BIO Assails EPA’s Rules for 2020 RVOs, SRE

With its final rules for 2020 renewable volume obligations and small refinery exemptions reallocation, EPA “stifles investment in green energy breakthroughs,” the Biotechnology Innovation Organization says.

“Unfortunately, this final rule from EPA does not alleviate concerns we had when the draft rule was published earlier this year,” Stephanie Batchelor, vice president of BIO’s Industrial and Environmental Section said in a Dec. 19 statement. “The lack of growth for advanced and cellulosic biofuels, and the failure to fully reallocate the gallons lost from the drastic expansion of small refinery exemptions, will continue to stifle investment in green energy breakthroughs. This final rule will have a long-lasting negative impact on the country’s renewable fuels industry as we’ve already seen plants close because of the agency’s manipulation of the policy to date.”

Batchelor added, “We are greatly concerned that the administration continues to undermine the RFS [Renewable Fuel Standard] and fails to understand that the intent of the program is to grow the market for clean, innovative fuels.” The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (www.bio.org), Washington, D.C., is a trade association representing biotechnology companies, academic institution, state biotechnology centers and related organization in the United States and in more than 30 other nations.