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BIO Asks EPA to Reject Retroactive Changes to Renewable Fuel Standard

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BIO submitted a letter to EPA asking that they reject a retroactive reduction of the 2011 Renewable Fuel Standard obligations, requested&nbsp;in January by petroleum refiners.</p>

A petition to retroactively change the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for 2011 would undermine the industry’s progress in commercializing advanced biofuels. The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) today wrote EPA asking that they deny a petition submitted in January by the petroleum industry that would destabilize implementation of the RFS.

Brent Erickson, executive vice president for BIO’s Industrial & Environmental Section, said, “The Renewable Fuel Standard is the key policy supporting rapid commercial development of advanced biofuels. Companies have made measurable progress in moving from concept to demonstration scale in their drive to open commercial facilities and make a significant contribution to energy security. Progress may not have been as fast as anyone would like, but the changes to the RFS that petroleum interests are requesting are solely designed to impede further progress. Commercial-scale advanced biofuels projects are just starting to come on line and it makes little sense to disrupt this progress now. We ask that EPA continue its consistent implementation.”