US raises biofuel quota

　　The U.
S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is asking refiners to blend 20.
63 billion gallons of renewable fuels with gasoline and diesel this year, a 9.
5 percent increase from last year's target, as gasoline prices soar
.
In the final rule, published online June 3, the U.
S.
EPA also said it would cut the retroactive 2020 biofuel blending quota to 17.
13 billion gallons and set the overall target for 2021 at 18.
84 billion gallons to reflect actual consumption
.
The EPA said the move is designed to help the U.
S.
Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program enter growth mode and drive increased demand for petroleum-based gasoline and diesel alternatives
.

　　In response, U.
S.
refiners and biofuel producers reacted differently to the EPA's move
.
Refiners say such an ambitious 2022 target will raise compliance costs for the industry and pass some of the burden on to consumers
.
They said the 2022 target was contingent on committed renewable diesel production, which would strain the pool of tradable credit to prove quotas have been met
.
Chet Thompson, president of the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers Association, said the 2022 quotas are "confusing and run counter to the government's claim that it is doing what it can to afford consumers
.
" He claimed the EPA move would unnecessarily raise the cost of fuel production and further threaten the viability of small U.
S.
refineries, both at the expense of consumers
.

　　However, biofuel producers welcomed the government's 2022 biofuel target
.
The 2022 plan shows that the U.
S.
government intends to "rely on" biofuels, said Emily Skoll, head of the Energy Growth Association of America
.
Traditional renewable fuels such as ethanol could meet the new target of up to 15 billion gallons, while advanced biofuels could supply at least 5.
63 billion gallons, she believes, with no difficulty in meeting the EPA blending target
.