{"id":11178,"date":"2022-02-17t15:00:26","date_gmt":"2022-02-17t15:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dpetrov.2create.studio\/planet\/wordpress\/senate-panel-weighs-economic-impacts-of-epas-renewable-fuel-standard-program\/"},"modified":"2022-02-17t15:00:26","modified_gmt":"2022-02-17t15:00:26","slug":"senate-panel-weighs-negative-economic-impacts-of-epas-renewable-fuel-standard-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.getitdoneaz.com\/story\/senate-panel-weighs-negative-economic-impacts-of-epas-renewable-fuel-standard-program\/","title":{"rendered":"senate panel weighs economic impacts of epa\u2019s renewable fuel standard program"},"content":{"rendered":"
by charlotte varnes<\/strong><\/p>\n washington \u2014 changes to the environmental protection agency\u2019s renewable fuel standard program could lead to wide-ranging economic impacts like increased gas prices and shutdowns of small refineries, experts told lawmakers during a senate environment and public works committee hearing on wednesday.<\/p>\n \u201cif we proceed with a(n) (epa) mandate, we prohibit innovation and alternatives to come forward,\u201d said lucian pugliaresi, president of the energy policy research foundation. \u201ceveryone who wants to proceed with these exotic fuels of the future should keep in mind that i don\u2019t believe that the american people will react very positively if we go into a period of sustained, high gasoline prices.\u201d<\/p>\n lawmakers heard from several stakeholders, including members of the biofuel industry and a lawyer who represents small oil refineries, about their experiences with the epa\u2019s rfs program. the rfs, first established in 2005, sets guidelines for the amount of biofuels required to be blended with fossil fuels each year. the epa recently announced new volume requirements <\/a>for 2020, 2021 and 2022 in december. <\/p>\n wednesday\u2019s hearing marked the first time since 2016 that the committee re-examined the program \u2014 a gap that \u201cspeaks to the intricacies of the program,\u201d according to ranking member shelley moore capito, r-w.va.<\/p>\n \u201cthe potential fault lines between opponents, supporters and would-be reformers don\u2019t always align between one party or another,\u201d capito said. <\/p>\n both experts and lawmakers expressed concern about how epa policies might impact fuel costs, particularly in light of american prices hitting their highest level in eight years. emily skor, ceo of growth energy, said challenges toward epa policies have been one cause of higher fuel prices. the d.c. circuit court of appeals\u2019 july 2021 decision<\/a> to vacate the epa\u2019s policy of year-round sale of e15, a gasoline mixed with ethanol, has been impactful as well, skor said.<\/p>\n \u201cundermining the rfs and delaying the rollout of e15 means increasing gas prices for american consumers,\u201d skor said. \u201cgas prices are driven by the price of crude \u2014 not the cost of the rfs.\u201d<\/p>\n pugliaresi disagreed with skor\u2019s interpretation. while crude oil costs are contributing to overall higher fuel prices, he pointed to an analysis<\/a> indicating that the epa\u2019s rfs policies contribute an additional 30 cents per gallon to gas prices. <\/p>\n