Agricultural News
Growth Energy Lauds Bill to Streamline Pathways for Low-Carbon Biofuels
Thu, 18 Jun 2020 08:42:43 CDT
Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor thanked U.S. Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) for introducing legislation to reduce Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) delays in the approval of applications to produce advanced biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
"We applaud Senators Thune and Shaheen for working on a bipartisan basis to break the regulatory logjam holding back cellulosic biofuels," said Skor. "Studies show that advanced biofuels can cut carbon emissions by 100 percent or more while providing a low-cost alternative to petroleum-based aromatics that poison our air and threaten our health.
"For too long, we've seen major investments in low-carbon biofuels held hostage by regulatory delays, even as farmers and biofuel producers work hand in hand to harness clean energy from agricultural residue, corn fiber, and waste. By keeping pathways frozen, EPA has put an artificial cap on advanced biofuels, limiting growth under the RFS. This important legislation will help clear the deck on long-overdue approvals and jumpstart growth at a time when revitalizing rural communities has never been more important."
Introduced today, the bill would set a 90-day deadline for EPA to act on petitions that have been pending for more than six months, and it would fast-track approval for advanced biofuels that have already been certified under state-based low-carbon fuel programs. For example, biofuels are responsible for nearly 80 percent of all the carbon reductions credited under California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), with the recorded carbon intensity of ethanol declining nearly 33 percent since 2011.
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