The proposed rule contains the EPA’s analysis of the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with certain biofuels produced using grain sorghum oil extracted at dry mill ethanol plants at any point downstream from sorghum grinding, also known as distillers sorghum oil.

EPA’s assessment concludes that using distillers sorghum oil as feedstock results in no significant agricultural sector GHG emissions. The agency’s analysis determined that biodiesel and heating oil produced from distillers sorghum oil via a transesterification process, and renewable jet fuel, heating oil, naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas (LGP) produced from distillers sorghum oil via a hydrotreating process, would meet the lifecycle GHG emissions reduction threshold of 50 percent required for advanced biofuels and biomass-based diesel under the Renewable Fuel Standard.

The rule proposes to amend RFS regulations to define the term distillers sorghum oil. It also proposes to add approved pathways to the RFS regulations for biodiesel and heating oil manufactured from distillers sorghum oil using the transesterification process, and for renewable diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, naphtha and LGP produced from distillers sorghum oil via a hydrotreating process.

Additional information is available on the Federal Register website.