPA needs to follow a three-year rolling average of actual refinery exemptions granted. That was the agreement made by President Trump and biofuels supporters in September.
Kovarik says the EPA’s supplemental RFS rule doesn’t follow Congressional intent and fails to give the biofuels industry certainty going forward.
Kovarik says over the last three years the biodiesel industry has lost hundreds of millions of gallons that were waived by the EPA. He says that’s led to 10 biodiesel plant shutdowns and several others cutting back production.
