EPA official doesn’t expect RVO rule by year’s end

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EPA official doesn’t expect RVO rule by year’s end

An official with the EPA says he has not seen enough progress on a potential 2021 RFS renewable volume obligation rule to expect a final determination before the new year.

Dallas Burkholder with the EPA’s Office of Air and Regulation says, “We haven’t even released a proposal, right? And so, at most, what could move quickly is a proposal.”

Burkholder tells Brownfield he saw a media report about the rule for biofuels blending coming out later this month.  He says it is possible as there is a proposal circulating for inter-governmental review, but, “certainly not a final rule anytime soon, and I would say I would not read that reg (regulatory) agenda date as, you know, like binding or an announcement.”

Burkholder says the proposed ethanol and biodiesel blending rule has been under review for several months but has not been released to the public yet.  Normally, EPA’s renewable volume obligation rules come before a public hearing and a public comment period before they become final.

Biofuels groups have been highly critical of the EPA for missing the deadline for the 2021 RVO guidelines.