BIO Submits Comments to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Proposed Rule Titled “Renewable Fuel Standard Program: Standards for 2014, 2015, and 2016 and Biomass Based Diesel Volume for 2017
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The Biotechnology Industry Organization (“BIO”) is pleased to have the opportunity today to comment on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA’s”) recently published proposed rule titled “Renewable Fuel Standard Program: Standards for 2014, 2015, and 2016 and Biomass Based Diesel Volume for 2017.”</p>
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The Biotechnology Industry Organization (“BIO”) is pleased to have the opportunity today to comment on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA’s”) recently published proposed rule titled “Renewable Fuel Standard Program: Standards for 2014, 2015, and 2016 and Biomass Based Diesel Volume for 2017.”
BIO is the world's largest trade association representing biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, and industrial and environmental biotechnology products.
BIO represents over 90 companies leading the development of new technologies for producing conventional and advanced biofuels. Through the application of industrial biotechnology, BIO members are improving conventional biofuel processes, furthering advanced and cellulosic biofuel production technologies, and speeding development of new purpose grown energy crops. Because of the incentives created by the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (“RFS”) our member companies continued production of commercial quantities of advanced biofuels and began such production of cellulosic biofuels in 2014. When properly administered in accordance with the RFS statute, the policy ensures a steady and increasing market for renewable fuels in the United States, which in turn maintains and furthers investment in that market.
While BIO appreciates EPA’s hard work and positive intentions, we respectfully submit that EPA’s recent actions, especially those since 2013, have undermined the goals and requirements of the RFS statute, undercut investment in advanced biofuels, and raised greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation fuel sector. Renewable fuels required to be used by the RFS statute “reduce emissions of greenhouse gases compared to fossil fuels,” so a decline in renewable fuel volumes subject to the RFS has a direct and damaging impact on greenhouse gas emissions goals.
