EPA Boosts Ethanol, Renewable Fuel Use

By KEN THOMAS

WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency, following a congressional mandate, finalized plans Tuesday for new standards to boost the use of renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.

Refiners will be required to use at least 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuel in gasoline by 2012, or about 3 billion more gallons of renewable fuels used last year, the EPA said.

The rule, authorized in an energy law signed by President Bush in 2005, also requires that 4.02 percent of gasoline sold or dispensed to U.S. motorists in 2007 be renewable fuel, or about 4.7 billion gallons. That is more than 1 percent higher than required last year.

Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said the plan would help to “further reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign sources of energy.”

Supporters in Congress pushed the requirement to boost the use of ethanol, which is commonly made from corn, and biodiesel, which is frequently made from products such as vegetable oil.