WASHINGTON, DC –Today, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor slammed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed biofuel targets for 2020. The agency’s proposed Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) includes no mechanism to offset refinery exemptions that consistently undercut federal blending goals, disrespects the court’s decision on the 2016 RVO, and fails to approve millions of gallons of current cellulosic biofuel production from kernel fiber technology.
“It’s unconscionable that EPA continues to undermine the president’s commitment to a strong rural America,” said Skor. “The 2020 RVOs are a drop in the bucket compared to the demand lost due to a flood of refinery exemptions. Unless EPA restores demand destroyed through secret handouts to oil giants like Exxon and Chevron, these targets offer nothing but another year of lost opportunity and rural hardship.
“Making matters worse, EPA chose to flout the 2017 court ruling requiring the agency to revisit 500 million gallons of biofuel that were inappropriately waived. Today’s proposal is a slap in the face to the farmers dealing with the toughest years on record.”
Under the proposal, conventional ethanol would hold steady at 15 billion gallons, while advanced biofuels would see a slight uptick to 5.04 billion gallons, including 540 million gallons of cellulosic biofuel. Biodiesel targets, which are set two years in advance, were proposed at 2.43 billion gallons for 2021.