2024 EnviroFlash Announcements about EPA Fuel Programs

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This page lists recent EnviroFlash announcements that have been released to update stakeholders about EPA fuel programs.

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Proposed Fuels Regulatory Streamlining Amendments

August 16, 2024

Today, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed revisions, updates, and corrections to its streamlined fuel quality regulations. This action does not propose to change the stringency of any existing fuel quality standard.

This action proposes amendments to two main areas of EPA's fuel quality regulations.

First, EPA is proposing minor revisions to provide clarity and flexibility to provisions that govern how fuel, fuel additives, and regulated blendstocks are sampled and tested to demonstrate compliance.

Second, EPA is proposing a number of technical amendments including: clarification of definitions and general provisions; clarification of the truthful reporting requirement; clarification of the RVP standard in federal 7.8 psi RVP areas; adjustments to notifications under the National Fuel Survey Program (NFSP); addition of provisions to allow for certifying fuel loaded onto domestic marine vessels; and numerous clarifications, corrections, and consistency edits to the regulations.

For more information on the Proposed Rule page.

Q2 2024 Quarterly Activity Reports

August 6, 2024

The Q2 2024 Quarterly Activity Reports recently generated have incorrect transaction counts due to a bug in the report generation functionality. The affected reports have been removed from the system. Once the issue is remediated, the reports will be re-generated and users will be notified.

The Q2 2024 Quarterly Reports have been delayed

July 15, 2024

The Q2 2024 Quarterly Reports have been delayed. We are working to make them available later in the month. We apologize for any inconvenience.

  1. RFS2 EMTS RIN Generation CSV/XML Report
  2. RFS2 EMTS RIN Transaction CSV/XML Report (Buy, Sell, Separate, Retire)
  3. RFS2 EMTS Activity Report (Separated RINS) (PDF)
  4. RFS2 EMTS Activity Report (Assigned RINS) (PDF)

Attention - Brief EMTS Outage on Monday, July 8, 2024, and Announcing Production Deployment of EMTS v8.0

July 8, 2024

Attention - Brief Outage of EMTS
Today, July 8, 2024, from 5:00 - 6:00 PM EDT, EMTS will be taken down for maintenance. Please refrain from using EMTS during this time.

Announcing Production Deployment of EMTS v8.0 On Saturday, June 22, 2024, EPA successfully deployed v8.0 of the EPA Moderated Transaction System. This upgraded version introduces new functionality in support of the Biogas Regulatory Reform Rule, which requires parties that produce biogas, renewable natural gas (RNG), renewable compressed natural gas and renewable liquified natural gas (LNG) report specific information related to biogas production and use under the Renewable Fuel Standard program.

Following documentation of EMTS v8.0 is available for review with corresponding web links:

EPA encourages the review of documentation and job aids from the September 2023 and April 2024 RFS Set Rule Implementation Webinars posted at:

EPA is developing additional documentation and job aids for BRRR implementation in EMTS and will release them as quickly as possible. Further, EPA will make a testing environment available for both OTAQREG and EMTS so users may become familiar with BRRR-related implementation changes. Subsequent EnviroFlash messages will be sent with more details.

Please contact FuelsProgramSupport@epa.gov with any questions.

EMTS Offline Friday, June 21, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. to Saturday, June 22, 12:00 a.m. (ET)

June 17, 2024

On Friday, June 21, 2024, beginning at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time, the EPA Moderated Transaction System will be taken offline to deploy v8.0 of the application. The system will be back online by 12:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 22, 2024. This upgraded version will introduce new functionality in support of the Biogas Regulatory Reform Rule, which requires parties that produce biogas, renewable natural gas, renewable compressed natural gas and renewable liquified natural gas report specific information related to biogas production and use under the Renewable Fuel Standard program.

To avoid failed transactions or other possible issues, please do not attempt to process any transactions in EMTS between the hours of 5:00 p.m. Friday, June 21 and 12:00 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, June 22.

Reminder to submit RFS RIN transactions within the required reporting deadlines

March 29, 2024

As a reminder, EMTS RIN transactions must be submitted within the required reporting deadlines specified in 40 CFR 80.1452 (b) and (c). These RIN transaction deadlines, by reportable event field (in parentheses), are:

  • Transactions that must be reported in EMTS within five (5) business days event: generate/assign (production date field), sell (transfer date field), separate (transaction date field) and retire (transaction date field) transactions must be submitted within five (5) business days of the reportable event.
  • Transactions that must be reported in EMTS within ten (10) business days event: buy (transfer date field) transactions must be submitted within ten (10) business days of the reportable event.

It is a violation under 40 CFR 80.1460(f) for any person to fail to meet any requirement that applies to that person under 40 CFR Part 80, Subpart M, including failure to submit the required information in EMTS by the reporting deadline.

Please contact fuelsprogramsupport@epa.gov with any questions.

