October 3, 2023 – Washington, DC – The RFS Power Coalition announced its strong support for a letter sent to EPA Administrator Micheal S. Regan by 11 U.S. Senators urging the Biden Administration to enact a program that would allow producers of renewable electricity used to power electric vehicles (EVs) to earn tradeable credits under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
These credits, known as eRINs, have been part of the RFS as it was written since 2007. However, the EPA has not commenced the program to process eRINs, which the letter to Administrator Regan argues would be a strong incentive for the reduction of harmful emissions and the growth of domestic renewable energy industries.
The letter, led by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Susan Collins (R-ME) calls for the EPA to “act expeditiously to fulfill its statutory obligation to include electricity in the RFS and approve eligible feedstocks to participate.” Also signing the letter were Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Mark Warner (D-VA).
Patrick Serfass, executive director of the American Biogas Council said, “An eRINs program is critical to accelerating our response to climate change because not only does it incentivize practices on farms and at landfills that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and produce tangibly positive environmental impacts, but it also supports the growth of renewable energy industries that will be central to achieving our nationwide climate goals.”
“Electric vehicles are the present and the future of transportation and we can’t afford to continue delaying the implementation of eRINs,” said Carrie Annand, executive director of the Biomass Power Association. “The eventual approval of biomass feedstocks will keep facilities open and will assist the U.S. Forest Service in reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires. EPA needs to act as soon as possible, and we are grateful to the signers of the letter for agreeing with us.”
“eRINs” are the tradeable credits that can be created under the RFS that will encourage the production of renewable electricity for vehicles from recycled biomass. Building the plants that qualify under this program are essential to simultaneously reducing carbon emissions from the U.S. transportation sector, recycling organic material that’s currently emitting methane emissions into the atmosphere, and reducing fuel sources that are contributing to wildfires. For years, The RFS Power Coalition has led the push for EPA to activate the eRINs portion of the RFS program which Congress passed in 2007.
The full text of the letter can be found here, and more information about the importance of eRINs can be found at the RFS Power Coalition website.
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About the RFS Power Coalition
The RFS Power Coalition is a group of organizations dedicated to activating the renewable electricity pathway of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The Coalition is led by the Biomass Power Association and the American Biogas Council, the trade associations that represent, domestic biomass power producers who use organic fuels like forest residues and the U.S. biogas industry which makes renewable electricity, hydrogen and natural gas. Biomass and biogas qualify as renewable transportation fuels that should be included in the D3 cellulosic and D5 advanced fuel categories of the RFS. Learn more at RFSPower.com.
About the Biomass Power Association
The Biomass Power Association is the nation’s leading organization working to expand and advance the use of clean, renewable biomass power. Led by President and CEO Bob Cleaves, the Association represents 80 biomass power plants in 20 states across the U.S. Currently, the biomass power industry reduces carbon emissions by more than 30 million tons each year and provides 14,000 jobs nationwide, many of which are in rural areas. Learn more at USABiomass.org.
About the American Biogas Council
The American Biogas Council is the voice of the US biogas industry dedicated to maximizing carbon reduction and economic growth using biogas systems. The ABC represents more than 370 companies in all parts of the biogas supply chain who are leading the way to a better future by maximizing all the positive environmental and economic impacts biogas systems offer when they recycle organic material into renewable energy and soil products. Learn more online at www.AmericanBiogasCouncil.org, Twitter @ambiogascouncil, and LinkedIn.