The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday published its proposed volume requirements for cellulosic biofuel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel to be used in 2013.  The agency preliminarily determined there should be sufficient total renewable fuels available in 2013 to meet the statutory applicable volume of 16.55 billion gallons and 2.75 billion gallons of advanced biofuel.

Regarding corn-based ethanol and related fuels, EPA stated in the Federal Register notice that

We believe there will be sufficient volumes of conventional renewable fuel including corn-ethanol, combined with advanced biofuel, to satisfy the 16.55 billion gallon applicable volume of total renewable fuel specified in the Act. For instance, corn-ethanol production capacity in 2012 was 14.9 billion gallons, compared to the 13.8 billion gallons needed to meet the RFS requirements in 2013. We are not proposing to reduce the advanced biofuel volume requirement of 2.75 billion gallons, nor the total renewable fuel volume requirement of 16.55 billion gallons. However, we are taking comment on lowering the advanced biofuel and total renewable volumes due to various uncertainties. For example, we currently project that 666 million gallons of sugarcane ethanol would need to be imported in order to meet the advanced biofuel volume. However, the recent reinstatement of the biodiesel tax credit introduced uncertainty around those projections, since it affects the amount of biodiesel that may be produced above the required 1.28 billion gallons. In addition, the potential for increased domestic demand in Brazil if the 25 percent biofuel blending requirement is reinstated also introduces uncertainty around the projections. We seek input on these and other such factors that are relevant to how the advanced biofuel volume requirement would be met.

Comments on the volume requirements will be accepted by EPA until March 25.  The Federal Register notice can be viewed here.