Watchdog report slams EPA for not analyzing environmental impact of RFS

In Washington, a report from the Office of the Inspector General of the Environmental Protection Agency says the agency, Congress and other stakeholders lack key information on biofuel impacts needed to make science-based decisions about Renewable Fuel Standard. In short, the EPA has not met certain statutory requirements to identify environmental impacts of the Renewable Fuel Standard.

The EPA’s Office of Research and Development has not complied with the requirement to provide a report every 3 years to Congress on the impacts of biofuels. The EPA provided a report to Congress in 2011, but has not provided subsequent reports as required. In addition, the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation has not fulfilled the anti-backsliding requirements for RFS, which are to analyze and address any negative air quality impacts of RFS.

In 2010, the EPA completed a comprehensive lifecycle analysis to determine greenhouse gas reduction thresholds for RFS. Although not required to do so, the EPA committed to update this analysis as lifecycle science evolves, but does not have a process for initiating an update.