Flexibility is the Cornerstone of the RFS
July 26, 2013
(July 26, 2013) WASHINGTON — Today, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) touted the flexibility of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) while responding to the last in a five part series of whitepaper questions posed by the House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce Committee. The last whitepaper examines “implementation issues” of the RFS.
RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen pointed to the flexibility of the RFS in setting yearly RVOs. He stated, “The annual RVO-setting process is effective and allows EPA to adjust the required volumes of cellulosic and advanced biofuel annually based on the best available data of production capacity. No statutory changes are needed.” He continued, “As it developed the RFS provisions of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), Congress knew the timing of cellulosic and advanced biofuels commercialization was somewhat uncertain. Accordingly, Congress gave EPA significant authority and flexibility to set the standards annually based on the short-term outlook for the availability of these biofuels.”
That flexibility can also be seen as cellulosic biofuels enter the market. “While cellulosic biofuel production capacity has not materialized as rapidly as desired, the cellulosic biofuel provisions of the RFS have worked effectively and allowed EPA to adjust the required volumes as needed. Congress granted EPA broad authority to adjust the cellulosic biofuel requirements annually and the Agency has done so each and every year since the RFS2 became effective. Through the annual RVO-setting process, EPA has waived 98% of the cellulosic biofuel requirements from 2010-2013.”
Additionally, the current system quickly and efficiently handles cases of RIN fraud. “In the isolated cases where biodiesel RIN fraud did occur, EPA enforcement was swift and effective and the perpetrators of the fraud were successfully prosecuted. EPA has already demonstrated that it does in fact have the resources to effectively monitor the RIN program and take enforcement actions when necessary.”
View the whitepaper response in its entirety.
To see the other four whitepaper responses, please visit:
Search RFA
