Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): Overview and Issues
"Federal policy has played a key role in the emergence of the U.S. biofuels industry. Policy
measures include minimum renewable fuel usage requirements, blending and production tax
credits, an import tariff, loans and loan guarantees, and research grants. This report focuses on the mandated minimum usage requirements—referred to as the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)—
whereby a minimum volume of biofuels is to be used in the national transportation fuel supply
each year. It describes the general nature of the RFS mandate and its implementation, and outlines
some emerging issues related to the sustainability of the continued growth in U.S. biofuels
production needed to fulfill the expanding RFS mandate, as well as the emergence of potential
unintended consequences of this rapid expansion..."