The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decided Wednesday to maintain the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) Point of Obligation.
A Farm Futures Dot Com report notes that EPA administrator Scott Pruitt followed through on a promise to a group of Midwest senators that he would deny a petition from oil refiners to change the point of obligation. He followed through on Wednesday when the Federal Register noted that the petition had been denied.
Petitioners had claimed that changing the point of obligation would result in an increase in the production, distribution, and use of renewable fuels in the U.S. and would reduce the cost of fuel for consumers.
An EPA news release says the agency doesn’t believe that the petitioners proved that changing the point of obligation would be beneficial. The EPA says, “While we do not anticipate a benefit from changing the point of obligation, we do believe that such a change would significantly increase the complexity of the RFS program, which could negatively impact its effectiveness.”
POET CEO Jeff Broin says, “I applaud the President and EPA for standing up to the special interest groups within the oil industry who seek to undermine American-made biofuels.”
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.