Statement from the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas Regarding EPA Release of Final 2018 Renewable Fuel Standard Volume Obligations

Washington, DC - On November 30, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the final rule setting the final 2018 volume obligations under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). 

Johannes Escudero, the Executive Director of the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG Coalition), issued the following statement in response to the final rule.

“The final 2018 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) of 288 million gallons for cellulosic biofuels represents an increase from the proposed RVO that will allow the RNG industry to continue delivering America’s cellulosic biofuel – renewable natural gas – and yielding positive economic, environmental and transportation benefits in communities across the nation. America’s renewable natural gas industry has demonstrated the ability to produce steadily increasing volumes of cellulosic biofuels, and we stand ready to meet this obligation.”

In raising the cellulosic biofuel volume from the proposed rule, EPA gave recognition to the growth in renewable natural gas production, noting on page 26 of the Final Rule that:

“EPA received a number of affidavits from companies that produce (or intend to produce) CNG/LNG derived from biogas as comments on our proposed rule. These affidavits are publicly available as part of the comments submitted by the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas. EPA reviewed and considered the information contained in these affidavits in establishing the required volume of cellulosic biofuel for 2018. These affidavits confirmed that it was reasonable to believe that the relatively high year-over-year rate of growth used to project volumes of CNG/LNG derived from biogas for 2018 could be achieved based on a number of project expansions and new projects expected to begin producing CNG/LNG derived from biogas in 2018.”

“Going forward, we will continue to engage the agency in a constructive manner and work to improve the methodology that is utilized in setting the RFS program’s cellulosic volume targets,” said Escudero.

The RNG Coalition is the trade association representing companies and organizations dedicated to the advancement of RNG as an ultra-clean, domestically-produced fuel. The RNG industry captures methane emitted by organic wastes at landfills, wastewater treatment facilities, agricultural digesters and commercial food waste facilities and refines the captured biogas into RNG. RNG is fully fungible with conventional natural gas infrastructure and is used as a direct substitute for most natural gas applications. Ninety-eight (98) percent of the fuel produced and consumed to meet the RFS program’s cellulosic biofuel requirement is RNG.