The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has published a notice outlining modifications to its proposed amendments to the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) that would limit soyabean and canola oils in biomass-based diesel, Biodiesel Magazine wrote.
CARB’s proposed changes would place a limit on the use of soyabean and canola oil in biomass-based diesel production, the 14 August report said.
In its response to CARB’s proposal, the National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) published a statement on 27 August opposing the cap.
NOPA called on CARB to reject the introduction of a vegetable oil cap and adopt a targeted, risk-based approach to sustainability requirements.
“This proposal will only lead to more combustion of fossil diesel fuel, higher fuel prices at the pump and poorer air quality,” NOPA president & CEO Kailee Tkacz Buller wrote.
NOPA urged CARB to follow its own modelling and conclusions, which it claimed showed that an artificial cap on vegetable oil feedstocks was scientifically unwarranted and sent the wrong signal to the market that the LCFS programme was subjective and unpredictable.
“CARB should reject the imposition of a vegetable oil cap and ensure that sustainable US fuels and US feedstocks are not penalised at the expense of foreign imports such as used cooking oil and tallow,” Buller added.
Specifically, CARB is proposing to provide credits for biomass-based diesel produced from virgin soyabean and canola oil for up to 20% of annual biomass-based diesel reported on a company-wide basis, according to the report.
CARB had originally issued proposed amendments to update its LCFS program in late 2023, with a public comment period open until 20 February this year, the report said.
A public hearing on the proposed amendments had been scheduled for March 2024, but had been delayed and was now scheduled for 8 November, Biodiesel Magazine wrote.
CARB could vote to implement the proposed amendments during the 8 November hearing, with the proposed LCFS programme changes in place as early next year, the report said.
