October 22, 2023. 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.