NCC, animal ag applaud EPA decision to lower ethanol 2014 requirements

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released a proposed 2014 renewable fuel (RFS) standard that will require refiners to blend up to 15.21 billion gallons of biofuels into gasoline next year, which represents the first-ever reduction in a biofuels mandate that Congress created during the George W. Bush administration. The conventional fuel mandate (corn-based ethanol) would be 13.0 billion gallons rather than the originally required 14.4 billion gallons. “EPA’s announcement today is a good first and welcome step, but ultimately, Congress must act. Congressional action to repeal the RFS remains the most viable pathway to allowing all users of corn to have equal standing in the marketplace,” said NCC President Mike Brown.  Read More