Growth Energy Advocates for Robust Biofuel Blending Mandates in EPA's 2026-2027 RVO Proposal
Key Insights
Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor testified before the EPA, advocating for robust 2026-2027 Renewable Volume Obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard.
Skor highlighted that the proposed 15 billion gallons for conventional biofuels would drive significant investment and job creation in rural American economies.
The organization urged the EPA to ensure that small refinery exemptions are not granted recklessly and that any lost volumes are fully accounted for in the market.
This proposal represents the highest RFS volumes ever, signaling a strong governmental commitment to U.S. biofuel producers and supporting farmers.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor delivered compelling testimony today at a virtual hearing hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), advocating for robust biofuel blending obligations under the proposed 2026-2027 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) within the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The testimony, delivered on July 8, 2025, underscored the critical role strong RVOs play in advancing U.S. energy independence and fostering rural economic prosperity.
Skor emphasized that the EPA's proposal, if finalized, would catalyze significant investments, generate employment opportunities, and stimulate growth across rural America by expanding the nation's renewable fuel production and utilization. "By setting conventional biofuel blending volumes at 15 billion gallons for two years, this proposal will create the kind of certainty that spurs innovation and truly unleashes American energy dominance," Skor stated. She further characterized the proposal as the "strongest RFS proposal we’ve ever seen, with the highest volumes ever," signaling a clear administrative commitment to domestic biofuel producers and the agricultural sector that supplies them.
Beyond the volume targets, Skor also urged the EPA to provide explicit assurances that small refinery exemptions (SREs) would not be granted indiscriminately, and that any gallons lost due to such exemptions would be fully compensated for within the market. "Only with these pieces in place can this proposal truly deliver the game-changing impact the president wants it to have, and that the nation’s biofuel producers and rural communities are counting on," she added, highlighting the industry's need for predictable enforcement.
Growth Energy, representing over half of the U.S. ethanol production, views the RFS as a cornerstone of America's clean energy policy. Enacted in 2005 and expanded in 2007, the RFS mandates the blending of renewable fuels into the national fuel supply, contributing to carbon emission reductions, offering competitive fuel choices, and enhancing energy security for over 15 years. The proposed RVOs for 2026-2027 are seen as a pivotal step in reinforcing these long-standing objectives, providing a stable regulatory environment essential for continued growth and innovation in the clean fuels sector.