The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): Compliance and Penalties (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised June 19, 2015 |
| Report Number |
IF10121 |
| Report Type |
In Focus |
| Authors |
Kelsi Bracmort |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requires that
renewable fuel be blended into the nation’s transportation
fuel supply. However, it does not explicitly require the
production of biofuels. The mandate—based on volume (in
billions of gallons)—increases annually from 9.0 billion
gallons in 2008 to 36.0 billion gallons in 2022 (see Figure
1). Within the overall RFS mandate, there is a smaller
mandate to use advanced biofuels, which include fuels
other than cornstarch ethanol that meet greenhouse gas
emission reduction requirements relative to gasoline. Two
subcategories of the advanced biofuel category specifically
identified in the Energy Independence and Security Act
(EISA; P.L. 110-140) are cellulosic biofuels and biomassbased
diesel. The advanced biofuel category also includes
other fuels, such as biogas and butanol. Outside of the
advanced biofuel requirement, the remainder of the RFS
generally is met using ethanol produced from cornstarch.
Responsibility for administering the RFS lies with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The agency
approves fuels that are eligible for the RFS, establishes
annual standards for the various categories given certain
conditions (i.e., reducing the volume amounts set in
statute), and ensures industry compliance, among other
things.
