Fuel Oil News

Fuel Oil News July 2016

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4 JULY 2016 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www.fueloilnews.com DATELINE BREAKING NEWS out stronger growth in the final rule, the administration would be miss- ing an opportunity to reduce carbon emissions while helping to reshape America's transportation sector. "We appreciate the EPA's timeliness in releasing these volumes and its support for growing biodiesel use under the RFS, but this proposal significantly understates the amount of biodiesel this industry can sustainably deliver to the market," Steckel said of the proposal for 2.1 billion gallons of biodiesel. "We have plenty of feedstock and production capacity to exceed 2.5 billion gallons today, and can certainly do so in 2018." The EPA proposal would establish a 2.1-billion-gallon Biomass-based Diesel requirement in 2018, up from the 2-bil- lion-gallon requirement for 2017. NBB believes EPA can easily call for at least 2.5 billion gallons in 2018 after nearly 2.1 billion gallons of biodiesel were delivered under the RFS in 2015. "We have made tremendous prog- ress in cleaning up vehicle emissions but the fact remains that petroleum still accounts for about 90% of our trans- portation fuel," Steckel said. "This is dangerous and unsustainable, and the RFS is the most effective policy we have for changing it." "Biodiesel specifically is the most successful Advanced Biofuel under the RFS," Steckel added. "It is proving that Advanced Biofuels work. But we need meaningful RFS growth to continue making a real dent in our oil dependence and to continue driving investment. On the heels of the Paris climate accord, this is not the time for a piecemeal approach. We need bold action." The RFS—a bipartisan policy passed in 2005 and signed into law by President George W. Bush – requires increasing volumes of renewable fuels in the U.S. fuel stream. API ON RFS VOLUMES: EPA MUST DO MORE TO PROTECT CONSUMERS E P A m u s t d o m o r e t o e n s u r e Americans have access to fuels they want and can safely use in their vehi- cles until Congress fixes the outdated and broken Renewable Fuel Standard program, API Downstream Group Director Frank Macchiarola said fol- lowing EPA's proposal for the 2017 RFS mandates. "Consumers' interest should come a h e a d o f e t h a n o l i n t e r e s t s , " s a i d Macchiarola. "EPA is pushing consum- ers to use high ethanol blends they don't want and that are not compatible with most cars on the road today. The admin- istration is potentially putting the safety of American consumers, their vehicles and our economy at risk." Higher ethanol blends, such as E15, can damage engines and fuel systems— potentially forcing drivers to pay for costly repairs, according to extensive testing by the auto and oil industries. NPGA URGES CONGRESS TO RESOLVE HOURS OF SERVICE ISSUE NPGA joined a coalition of nearly 100 organizations in urging Congress to support a technical fix that retains the use of the truck driver 34-hour restart. The Senate is beginning consideration of the Department of Transportation appropria- tions bill, and currently included in that legislation is language that clarifies the status of the 34-hour restart. This is neces- sary due to ambiguity caused by previous legislative efforts to address the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's 2013 rule. The 2013 FMCSA rule would limit the use of the 34-hour restart to once per week and require that it include two 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. periods. NPGA has worked closely with other truck- ing groups in opposition of this rule, arguing that the restrictions placed by FMCSA are arbitrary and would severely limit our industry's ability to serve our customers. Included in last year's Omnibus funding legislation was language that prevented FMCSA from implementing the 2013 rule until a Congressionally- mandated study that examined the effectiveness of such a rule was com- pleted. However, that bill did not clarify that the 34-hour restart should remain in effect absent satisfactory findings from the study. NPGA stated it will continue to work with Congressional leaders and other interested organizations on this issue. The organization is hopeful that its inclusion in the DOT funding bill is a positive first step in finding a resolu- tion. l F O N CALENDAR OF EVENTS JULY, 2016 PPA Summer Conference July 10-12 Grand Hotel & Spa Ocean City, MD Contact: Robert H. Willis Tel: 717-939-1781 Email: rwillis@paetroleum.org Web: www.papetroleum.org Maine Energy Marketers Association Golf Classic August 29 Spring Meadows Golf Course Gray, ME Tel: 207-729-5298 www.MaineEnergyMarketers.com AltWheels Fleet Day September 19, 2016 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood 1125 Boston Providence Turnpike Norwood, MA Tel: 508-698-6810 Fax: 508-698-6811 Email: meg@Classic-Communications.com Website: www.Classic-Communications.com

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