EPA's Biofuel Mandate Moves to White House for Review

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is poised to advance its proposed biofuel blending quotas for 2026 to the White House, seeking final review. This move forms part of an urgent push by President Donald Trump's administration to meet a self-imposed March deadline for establishing overdue biofuel mandates.

In June, the EPA recommended total biofuel volumes of 24.02 billion gallons in 2026 and 24.46 billion gallons in 2027, surpassing the 22.33 billion gallons proposed for 2025. Notably, bio-based diesel targets could see a reduction, impacting the market for soybean oil used in biodiesel production.

The contemplated reduction relates to EPA's potential delay of a new policy, criticized for potentially diminishing the value of renewable fuel credits for imported biofuels. This delay aligns with an 'America First' strategy encouraged by domestic soybean and biodiesel sectors, possibly prolonging the policy's implementation by a year.