New York City write to the EPA protesting any rollback of the RFS

In New York state, New York City submitted comments to the U.S. EPA Oct. 19, protesting any rollback of the Renewable Fuel Standard, which calls for minimal use levels for renewable fuels like biodiesel. Biodiesel has proven a reliable and effective fuel for NYC fleet and buildings and has helped reduce air pollution in the city while lowering greenhouse gas emissions. NYC continues to grow its implementation of biofuels in buildings and fleet and calls on Washington to do the same nationally.

Biofuels can be produced in many ways including recycling of used grease from restaurants and the use of farm products such as soybean oil.

Already a leader in biodiesel use, NYC is set to expand the use of biofuels:

-Mayor de Blasio signed Local Law 119 of 2016, one of the most ambitious biofuels laws in the country. This law will transition all fuel oil used in heating to B20 by 2034. The first stage of the expansion is happening now with all NYC public and private buildings transitioning from B2 to B5 effective Oct. 1.

-NYC-owned government buildings will meet this goal eight years before the law requires, going from B5 to B10, effective the winter of 2017-’18.

-NYC will also introduce the use of renewable diesel for the first time with a 1 million-gallon purchase scheduled for use by city agency fleets in spring 2018. Like biodiesel, RD uses renewable and natural feedstock’s to replace fossil fuels.

These efforts require a healthy and growing national biodiesel industry and set of suppliers. We object to any effort to rollback the RFS on the part of the EPA and call on them to go even further, expanding biodiesel and renewable fuel requirements.