WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released proposed 2019 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The total renewable fuel volume is proposed to be 19.88 billion gallons, while the proposed conventional biofuel amount of 15 billion gallons maintains the level set in the final RVOs for 2018. The proposal also calls for 4.88 billion gallons of advanced biofuel, including 381 million gallons of cellulosic biofuel and 2.43 billion gallons of biodiesel for 2020.
In response, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor issued the following statement:
“The EPA proposed 15 billion gallons for conventional biofuels, but that still isn’t a real number we can count on. This plan fails to ensure those gallons will, in fact, be blended. By neglecting to reallocate gallons lost to waivers, the EPA is doubling down on another year of an estimated 1.5 billion gallons in demand destruction.
“The same holds true for advanced and cellulosic biofuels, which are rapidly delivering new economic opportunities for rural communities and driving America’s leadership in clean energy. The targets proposed today promise growth, but those investments can’t move ahead unless the EPA makes it clear that goals set by Congress will be enforced.
“The proposed RVOs also fail to restore the volumes lost to waivers for 2016, despite a court ruling last July that requires EPA to restore 500 million gallons of biofuel demand. The EPA cannot continue to enrich the largest oil companies and refiners at the expense of struggling U.S. farmers.
“Keeping the RFS on track is the right thing to do – not only for America’s farmers but for the future of clean energy. Americans are breathing cleaner air every day, thanks to the RFS. As a nation, we must not lose sight of what the RFS was designed to do, and we urge the EPA to follow through on the president’s pledge for year-round sales of E15 and to restore the gallons that have been lost due to refinery exemptions.”
Press Contact:
Austin Dabney 202.545.4000