California Air Resources Board

The staff of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) intends to establish new motor vehicle fuel specifications and in-use requirements for biodiesel, which includes the use of renewable diesel as part of the proposed ADF regulation. The ADF regulation is intended to provide a framework for low carbon diesel fuel substitutes to enter the commercial market in California, while mitigating any potential environmental or public health impacts.

Before new fuel specifications are established, California Health and Safety Code (HSC) section 43830.8 requires a multimedia evaluation to be conducted and reviewed by the California Environmental Policy Council (CEPC). The CEPC must determine if the proposed regulation poses a significant adverse impact on public health or the environment. Since CARB intends to establish new fuel specifications for biodiesel and renewable diesel, comprehensive multimedia evaluations of biodiesel and renewable diesel were conducted in accordance to HSC section 43830.8. The purpose and scope of the multimedia evaluation is to inform the rulemaking process and provide the information needed for the development of fuel regulations. The Multimedia Working Group (MMWG) was established to oversee the multimedia evaluation process and make recommendations to the CEPC regarding the acceptability of new fuel formulations proposed for use in the State. For the proposed biodiesel specifications included as part of the ADF regulation, the MMWG prepared these staff reports for submittal to the CEPC. The purpose of these reports are to provide a summary of the multimedia evaluation and the MMWG’s conclusions and recommendations to the CEPC.