Reuters and others are now following up with reports that President Donald Trump has ordered EPA and USDA to come up with options on US biofuel policy, a development first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
The focus is in part on small refiner exemptions (SREs) on their Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) obligations. Reports also indicate that the exam is taking a look at other areas that have been discussed and debated before – reallocating gallons covered by the SREs, issuing partial exemptions and cutting down on the number of SREs that are approved. Some also note this could be slowing progress on the administration’s proposed levels for 2020 biofuels and 2021 biodiesel under the RFS and the reset of the RFS, both of which are under review at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
June is listed as being the timetable for the notice of proposed rulemaking on both plans with a final rule in December.
Since the 2020 biofuel and 2021 biodiesel plan arrived at OMB in May, there have been 11 meetings on the topic with biofuel industry groups, refiners, petroleum-related groups along with truck stop operator and fueling station representatives. The latest meeting took place June 14.
As for the RFS reset, two meetings took place this week, one is scheduled for today and a fourth is set for next Wednesday. Those sessions are with a similar mix – biofuel backers and refining/oil interests. Given that the agency is still holding meetings, that suggests the RFS reset plan is not yet ready to be sent back to EPA.
It is also not clear if the White House budget office is ready to send the 2020 biofuel and 2021 biodiesel plan back to EPA nor is it clear if EPA will move the two proposed rules forward on the same track.
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