EPA says not now, maybe later to camelina, energy cane, napiergrass, and giant reed as biofuels feedstocks

In Washington, the EPA withdrew the direct final rule to allow camelina, energy cane, napiergrass, and giant reed to meet the RFS2.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said: “EPA published a direct final rule on January 5, 2012 (77 FR 700) to amend the Renewable Fuel Standard program regulations. The amendments would have expanded Table 1 of § 80.1426 to identify additional renewable fuel production pathways and pathway components that could be used in producing qualifying renewable fuel under the Renewable Fuel Standard program. We stated in that direct final rule that if we received adverse comment by February 6, 2012, that we would publish a timely withdrawal in the Federal Register.

“We subsequently received adverse comment on several of the changes included in the revised Table 1 of § 80.1426. Since the regulatory amendment in the direct final rule was a single Table including all changes, withdrawal based on the adverse comments we have received requires withdrawal of the entire revised Table. EPA intends to address all comments in a subsequent final action, which will be based on the parallel proposed rule also published on January 5, 2012 (77 FR 462).”