US EPA Proposes Rise in 2017 Biofuels Targets

U.S. environmental regulators proposed on Wednesday that fuel companies have to mix 18.8 billion gallons of corn-based ethanol and biofuels into the country's diesel and gasoline next year, according to an official document seen by Reuters.

 

In a document sent by the Environmental Protection Agency to Capitol Hill, the agency called for a modest 4 percent rise from the 18.11 billion gallons set for this year.

 

That includes 14.8 billion for ethanol, up from 14.5 billion for this year, the document showed.

 

The numbers confirmed a previous report by Reuters.

 

An announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency is expected at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT), sources said.


(Reporting by David Shepardson; Writing by Josephine Mason)