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Jun 25, 2015
The Senate Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management conducted a hearing on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volumes last week.
Janet McCabe, the EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation was the sole witness at the hearing. Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Ben Sasse (R-NE), and Gary Peters (D-MI) questioned McCabe on EPA’s commitment to biofuels given the proposed rule constraints on corn ethanol and not being more aggressive with biodiesel volumes.
The focal point of the hearing were the issues relating to the ethanol “blend wall” and EPA’s interpretation of their authority to waive volume requirements specified by the law. Senators also cited support for increased biomass-based diesel volumes and urged EPA to be cognizant of the potential and likelihood of significant increases in imported biodiesel from Argentina.
