The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have announced a supplemental proposed rule to the recently announced 2020 Renewable Volume Standards and the Biomass-based Diesel Volume for 2021. EPA will seek public comment on the agreement, which aims to address the impacts of Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) by incorporating into the RFS volumes a projection of expected waivers based on a 3-year average.

“We are very pleased to see something positive for biofuels and thank both the President and the members of Congress who have been champions of this revised proposal,” said Davie Stephens, Kentucky soybean farmer and American Soybean Association president. “Addressing the flood of waivers issued in recent years by EPA is the most immediate need, and this proposal, if finalized, will account for future waivers. We will also continue to advocate for growth in RFS volumes and improved implementation of the program.”

Biofuel and farm advocates are urging the administration to act swiftly on the president’s commitment to restore integrity to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and address the economic crisis created by EPA’s overuse of SREs. The following joint statement has been issued by ASA, the National Corn Growers Association, Growth Energy, the Renewable Fuels Association, the National Biodiesel Board, and Fuels America:

“We thank President Trump for today’s announcement, which shows that the voices of farm families and biofuel producers are being heard in Washington. Efforts to restore hope for rural communities cannot come soon enough, and we will continue to work closely on that process with our elected champions and this White House until a plan is finalized and gallons start flowing again. The EPA must uphold the president’s commitment to restore demand, based on a 3-year average of all the exempted gallons, beginning with the 2020 biofuel standards.”