The Clean Fuels industry wants New York to know there is ample supply to meet the state’s Bioheat® fuel mandate, which was due to take effect on July 1.
Clean Fuels Alliance America, the Empire State Energy Association, and the New York State Energy Coalition recently sent a joint letter to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in response to a June 30 decision to suspend enforcement of the mandate for a year due to “supply chain issues delaying infrastructure equipment retrofits at some fuel terminals in Upstate New York.”
The bill was signed into law in December and is widely supported as part of a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from liquid heating fuels. The bill put into place a 5% Bioheat® fuel mandate (B5) and increases to B10 blends effective in 2025 and B20 blends by 2030.
However, while the B5 mandate remains law and in effect in New York City and Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties (accounting for 70% of the state’s heating oil market by volume), the Enforcement Discretion issued by the New York State DEC has delayed the 5% bioheating fuel mandate in parts of upstate New York for another year.
In the letter to the New York DEC, Donnell Rehagen, CEO of Clean Fuels, joined his colleagues from the Empire State Energy Association and the New York State Energy Coalition in noting the missed opportunity by delaying enforcement of the requirement.
“Our associations, in conjunction with the entire home heating industry, are committed to providing low-carbon biomass-based renewable liquid fuels such as biodiesel and renewable diesel to customers as we work together to lower the state’s carbon footprint. Like the state of New York, we understand the clean fuels industry is good for our farmers, our urban and rural communities, and our economy,” the letter said. “We also know that the carbon reduction our fuels offer is immediate and does not require investment in new heating appliances or infrastructure.”