The Iowa Biodiesel Board and the Iowa Soybean Association have expressed strong opposition to recent proposed changes by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to its Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). If implemented, these changes would impose limits on the credits available for biodiesel and renewable diesel produced from soybeans and canola, reported Chemanalyst.
As per media report, Grant Kimberley, Senior Director of Market Development for the Iowa Soybean Association and Executive Director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board, condemned the proposed amendments. He labeled them as “short-sighted” and detrimental to CARB’s goal of reducing carbon emissions in the fuel sector. Kimberley contended that rather than further promoting biodiesel—a proven and effective solution for cleaner fuel in California—CARB is unjustly penalizing it while waiting for future technologies to develop.
Kimberley argued that the proposed restrictions on vegetable oil feedstocks and the stringent requirements for soybean oil are not supported by scientific evidence. He warned that these measures could undermine California’s progress in emission reductions and destabilize the economic viability of renewable fuels across the country. This, he cautioned, could set a troubling precedent for other states that view California’s policies as a model and negatively impact Iowa and other states with significant biodiesel production and a strong agricultural sector.
He pointed out that, unlike petroleum—which is not affected by these proposals—biodiesel producers and farmers who are dedicated to advancing a cleaner and more sustainable energy future would be unfairly targeted. Kimberley urged CARB to reconsider the proposed changes, stressing the importance of supporting existing renewable fuel solutions that significantly contribute to emission reductions and sustainability.
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