EPA Sends 2019 Biofuels Proposal to OMB for Review

This week, EPA sent RFS volume obligations to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The White House is expected to complete its review of the proposed rule within the next 90 days for the 2018 RVO’s and the Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2019.

The EPA is proposing to increase the total renewable fuel volume by 590 million gallons from 19.29 billion gallons in 2018 to 19.88 billion gallons for 2019. The renewable fuel volume for biomass-based diesel (biodiesel) was set in a 2017 rulemaking at 2.1 billion gallons, the same as required in the calendar year 2018. Renewable fuel volumes for cellulosic biofuel will increase by 93 million gallons from 288 million gallons in 2018 to a proposed 381 million gallons in 2019. Under the proposed rule, advanced biofuels will increase from 4.29 billion gallons in 2018 to 4.88 billion gallons in 2019, an increase of 590 million gallons. Corn ethanol will remain at the 15 billion-gallon statutory maximum set by Congress under the RFS. The rulemaking also proposes to set the 2020 renewable fuel volume for biomass-based diesel at 2.43 billion gallons, up 330 million gallons when compared with the 2019 and 2018 2.1 billion gallons requirement. The 2019 obligated volume for bio-massed based biofuel (biodiesel) was previously set in a 2017 rulemaking.