This bill expedites the approval process for renewable fuels under the renewable fuel standard (RFS) program. The existing RFS program requires transportation fuel to contain a minimum volume of renewable fuel. Producers must register renewable fuels under the program.
The bill considers an application to register a renewable fuel under the RFS program to be approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) if the fuel has been approved under any state renewable fuel program. It also establishes a deadline for the EPA to make a decision on any pending application for a renewable fuel that has not yet been approved under any state program.
In addition, the bill establishes deadlines for the EPA to make decisions on pending pathway petitions by producers to register biofuels. If the EPA does not make decisions on the petitions by the deadlines, then petitions are automatically approved.