EPA Submits 2017 RFS Rule for Review by Office of Management and Budget

On April 22, 2016, in RFS, by Debra Newman

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) delivered its proposed rule for the 2017 renewable fuel standard (RFS) to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on April 15. After the OMB review, the draft rule, with any changes, is returned to EPA and the proposed rule is then published in the Federal Register and opened for public comment.

Once the public comment period is closed, EPA puts the final touches on the rule and sends it back once more to OMB for a final review and approval.  Following that approval, the final rule is published in the Federal Register. The OMB review could take up to 90 days, meaning the draft renewable fuel RVOs for 2017 and biodiesel RVOs for 2018 could appear by July.  EPA has a statutory obligation to finalize the rule by November 30, 2016.

In February, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy testified during a congressional hearing that the agency has taken steps to improve implementation of the RFS and intends to keep on track with future RFS rulemakings.The proposed rule contains 2017 renewable volume obligations (RVOs) for renewable fuel, advanced biofuel and cellulosic biofuel, as well as its 2018 RVO biodiesel RVO proposal. The 2017 standard for biomass-based diesel was finalized in a previous RFS rulemaking.

 



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