By Ron Kotrba, Biomass Magazine.

The public comment period opened March 16 after publication in the Federal Register on the proposed consent decree and environmental settlement agreement lodged by the U.S. Department of Justice with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in the PES Holdings bankruptcy case.

According to the Federal Register publication, the U.S. filed this settlement agreement with PES Holdings LLC on behalf of the U.S. EPA to resolve a dispute about the obligations and liabilities of the bankrupt oil refiner and related parties under the Renewable Fuel Standard program, which requires refiners to blend renewable fuels into gasoline or diesel fuel or obtain renewable identification numbers (RINs) to meet renewable volume obligations (RVOs).