Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sent its 2014 biofuels proposal to the White House Office of Management and Budget for Review, next year’s targets could be delayed because of the Government shutdown, according to published reports.
Next year’s targets were due to be released in September and finalized by year’s end. This date may be pushed back now that all nonessential government activity has been halted.
EPA said in early August that it planned to reduce both the advanced biofuel and total renewable volumes in its 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume requirement. Currently, the law would require the use of 18.15 billion gallons of biofuels in 2014, up from 16.55 billion gallons this year.
Pressure is mounting for lawmakers to either repeal or reform the RFS, amid concerns about the looming blend wall, the point at which adding the EPA-mandated volume of ethanol to gasoline supplies would result in ethanol blends that exceed 10 percent, and the rising price of renewable identification numbers (RINs).
The 2013 volume requirements were released several months late and weren't finalized until August, almost a year late.
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