Iowa Groups Concerned by Proposed Changes to California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Biomass-based diesel plays a key role in the state's Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which outlines a 20% reduction target to the carbon intensity of transportation fuels by 2030. (Photo: Iowa Soybean Association / File Photo).

Ankeny, Iowa - The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) and Iowa Biodiesel Board (IBB) expressed disappointment and concern over the California Air Resources Board's (CARB) recently proposed amendments to its groundbreaking Low Carbon Fuel Standard. If adopted, these changes would impose caps on credits for soy- and canola-based biodiesel and renewable diesel.

Grant Kimberley, ISA senior director of market development and IBB executive director, issued the following statement:

"The proposed amendments introduced by CARB to significantly limit vegetable oil feedstocks and set onerous requirements for soybean oil are short-sighted and counterproductive to CARB's goal of decarbonizing the fuel supply. Rather than further embracing biodiesel - a solution that is here today and already contributing greatly to cleaning up the California fuel supply - CARB chooses to inexplicably penalize biodiesel while waiting for future technology to take hold.

"Without scientific justification, these proposed vegetable oil caps and additional sustainability requirements threaten to reverse the progress California has made in emissions reductions and destabilize the economics of renewable fuels nationwide. This is not only a bad precedent for California, but bad for other states following California's lead, and harmful to Iowa and other states with strong biodiesel production and a thriving farm economy. Unlike petroleum, this proposal would penalize the many producers and farmers who have dedicated their livelihoods to a cleaner, more sustainable energy supply. We urge CARB to reconsider."

ISA and IBB will submit comments to CARB during the comment period.

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