March 8, 2014
BY NBB Staff
The U.S. EPA closed the comment period Jan. 28 on the pending proposal for volumes under the renewable fuel standard (RFS). After weeks of discussions, NBB and its members submitted thousands of comments on behalf of a strong biodiesel volume in 2014 and 2015.
The final rule won’t be announced until late spring at the earliest, but the industry submitted thorough and compelling evidence supporting a higher volume. In its formal comments, NBB submitted more than 400 pages of information, including new studies demonstrating economic and environmental benefits of biodiesel.
NBB’s comments were developed by a working group that included representation from a wide variety of biodiesel producers and stakeholders, with feedback from every corner of the biodiesel economy.
“NBB’s comments incorporated input from across the industry and included the best data available about the positive benefits of increased biodiesel production,” said NBB Chairman Steven J. Levy. “I want to personally thank everyone who participated in the process, and particularly those members of our working group who spent extensive hours in meetings and conference calls helping to make sure we put our best foot forward. It was a lot of work, but in the end we made a very compelling case to the administration that their proposal should be changed and that biodiesel can continue growing in a cost-effective and sustainable way.”
NBB also thanked everyone who submitted individual comments to the EPA. Through the NBB website, conference, and other related letter-writing campaigns, at least 6,300 comments were submitted on behalf of the biodiesel industry—significantly exceeding the goal of 5,000 comments.
Finally, all biodiesel stakeholders are encouraged to continue to be vocal and aggressive in pressing the administration to improve this proposal. Advocacy remains important beyond the close of the official comment period as the decision-making process will continue until the final rule is announced.
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