EPA heard complaints about its proposed levels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for 2023, 2024, and 2025 relative to renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) during public hearings. Critics told EPA in the public session the agency has underestimated the existing or expected industry capacity.
“There is over $4.75 billion invested in oilseed processing expansions and new construction,” Paul Winters of Clean Fuels Alliance America told EPA. “Some of that could be delayed or possibly canceled in response to the proposal.” The EPA proposal, Kent Engelbrecht of ADM said, “underestimates our ability to produce both feedstocks and finished renewable fuels.”
The EPA plan implies modest growth in the sector, with EPA stating in its proposal it had doubts the announced expansion in the sector will actually be built due to costs of sourcing feedstocks, primarily seen as vegetable oils like soyoil and canola oil.
