EPA Won't Finalize Renewables Standard In 2014, Plans to Pursue Multiyear Rule

摘要

The Environmental Protection Agency announced Nov. 21 that it won't issue a final renewable fuel standard for 2014 by the end of the year. Instead, the EPA plans to issue a new rule in 2015 to set standards for 2014 through 2016 in an effort to bring the annual rulemaking back into compliance with statutory deadlines after several lengthy delays in recent years. The EPA decision drew general acceptance from renewable fuels producers, who had opposed the agency's proposal to lower the statutory blending requirements for 2014. But the petroleum industry and some environmental groups cited the postponement as further evidence the law should be scrapped. The agency was required by statute to finalize the rule by Nov. 30, 2013, and is nearly a year overdue. The EPA said the compliance deadline for its 2013 rule will be extended until the new rule can be issued.