Current Policies Supporting Renewable Natural Gas

What is remarkable from this list is how little policy support there is for RNG compared to other renewable energy sources and biofuels.

The most significant Federal support comes from the Renewable Fuels Standard which is intended to support ethanol, including both corn ethanol and cellulosic ethanol. Production of cellulosic ethanol has been extremely disappointing, so the EPA has reclassified RNG as “cellulosic” in order to boost the production numbers in that category.

 

List courtesy of Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas

FEDERAL LAWS & REGULATIONS

RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD (RFS2)

The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is a USA federal program that requires transportation fuel sold in the U.S. to contain a minimum volume of renewable fuels. The RFS originated with the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and was expanded and extended by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA).  EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard Homepage.  RFS2 Text. 

CLEAN AIR ACT (CAA)

The Clean Air Act is the law that defines EPA’s responsibilities for protecting and improving the nation’s air quality and the stratospheric ozone layer. The last major change in the law, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, was enacted by Congress in 1990. Legislation passed since then has made several minor changes. EPA’s Clean Air Act Homepage. Clean Air Act Text. 

ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Pub.L. 109–58) is a bill passed by the United States Congress on July 29, 2005, and signed into law by President George W. Bush on August 8, 2005. The Energy Policy Act is the authorizing legislation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS1). Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program. Energy Policy Act of 2005 Text. 

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY ACT OF 2007 (EISA)

Signed on December 19, 2007 by President Bush, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) aims to 1) move the United States toward greater energy independence and security; 2) increase the production of clean renewable fuels; 3) protect consumers; 4) increase the efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles; 5) promote research on and deploy greenhouse gas capture and storage options; 6) improve the energy performance of the Federal Government; and 7) increase U.S. energy security, develop renewable fuel production, and improve vehicle fuel economy. EPA’s EISA Summary Page. EISA Text. 

 

STATE LAWS & REGULATIONS

CALIFORNIA LOW CARBON FUEL STANDARD

The Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is administered by the California Air Resources Board. Established In 2007 through a Governor’s Executive Order, it uses a market-based cap and trade approach to lowering the greenhouse gas emissions from petroleum-based transportation fuels like reformulated gasoline and diesel. The LCFS requires producers of petroleum-based fuels to reduce the carbon intensity of their products, beginning with a quarter of a percent in 2011 culminating in a 10 percent total reduction in 2020. Air Resources Board LCFS Homepage. LCFS Program Meeting and Workshop Schedule. 

OREGON CLEAN FUELS PROGRAM

The Oregon Clean Fuels Program, approved by the 2009 Oregon Legislature, aims to reduce Oregon’s greenhouse gas pollution by lowering the carbon content of transportation fuel used in the state. In addition to carbon reduction, the Clean Fuels Program helps Oregon reduce the state’s dependence on traditional petroleum fuels. DEQ is currently implementing the program’s first phase, which entails collection of data from fuel importers and producers. Oregon’s Environmental Quality Commission adopted rules for the first phase of the Oregon Clean Fuels program in December 2012 and amended them in December 2013.

REGIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS INITIATIVE (RGGI)

RGGI, an initiative of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States of the U.S., is the first market-based regulatory program in the United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. RGGI is a cooperative effort among the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont to cap and reduce CO2 emissions from the power sector.

http://www.rggi.org/design/regulations

WASHINGTON LOW CARBON FUEL STANDARD

The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is charged with assessing whether the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) or a modification thereof would best meet Washington’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.

 

INTERNATIONAL LAWS & REGULATIONS

BRITISH COLUMBIA LOW CARBON FUEL STANDARD REGULATION

The Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Renewable and Low Carbon Fuel Requirements) Act and the Renewable and Low Carbon Fuel Requirements Regulation have been amended as of July 1, 2013 to implement changes that will improve British Columbia’s low carbon fuel requirements.

EUROPEAN UNION FUEL QUALITY DIRECTIVE

In April 2009, Directive 2009/30/EC was adopted which revises the Fuel Quality Directive [Directive 98/70/EC]. It amends a number of elements of the petrol and diesel specifications as well as introducing in Article 7a a requirement on fuel suppliers to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of energy supplied for road transport (Low Carbon Fuel Standard). In addition the Directive establishes sustainability criteria that must be met by biofuels if they are to count towards the greenhouse gas intensity reduction obligation.