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United States appeals court maintains biofuel blending requireds for 2020-2022

A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday maintained a rule from President Joe Biden's administration that set the amount of biofuels that oil refiners were needed to blend into the nation's fuel mix from 2020 through 2022, declining a. obstacle by oil refiners to the requireds.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Circuit discovered that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,. which administers the obligations under the Eco-friendly Fuel. Requirement (RFS), legally exercised its discretion in setting the. requirements for the 3 years at problem.

Under the RFS, oil refiners need to mix billions of gallons. of biofuels into the U.S. fuel pool or buy credits from those. that do. The credits, known as RINs, are utilized by oil refiners. and importers to show compliance with requireds.

In the past, little refiners could receive an exemption from. the requirements if they proved monetary damage from the. mandates.

In 2022, the EPA set biofuel mixing mandates for that year. at 20.63 billion gallons, as well as retroactive volume requireds. for 2021 at 18.84 billion gallons and for 2020 at 17.13 billion. gallons. The company rejected oil refiners waivers to be exempt. from the requirements but said it would permit extra time for. small refiners to meet their 2020 blending obligations.

Oil refiners challenged the guideline, arguing that the requirements. were too expensive. On the other hand, producers of so-called cellulosic. biofuels, derived from wood waste and other feedstocks, likewise. challenged the rule, saying the standards for cellulosic. biofuels were too low.

We hold that EPA abided by the law, the court stated in. a judgment submitted on Tuesday.

Biofuel groups cheered the choice.

Thanks to the D.C. Circuit viewpoint, EPA can ensure the. stability of its yearly (Sustainable Volume Responsibility) and. address shifts in market conditions and how refiners meet their. blending commitments, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor stated in a. declaration.