The proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) levels for 2023-2025 were published in the Federal Register Dec. 30, with a 10-day comment period on the proposed marks.
While EPA has announced it will hold a virtual public hearing on the proposed RFS levels, the agency noted they would announce “information regarding the public hearing for this proposal in a supplemental Federal Register document.”
In Other Federal Register News
EPA on Jan. 3 published a notice in the Federal Register seeking comments on a report to Congress required under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA).
EPA is seeking comments on the “Biofuels and the Environment: Third Triennial Report to Congress (External Review Draft).” EPA prepared the report in consultation with USDA and the Department of Energy.
The report examines environmental and resource conservation impacts of the RFS and EPA is seeking review of the report by a contractor-led peer review panel. The first two reports that were prepared in 2011 and 2018 concluded that the environmental impacts of increased biofuel production and use “were likely negative but limited in impact” and that there was potential for “both positive and negative impacts in the future.”
The initial report also concluded the EISA goals on biofuel production could be met “with minimal environmental impacts” if best practices were used and second-generation biofuel feed stocks were advanced.
The second report indicated the things had not materially changed from the first report relative to impacts and that production cellulosic biofuel had “not materialized.” The second report concluded that increased corn and soybean production resulted from the RFS and did cause land use changes. But that report concluded more research was needed.
EPA is currently seeking comments on an update on environmental impacts from the RFS, including “assessments of air, water and soil quality; ecosystem health and biodiversity.” The report also “includes new analyses not previously included in the first and second reports.”
The comment period on the 994-page report concludes March 6.
