Full Title: From Renewable Fuels to Clean Fuels: The RFS After 2022, and Other Ways the Biden Administration Can Drive the Transition to Cleaner Transportation Fuels
Author(s): Rachel Patterson, Sam Ricketts, Trevor Dolan
Publisher(s): Evergreen Alliance
Publication Date: June 3, 2022
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Description (excerpt):
Curbing emissions from the transportation sector is one of the most important steps the United States can take to cut greenhouse gas pollution by 50-52% by 2030. In fact, transportation emissions account for nearly a third of all such emissions in the U.S., in addition to being a major public health and environmental justice issue. The Biden Administration has the important opportunity to use existing authorities to promote cleaner transportation fuels.
Currently, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is the dominant federal policy that governs transportation fuels. It requires fuel providers (i.e. oil companies) to incorporate bio-based renewable fuels, like ethanol, in their production each year. This paper explores the background and effectiveness of the RFS, its relevance in the current needs of the country’s energy policy, and what other tools the Biden administration should use–like section 211(c) of the Clean Air Act–to promote low-carbon or “clean” fuels as part of its whole-of-government climate agenda.