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EPA RFS volumes evoke different reactions

Ethanol-related groups are generally pleased with the EPA’s decision to maintain volume requirements under the Renewable Fuels Standard for 2018.

“It does, indeed, affirm the President’s commitment to ethanol generally and the Renewable Fuels Standard specifically by maintaining the conventional biofuel numbers at 15-Billion gallons and that’s what we were looking to in this rulemaking,” says Bob Dinneen, head of the Renewable Fuels Association.

Dinneen tells Brownfield Ag News they had no real concerns the requirements would be lowered, given President Trump’s position, and, he says, “Gasoline demand has stayed steady. And, the way that our industry, the ethanol industry, has continued to increase production and become more and more efficient, there really was no justification for any kind of a reduction.”

AUDIO:  Interview with Bob Dinneen:

Wesley Spurlock, president of the National Corn Growers Association, is asking growers to thank the EPA for proposing the 2018 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) at the statutory level and to support a stronger RFS when issuing the final rule in the fall.

Meanwhile, Ron Moore, president of the American Soybean Association calls the EPA’s proposed RFS volumes for biomass-based diesel for 2019 and advanced biofuels volumes for 2018 disappointing and a missed opportunity. The volume for biomass-based diesel is the same as 2018. For advanced biofuels volumes, the number has been lowered by eight-Million gallons.