EPA announced a final rule to extend the Renewable Fuel Standard compliance reporting deadline for the 2024 compliance year. EPA is also making several minor amendments and technical corrections to other RFS provisions.

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While the original 2024 RFS compliance reporting deadline of March 31, 2025, is still several weeks away, we expect that the effective date of the revised 2024 cellulosic biofuel standard will not occur until after this deadline. Therefore, in order to provide obligated parties with sufficient time to carry out and adjust their compliance strategies once we finalize the revised 2024 cellulosic biofuel standard, we are extending the 2024 RFS compliance reporting deadline from March 31, 2025, to the next quarterly compliance reporting deadline after the effective date of the final rule establishing the revised 2024 cellulosic biofuel standard.5 By operation of law, the 2024 attest engagement deadline would also be extended to the next June 1 annual attest engagement reporting deadline after the revised 2024 RFS compliance reporting deadline.

—EPA

In response, Clean Fuels Alliance America expressed frustration over ongoing delays in the Renewable Fuel Standard program.

In December, EPA proposed a partial waiver of the 2024 cellulosic biofuel standard, anticipating a shortfall of available cellulosic (D3 or D7) RINs. EPA further proposed to delay compliance until the next quarterly reporting deadline, to give obligated parties an additional 90 days to plan 2024 compliance strategies. With the new announcement, EP is taking no action on the partial waiver but is deferring the 2024 compliance deadline for an unspecified period until it finalizes a decision on the waiver.

Last June, Clean Fuels petitioned EPA to reconsider the low volumes for biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuels set for 2024 and 2025, which were set significantly below production capacity and trends. Clean Fuels has also filed a lawsuit over EPA’s failure to meet the November 2024 deadline to set 2026 RFS volumes.