WASHINGTON, DC - House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY), and Environment and the Economy Subcommittee Chairman John Shimkus (R-IL) today issued the following statements responding to EPA’s proposed rule setting out the 2017 requirements for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
“While I appreciate the fact that EPA is on track to finish its rule by the deadline, I remain concerned about other aspects of this proposal," said Whitfield. “We owe it to everyone affected - from corn and soybean growers to ethanol and biodiesel producers to refiners and gas station owners, and most importantly to consumers - to strike the right balance, and we will take a close look at the proposal to see if this was achieved."
“It’s time to start looking at how the RFS program can be updated and extended to better reflect an evolving energy landscape," said Shimkus. “I’m eager for that debate and I look forward to further reviewing EPA’s proposed requirements for 2017."
Chairman Upton added, “The energy sector has evolved in ways that were not predicted when the RFS was last revised in 2007. We will continue our ongoing oversight of the RFS and EPA’s proposed rule in the months ahead."
The RFS specifies increasing amounts of renewable fuels to be added to the nation’s gasoline and diesel fuel supply each year through 2022, but it provides EPA with some authority to lower the annual volumes as circumstances warrant. The agency has proposed reductions in the statutory volumes for 2017 in regards to cellulosic biofuels, but has chosen not to take action to keep the nation’s gasoline supply below the 10 percent ethanol blend wall. Each year’s rule is required to be finalized by November 30th of the previous year, so EPA is on track to finish its 2017 rule on schedule for the first time in many years.
