WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal for the 2018 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), Growth Energy submitted detailed comments as part of the public comment period.
Growth Energy’s comments focus on a number of policies that will ensure the continued progress of starch and cellulosic biofuels under the RFS. Specifically, the comments focus on:
1. Maintaining the 15-billion-gallon total for conventional biofuels to maintain U.S. energy security and independence
2. Pushing forward and increasing the cellulosic biofuel volumes to 377 million gallons
3. Revising the cellulosic waiver credit program to ensure that the volumes being produced are being used in the transportation fuel system
4. Taking actions to mitigate manipulation in the RIN market
Upon filing the comments, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor issued the following statement:
“The Renewable Fuel Standard has been the nation’s most successful energy policy. Ethanol is a high-performance, high-octane biofuel that also reduces harmful emissions and displaces toxic chemicals in gasoline. Higher ethanol blends provide consumers with a choice, as well as savings at the pump. Further, the RFS promotes economic growth and energy security by supporting American jobs and insulating our markets against the volatile price of oil from foreign and often hostile nations.
“Administrator Pruitt and the Administration put forward a good, strong proposal to maintain the commitment to starch ethanol, but there is simply no reason to backpedal on moving the RFS forward with cellulosic biofuel. With our comments, we are showing that we can continue the significant progress made by the RFS and that we can continue to grow the market for cellulosic biofuel.”
Click HERE to view the Executive Summary.
Click HERE for the full comments submitted to EPA.
Click HERE for the exhibits submitted to EPA.
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