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With the release of long-awaited ethanol-blending target numbers late
last year, the Environmental Protection Agency managed to draw ire from
both renewable fuels supporters and renewable fuels opponents. Now,
almost predictably, both sides have filed lawsuits against the EPA
accusing the agency of failing to do its job right.
The finalized numbers
mandated a total of 18.11 billion gallons of renewable fuels for 2016 -
including ethanol and biodiesel - falling short of the 22.25 billion
gallons that the Renewable Fuel Standard initially envisioned, but
surpassing the 17.4 billion gallons that the EPA proposed earlier in the
year. The numbers also came about two years later than expected and set
finalized numbers for 2014 and 2015 in retrospect.
Ethanol backers struck first, filing a lawsuit January 8,
claiming that the EPA erroneously set the numbers based on demand
rather than supply and that the EPA overreached in its interpretation of
the RFS.
Another round of petroleum legislation finds its opponents.
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