In the face of high fuel prices and global uncertainties, expanding access to renewable fuels may be even more relevant today than it was almost two decades ago when the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was enacted, the president of the National Corn Growers Association told the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today.
His comments came during an EPA public hearing on the proposed RFS volume rule for 2023-2025.
“We support the growth trajectory in EPA’s proposal; however, with continued pressure on energy security and costs and the need to accelerate carbon emission reductions, biofuels can contribute even more,” said NCGA President Tom Haag. “We ask EPA to continue working with us on complementary policies that advance higher ethanol blends, enabling ethanol to do more to cut both emissions and costs.”
Haag said corn growers also urge EPA to simply adopt the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Lab GREET model for lifecycle GHG assessment to most accurately account for the GHG emission reductions from biofuels like ethanol and the RFS. Today’s ethanol cuts GHG emissions by 50 percent compared to gasoline.
“EPA acknowledges that its 2010 modeling framework is old and requires updating,” he noted. “Yet instead of adopting the federal government’s most robust and updated analysis, EPA included outdated estimates and proposed more reviews.”
In addition, he said corn grower leaders continue to review EPA’s proposal for generating RFS credits from biomass electricity to ensure consistency with RFS crediting for other energy sources.
“Corn growers are proud to supply low carbon feedstocks for low-cost, low-emission ethanol,” said Haag. “We stand ready to work with EPA to build on the growing biofuel volumes proposed to continue to make the RFS an energy, environmental and economic success.”
