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EPA biofuel targets for 2020 face skepticism

Biofuels groups are skeptical of EPA’s proposed renewable volume obligations for 2020. 

Renewable Fuels Association CEO Geoff Cooper says on paper, the RVO targets for next year resemble a slight increase compared to 2019.

“But nobody in the marketplace puts any faith or any stock in those numbers. They don’t mean anything because we know if EPA continues this practice of giving out small refinery exemptions, that 15-billion gallons of conventional biofuels like corn ethanol is not really 15-billion gallons.”

Ohio farmer and National Corn Grower board member John Linder says farmers have no confidence EPA will ensure 2020 RVO’s will be met, which the law requires.

Cooper calls the notion that small refinery exemptions have caused no economic harm ridiculous.

“All you have to do is look around what’s happening in the marketplace the last several months.”

He says in that time three ethanol plants closed permanently and nearly a dozen have idled production.