The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sent its 2020 proposal for renewable fuel volume obligations to the White House Office of Management and Budget on May 6.

The proposed rule, part of the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, sets forth the levels of ethanol to be blended into the nation’s fuel supply next year. It also includes 2021 standards for biomass-based diesel. EPA spokesman Michael Abboud declined to disclose the proposed levels of ethanol for 2020.

However, a Reuters news report stated that total RVO would be 20.04 billion gallons in 2020, up from 19.92 billion gallons in 2019. The amount of conventional biofuels, like ethanol, would remain unchanged from 2019 at 15 billion gallons.

Advanced biofuels, like those made from agricultural wastes, would increase from 4.92 billion in 2019 to 5.04 billion gallons in 2020.

The AMA will object to any increase in the amount of ethanol blended into the nation’s fuel supply that would result in a decrease in the availability of ethanol-free fuel (E0) or fuel containing 10 percent ethanol (E10).

OMB review is the final step in the process before the proposed rule is released to the public for comment. The EPA is charged with issuing a final rule in November.