EPA opens public comment period on canola oil fuel pathway rule
The U.S. EPA on April 18 published its proposed rule to approve Renewable Fuel Standard pathways for renewable diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, naphtha, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) produced from canola/rapeseed oil via a hydrotreating process in the Federal Register, officially opening a 30-day public comment period.
The agency released a pre-publication version of the rulemaking on April 12.
EPA’s assessment proposes to find that these fuel pathways meet the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction threshold of 50 percent required to generate D4 biomass-based diesel and D5 advanced biofuel renewable identification numbers (RINs) under the RFS.
Based on its analysis, the EPA said its finding supports a determination that renewable diesel, jet fuel and heating oil produced from canola oil are eligible for D4 biomass-based diesel RINs if they are produced through a hydrotreating process that does not co-process renewable biomass and petroleum, and for D5 advanced biofuel RINs if they are produced through a process that does co-process renewable biomass and petroleum. The EPA said its finding would also support a determination that naphtha and LPG production from canola oil through a hydrotreating process are eligible for D5 RINs.
A fuel pathway for the production of biodiesel and heating oil produced from canola oil via a transesterification process is already approved for the generation of D4 biomass-based diesel RINs.
Comments on the proposed rule can be filed through May 18 under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0845 on www.Regulations.gov.
Additional information is available on the Federal Register website.
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