For the 2026 Renewable Fuel Standards, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was supposed to have finished its work by the start of November last year. That did not happen, even though the EPA is required by law to finalize Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volumes 14 months before the year that they apply. That lead time is set in order to allow producers of renewable fuels to plan for production and raw material purchases. But without any policy certainty from the EPA, many producers are struggling. Paul Winters, director of public affairs and federal communications with the Clean Fuels Alliance, said they filed a lawsuit alongside Growth Energy in December in order to encourage the EPA to get the rules done in a timely manner.
However, federal lawyers asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit and leave the unfinished 2026 RFS rule in limbo.
Winters said this was basically just a move to stall for time.
The importance of the renewable fuels industry cannot be overstated- they support grain prices for farmers and even keep food prices in check.
President Trump has signed executive orders to break down the regulatory barriers that were impeding the renewable fuels industry, but Winters said this latest move to dismiss their lawsuit is completely at odds with that effort.
Winters encouraged farmers to reach out to their congressmen and let them know that this move does not line up with the promises made by the current administration.
For more information, visit cleanfuels.org.
