[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 236 (Tuesday, December 9, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 73007-73008]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-28163]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 80

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0479; FRL-9919-92-OAR]


Delay in Issuing 2014 Standards for the Renewable Fuel Standard 
Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notification of delay in issuing standards.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing that 
it will not be finalizing 2014 applicable percentage standards under 
the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program before the end of 2014. In 
light of this delay in issuing the 2014 RFS standards, the compliance 
demonstration deadline for the 2013 RFS standards will take place in 
2015. EPA will be making modifications to the EPA-Moderated Transaction 
System (EMTS) to ensure that Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) 
generated in 2012 are valid for demonstrating compliance with the 2013 
applicable standards.

DATES: December 9, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julia MacAllister, Office of 
Transportation and Air Quality, Assessment and Standards Division, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 
48105; Telephone number: (734) 214-4131; Fax number: (734) 214-4816; 
Email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 29, 2013, at 78 FR 71732, EPA 
published a notice of proposed rulemaking to establish the 2014 RFS 
standards.\1\ The proposal has generated significant comment and 
controversy, particularly about how volumes should

[[Page 73008]]

be set in light of lower gasoline consumption than had been forecast at 
the time that the Energy Independence and Security Act was enacted, and 
whether and on what basis the statutory volumes should be waived. Most 
notably, commenters expressed concerns regarding the proposal's ability 
to ensure continued progress towards achieving the volumes of renewable 
fuel targeted by the statute.
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    \1\ 78 FR 71732, November 29, 2013.
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    EPA has been evaluating these issues in light of the purposes of 
the statute and the Administration's commitment to the goals of the 
statute to increase the use of renewable fuels, particularly cellulosic 
biofuels, which will reduce the greenhouse gases emitted from the 
consumption of transportation fuels and diversify the nation's fuel 
supply.
    Finalization of the 2014 standards rule has been significantly 
delayed. Due to this delay, and given ongoing consideration of the 
issues presented by the commenters, EPA is not in a position to 
finalize the 2014 RFS standards rule before the end of the year. 
Accordingly, we intend to take action on the 2014 standards rule in 
2015 prior to or in conjunction with action on the 2015 standards 
rule.\2\
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    \2\ EPA intends to adjust the schedule for compliance reporting 
for the 2014 RFS standards in 40 CFR 80.1451(a)(1) to reflect the 
delay in issuing the final 2014 RFS standards rule. No compliance 
reporting is necessary absent a final 2014 standards rule.
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    EPA intends to modify EMTS to permit the trading and retiring of 
2012 vintage RINs beyond December 31, 2014. EPA will incorporate the 
modifications into EMTS version 4.1, which is scheduled to be deployed 
by April 1, 2015. From January 1, 2015 until the release of version 
4.1, EMTS will not be able to support 2012 RIN transactions. Please 
note that 2012 RIN holding data stored in EMTS is safe and will be 
preserved even though it will not be accessible during the period from 
January 1, 2015 until the release of version 4.1.

    Dated: November 21, 2014.
Janet G. McCabe,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 2014-28163 Filed 12-8-14; 8:45 am]
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