EPA says its renewable fuel standard (RFS) fuel blending targets for cellulosic ethanol will be revised substantially downward from 2017 onward under a "reset" provision in the program, which will likely prompt further fights over the RFS targets that the oil sector says are unreasonably high and alternative fuels groups say are too low. At a June 18 Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee regulatory affairs panel hearing, acting EPA air chief Janet McCabe said that due to cellulosic ethanol production falling far below levels required by law, EPA will for 2017 have to adjust downward statutory volumes. The reset provision requires EPA to reduce volumes otherwise mandated by statute where prior years' supply has fallen far short of expectations, such as the cellulosic goals.
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