State renewable fuel mandates should be preempted in order to implement the requirements of the federal renewable fuels standard (RFS), according to the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA). The petrochemical industry's trade association feels new state mandates should be examined by the U.S. EPA for their impact on the fuel production or distribution systems.
The NPRA's comments were part of testimony heard this morning in Chicago at a public hearing held to discuss the EPA's proposed rules for implementing the RFS, which was enacted as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The RFS creates a floor of 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuel use in the United States by 2012. The EPA introduced its proposed implementation Sept. 7. The
239-page proposal provides full details of the registration, recordkeeping and reporting requirements needed to implement the RFS.
"Congress did not anticipate the proliferation of new state ethanol and biodiesel mandates when it passed the Energy Policy Act of 2005," Charles Drevna, executive vice president for the NPRA, told the EPA. "Neither Congress nor the Administration should take a pass on considering the potentially serious impacts of politically popular, but economically and environmentally questionable, state ethanol or biodiesel mandates."
The RFS is projected to cut up to 3.9 billion gallons of petroleum use and 14 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the EPA. On average, the cost increase in renewable fuel is expected to range from 1 cent per gallon to 3 cents per gallon of gasoline, the proposed ruling said. The EPA also projects up to 9.9 billion gallons of biofuels will be produced annually in the United States by 2012.
Drevna concluded his testimony by saying the NPRA is committed to a smooth implementation of the RFS, and urged the EPA to "finalize the RFS program rules as soon as possible, while remaining faithful to the core principles developed and supported by all stakeholders."
Dave Nilles is Online Editor for
Ethanol Producer Magazine. Reach him at dnilles@bbibiofuels.com or (701) 373-0636.
Posted: 2:43 p.m. CDT Friday, October 13, 2006