The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has indicated it would address the ethanol blend wall in its 2014 renewable fuel standards, however,  the government shutdown could delay that rule and increase uncertainty.

The EPA has perennially missed the November 30 statutory deadline to issue the renewable fuel standard volume requirements for the subsequent year, but a delay this year could be particularly troublesome because the agency has indicated it may modify the volumes set out in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

The EPA sent its proposed renewable fuel standard for 2014 to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review on August 30.  The Energy Independence and Security Act requires that 18.15 billion gallons of renewable fuels be blended into the fuel supply in 2014, up from the 16.55 billion gallons required in 2013.

However, the EPA indicated in its RFS rule for 2013 that it would consider revising the blending requirement for 2014 to avoid breaching the blendwall—the point at which the amount of ethanol that must be blended into gasoline exceeds 10 percent, the maximum approved for all vehicles on the road.

The petroleum industry has repeatedly called on Congress to repeal the renewable fuel standard, calling it flawed. The American Petroleum Institute and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers have petitioned the EPA to use its authority under the Clean Air Act to set the overall renewable fuel blending requirement for 2014 at 14.8 billion gallons to avoid reaching the blend wall. EPA has 90 days to respond to that petition, but the shutdown could possibly delay that response as well.