Author Archives for Tori Reese
January 12, 2026 8:00 am
Published by Tori Reese
If you participate in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program, whether as a renewable fuel producer, obligated party, exporter, or other regulated entity, you are required to designate a Responsible Corporate Officer (RCO) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The RCO plays a pivotal role in ensuring the accuracy, legality, and integrity of all compliance activities under the RFS. But what exactly does it mean? And who is eligible to serve in this role? Below, we break down the essentials. What Is a Responsible Corporate Officer (RCO)? The Responsible Corporate Officer is the individual legally accountable for the information... Read More →
December 5, 2025 10:50 am
Published by Tori Reese
Understanding how the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) began, how much the program has changed, and why it even exists in the first place can be challenging. The RFS didn’t simply appear fully formed. It has been reshaped repeatedly by Congress, the courts, market forces, and each presidential administration. Taking a step back to understand the evolution helps explain many of the complexities we navigate today. Origins: Energy Security, Rural Development, and Early Biofuel Policy The RFS was enacted with the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), which is rooted in Section 211(o) of the Clean Air Act. At the time,... Read More →
November 7, 2025 1:29 pm
Published by Tori Reese
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its decisions on 16 petitions from small refineries seeking exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The petitions were submitted by eight refineries requesting exemptions from their RFS obligations for compliance years 2021 through 2024. EPA is granting full (100 percent) exemptions for two petitions, partial (50 percent) exemptions for 12 petitions, and denying two petitions. These decisions exempted another 740 million RINs on top of the 3 billion RINs already exempted for these compliance years by EPA in August. The Agency also updated its RFS Small Refinery Exemptions (SRE) webpage to reflect... Read More →
October 15, 2025 8:22 am
Published by Tori Reese
EPA has moved to address how to account for billions of gallons of renewable fuel blending obligations that were waived by Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs). The Agency’s supplemental proposal would either fully or partially (50%) reallocate those waived volumes into future Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs)—a move that would directly increase demand for biofuels (and RINs) if added to the increases for biofuels in the proposed 2026–2027 RVOs. This proposal has once again pitted importers and refiners against the agricultural and biofuels sectors. Background — How We Got Here SRE authority was created within the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) framework to... Read More →
September 5, 2025 10:29 am
Published by Tori Reese
As the demand for low-carbon fuel alternatives grows, the market is expanding beyond traditional petroleum products—and with it, so is the complexity. Two of the most prominent contenders in the renewable fuels landscape are biodiesel and renewable diesel. Though they may sound similar and serve a similar purpose, they differ in terms of production, chemistry, performance, and regulatory treatment. Production Pathways and Chemical Composition Biodiesel is produced via transesterification, a chemical reaction involving vegetable oils or animal fats with an alcohol (usually methanol) in the presence of a catalyst. Common feedstocks include soybean oil, canola oil, used cooking oil, and... Read More →
August 21, 2025 8:21 am
Published by Tori Reese
For anyone involved in blending biofuels, understanding Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) under the U.S. EPA Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is essential. RVOs are annual mandates set by EPA that require refiners and importers of gasoline and diesel to blend specific volumes of renewable fuel into the nation’s fuel supply. RVOs set the demand for RINs for each compliance year and serve as the enforcement mechanism for the RFS. How RVOs Work Understanding how RVOs work involves several key steps: Step One: EPA Sets the National Targets Each year, EPA sets national renewable fuel volume targets. These targets are divided into... Read More →
July 16, 2025 8:13 am
Published by Tori Reese
Two major federal court decisions—one from the U.S. Supreme Court and the other from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals—are poised to significantly impact the administration and future direction of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), EPA’s signature biofuel blending program. Supreme Court Centralizes Refinery Waiver Disputes In a 7–2 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that legal challenges over EPA’s denial of small refinery exemptions (SREs) must be heard exclusively by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The Court held that EPA’s mass denial of SRE petitions was rooted in a nationwide policy judgment—that most refiners can... Read More →
June 17, 2025 10:20 am
Published by Tori Reese
In an effort to “address fuel supply challenges and support domestic agriculture” this summer, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing emergency waivers to allow the nationwide sale of E15 gasoline during the summer months. While this is the fourth successive summer in which EPA has issued this type of emergency fuel waiver, there was a new hurdle this year compared to years past. Earlier this year, EPA granted requests from eight Midwestern states to revoke the 1-psi Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) waiver for E10 during the summer months, aiming to make E15 more widely available by eliminating the... Read More →
April 16, 2025 9:14 am
Published by Tori Reese
Midwest states have long championed the use of E15—a gasoline blend containing 15% ethanol—for its promise to lower fuel costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and support rural economies. However, efforts to enable year-round sales of E15 have faced many regulatory hurdles and push back for over a decade. What Is RVP? Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) is a measure of how easily gasoline evaporates, indicating the fuel’s volatility. This matters because more volatile fuels evaporate faster, especially in warm weather, which can contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, or smog. To protect air quality—particularly in the summer when ozone pollution... Read More →
January 14, 2025 10:11 am
Published by Tori Reese
The U.S. Supreme Court has recently agreed to hear a critical case which could reshape the legal landscape of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and its authority. The case, Environmental Protection Agency v. Calumet Shreveport Refining, LLC, Case No. 23-1229, centers around a pivotal question regarding the jurisdiction for reviewing denials of small refinery exemptions (SREs) under the RFS. This decision, once rendered, could have far-reaching implications for both the future of the RFS and the authority of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in implementing environmental policy related to biofuels. Background: The Renewable Fuel Standard and Small Refinery Exemptions... Read More →
