EPA Lowers Cellulose-Based Renewable Fuel Goal

The Environmental Protection Agency cut the target levels of cellulose-based renewable fuels to be added to gasoline in 2013 in a final rule released last week. Overall, EPA said, 16.55 billion gal of renewable fuel must be blended with gasoline for 2013, which works out to nearly 10% of total U.S. gasoline consumption. The agency’s final rule reduced the amount of the 2013 total that must be cellulose-based—dropping this requirement from 14 million gal to 6 million gal, which is still far above what can now be produced. EPA is also extending the 2013 compliance deadline to June 30, 2014. Congress required the use of renewable fuels in the Energy Independence & Security Act, a 2007 law that steadily increases the amount of renewable fuels to 36 billion gal by 2022. The act’s goals include reducing fossil-fuel-based carbon emissions and encouraging use of renewable fuels, particularly cellulose-based fuels.