Market News & Headlines >> No EPA Decision Yet on 2021 RFS or Waivers

The Environmental Protection Agency has not yet decided on U.S. biofuel blending requirements for 2021 or on petitions from refiners asking to be exempted from past-year requirements going back to 2011, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said on Wednesday, according to Reuters News Service. 

Wheeler said he could not assure that the agency will decide the 2021 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO) by the Nov. 30 deadline due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"This has been a very unusual year as far as vehicle miles traveled, driving has been down," Wheeler said on a call with reporters. "The COVID response has had a negative impact on both corn growers as well as refiners, and we're trying to understand what the market is going to be and what we should expect for next year as far as the RVO is concerned." 

The EPA hoped to decide next year's obligations as soon as possible, Wheeler said, adding that the agency is weighing 67 pending petitions from refiners, asking to be exempted from blending obligations for years covering 2011-2018.