In 2016, the ethanol industry added $42 billion to the nation?s Gross Domestic Product and boosted household income by $23 billion. The Environmental Protection Agency will propose 2018 RFS Renewable Volume Obligation requirements soon.
The last few years, the Obama administration?s EPA has not been on time with RFS RVO requirements. These are the final standards, which come out November 30th and must meet or exceed the volume targets specified by Congress for total renewable fuel, biomass-based diesel, and advanced biofuel. Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen is hopeful of the new administration.
?This is a program that took a while for the last administration to put on track but they finally did. The program is now at the levels that are going to drive innovation both in production and marketing. It will drive higher blends of E-15 and E-85 and that is what the program was intended to do.?
Speaking to farm reporters last week in Washington, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt saidbeing one time with RFS requirements will be a priority.
?The RVO targets that are set each year in November, routinely the EPA has missed those targets, that is going to change. We are already in progress to meet that deadline in November to provide certainty.?
National Association of Farm Broadcasting members heard from Pruitt and Dinneen during the annual NAFB Washington Watch conference at the nation?s capital May 1st through the 3rd.