RESCHEDULED DATE: RFS Set Rule April 2024 Webinar Announcement

March 28, 2024

The Environmental Protection Agency is announcing that the public webinar on the Biogas Regulatory Reform Rule provisions of the Renewable Fuel Standard program originally planned for April 4, 2024, will be held on April 12, 2024, from 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Eastern Time. EPA is rescheduling the webinar to allow us to address additional questions submitted by stakeholders since the announcement of the original webinar date. EPA appreciates the organizations and individuals that have submitted additional questions in advance of the webinar. Your submissions help us to better target the content for the webinar.

These regulatory provisions include registration and reporting, and updated regulatory provisions for the production, distribution, and use of biogas as a renewable fuel.

During the webinar, EPA intends to discuss various aspects of the BRRR program, including:

  • The implementation timeline for BRRR.
  • An implementation overview of the BRRR program.
  • EPA Central Data Exchange registration for biogas producers, renewable natural gas producers, renewable natural gas producers, RNG RIN separators, and performing required associations.
  • Alternative measurement protocols.
  • A curated question and answer session.

All attendees must pre-register for the webinar by sending an e-mail to RFS-Hearing@epa.gov by April 8, 2024. Additional information related to the webinar.

EPA will post an agenda approximately one week before the webinar at: RFS Set Rule Implementation Webinars page. Interested parties should check this website for any updated information.

If you require the services of an interpreter or special accommodations such as audio description, please pre-register for the webinar and describe your needs by April 8, 2024. EPA may not be able to arrange accommodations without advance notice.

For further information, please contact RFS-Hearing@epa.gov.

OTAQReg Release Postponed Until Friday, March 29th

March 21, 2024

On Friday, March 29, beginning at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time, the OTAQ Fuels Registration System will be taken offline to deploy v6.3.0 of the application. The upgraded system will be back online by 12:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 30. This version will introduce functionality for the electronic registration of biogas producers, as well as functionality for biogas producers to associate with renewable fuel producers and QAP providers. This version of OTAQReg also adds functionality to allow producers of renewable natural gas and RNG RIN separators to register their companies.

To avoid potential issues, please do not attempt to access OTAQReg between the hours of 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 29 and 12:00 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, March 30.

OTAQReg Release Postponed Until Friday, March 29th

March 20, 2024

On Friday, March 29, beginning at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time, the OTAQ Fuels Registration System will be taken offline to deploy v6.2.0 of the application. The upgraded system will be back online by 12:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 30. This version will introduce functionality for the electronic registration of biogas producers, as well as functionality for biogas producers to associate with renewable fuel producers and QAP providers. This version of OTAQReg also adds functionality to allow producers of renewable natural gas and RNG RIN separators to register their companies.

To avoid potential issues, please do not attempt to access OTAQReg between the hours of 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 29 and 12:00 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, March 30.

OTAQReg Down for v6.2.0 Release Friday, March 22, from 5:00 p.m. to Saturday, March 23, 12:00 a.m. (ET)

March 18, 2024

On Friday, March 22, beginning at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time, the OTAQ Fuels Registration System will be taken offline to deploy v6.2.0 of the application. The upgraded system will be back online by 12:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 23. This version will introduce functionality for the electronic registration of biogas producers, as well as functionality for biogas producers to associate with renewable fuel producers and QAP providers. This version of OTAQReg also adds functionality to allow producers of renewable natural gas and RNG RIN separators to register their companies.

To avoid potential issues, please do not attempt to access OTAQReg between the hours of 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 22 and 12:00 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, March 23.

RFS Set Rule April 2024 Webinar Enviroflash Announcement

March 1, 2024

The Environmental Protection Agency is announcing a public webinar on the Biogas Regulatory Reform Rule provisions of the Renewable Fuel Standard program. The webinar will be held on April 4, 2024, from 1:00-4:30 p.m., Eastern Time.

These regulatory provisions include registration and reporting, and updated regulatory provisions for the production, distribution, and use of biogas as a renewable fuel.

During the webinar, EPA intends to discuss various aspects of the BRRR program, including:

All attendees must pre-register for the webinar by sending an e-mail to RFS-Hearing@epa.gov by March 28, 2024. Additional information related to the webinar will be posted at: RFS Set Rule Implementation Webinars page.

EPA will post an agenda approximately one week before the webinar at: RFS Set Rule Implementation Webinars page. Interested parties should check this website for any updated information.

If you require the services of an interpreter or special accommodations such as audio description, please pre-register for the webinar and describe your needs by March 28, 2024. EPA may not be able to arrange accommodations without advance notice.

  • The implementation timeline for BRRR.
  • An implementation overview of the BRRR program.
  • EPA Central Data Exchange registration for biogas producers, renewable natural gas producers, RNG RIN separators, and performing required associations.
  • Alternative measurement protocols.

For further information, please contact RFS-Hearing@epa.gov.

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Last updated on September 6, 2024