40 Ideas for Improving the Renewable Fuel Standard
Washington, D.C. ? Today, the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) released a menu of
40 policy options
for reforming ? not repealing ? the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The package of options has been in development since last fall, informed by discussions held with advisory group members and other stakeholders throughout the year.
This inventory contains carefully considered and well-researched options that we hope can help us move beyond the rhetoric and build a stronger alternative transportation fuels program in the United States. The inventory has been designed to address biofuels challenges at multiple scales, across many facets of the program, through multiple mechanisms and over varying periods of time.
“Given the technical complexity and political intensity of the RFS debate, BPC decided to craft a set of detailed policy options rather than propose a single package of improvements,” said Jason Grumet, president of BPC. “Once key interests and experts have a chance to grapple with these ideas, BPC will work to propose an effective path forward for the RFS.”
In all, no one policy option will serve as a single solution to all of the challenges of the RFS; options must be combined?and considered in tandem?if they are to meet one or more desired objectives. In fact, some ideas may contradict others, and therefore policy priorities and goals must be considered when advocating for any particular package of options.
“The goal of this inventory is to provide incentive to restart the debate on this pressing issue. Both the legislative and the regulatory processes take time,” said Scott McKee, senior policy analyst at BPC. “We hope this will help interested stakeholders explore ways to implement changes to this program.”
BPC plans to hold events on this subject and continue work on the RFS in 2015.