The American Soybean Association (ASA) wants the Environmental Protection Agency to increase limits for biomass-based diesel to 2.5 billion gallons starting in 2018.
The change would affect the Proposed Rule for Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
“We think EPA should enthusiastically support more aggressive, but easily achievable, volume targets for biodiesel. We see no reason why EPA should not, at a minimum, support biomass-based diesel volumes of 2.5 billion gallons for 2018,” former ASA Chairman Ray Gaesser said during an EPA hearing in June.
Gaesser told the EPA that changing the rule would bring an opportunity to help the agriculture and rural economy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
"Biodiesel is a domestically produced, renewable fuel that is proven to achieve emissions reductions ranging from 50 to 86 percent better than petroleum diesel,” he said. “Accounting for approximately half of the feedstock used, soybean oil remains the largest source of oil for biodiesel production. Given the economic and environmental benefits for biodiesel, we believe that the soybean industry and the EPA should be allies on RFS issues.”
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