A House bill that would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to act on outstanding Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) biofuel pathway applications was introduced by Reps. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., and Jim Hagedorn, R-Minn.
The legislation, titled the Streamlining Advanced Biofuels Registration Act, would also compel the agency to accept biofuel applications if, after 90 days, the fuel could participate in at least one state's clean transportation program.
The RFS requires energy producers to utilize low-carbon, renewable fuels such as cellulosic biomass, but EPA must approve applications on behalf of biofuels producers and has refused to act on dozens of applications, Hagedorn and Bustos said.
The changes included in the bill will help lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by easing the regulatory burden for producers using cellulosic biomass to produce renewable fuel, the lawmakers said. “By cutting red tape and ensuring that producers receive a timely response from the EPA, we can encourage the use of cellulosic biomass in low-carbon, renewable fuel production and continue to create cleaner, more environmentally-friendly fuels,” Bustos said.
“By forcing the EPA to make timely decisions on these applications, we are opening new markets that will power southern Minnesota communities and the nation's economy. I'm extremely pleased to work in bipartisan fashion with Congresswoman Bustos on this important initiative,” Hagedorn said.
Sens. John Thune, R-S.D., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., have introduced companion legislation in the Senate.