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The PPM Blog

Biofuels industry upset over EPA’s cuts to programs

The biofuel lobby has started to raise serious concerns over the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s lack of commitment to their industry. They say that while the agency's recently proposed Renewable Fuel Standard might appear to support an increased demand for biofuels, it does little to help promote them, and gives the federal government the power to permanently reduce their production. 

Brent Erickson, the Biotechnology Industry Organization's vice president went as far as saying that the EPA's latest proposal was clearly an attempt to appease the oil industry. "EPA's proposed rule cynically adjusts the regulatory system to benefit the industry it is intended to regulate," he said, adding that it also serves "to throw up a roadblock (call it a blend wall if you like) for advanced biofuels."

The Renewable Fuel Standard is an annually issued regulation released by the EPA, setting mandatory requirements for refiners to blend a percentage of corn-based ethanol and other biofuels into their diesel and gasoline.

While pushing for a stronger biofuel industry has been one of President Obama's main strategies to help combat global warming, the program has suffered from major setbacks over the past several years. Biofuel use and production may be at an all-time high, but it's still significantly lower than Congress and the Obama administration's original plans were.

Because of how rapidly they can change, staying on top of and following EPA regulations and policies can be difficult and time consuming. Hiring environmental consultants can help you better understand the latest trends and regulations, and find quick, cost effective ways to meet them.

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