EPA opens public comment period on canola oil fuel pathway rule
April 18, 2022
BY Erin Krueger
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.
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
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.
Related Stories
The USDA maintained its outlook for 2025-’26 soybean oil use in biofuel production in its latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, released Aug. 12. The forecast for soybean oil prices was also unchanged.
U.S. soybean production for 2025 is forecast at 4.29 billion bushels, down 2% when compared to last year, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s latest monthly Crop Production report, released Aug. 12.
Marathon Petroleum Corp. on Aug. 5 released second quarter financial results, reporting improved EBITDA for its renewable diesel segment. The company primarily attributed the improvement to increased utilization and higher margins.
Chevron Corp. on Aug. 1 confirmed the company started production at the Geismar renewable diesel plant in Louisiana during the second quarter after completing work to expand plant capacity from 7,000 to 22,000 barrels per day.
As of July 2025, California’s SCFS requires renewable fuel producers using specified source feedstocks to secure attestation letters reaching back to the point of origin. This marks a significant shift in compliance expectations.
Upcoming Events
