The Alternative Fuels Council, a subsidiary of NATSO Inc., a national association representing the travel plaza and truckstop industry, has launched a new service designed to help fuel retailers that blend and sell renewable fuels to more efficiently participate in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program and manage their renewable identification numbers (RINs).
The council’s RIN Management Service will help those who buy, sell and blend biodiesel, ethanol, renewable diesel and renewable compressed natural gas (CNG) to manage the complex compliance requirements under the RFS.
Under the new program, participants will (1) consult with experts on the RFS and Low Carbon Fuel Standard compliance; (2) get help registering for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) RFS program, as well as for the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) blenders license; (3) access sources for fuel supply options; (4) secure advice and assistance for state incentive programs; and (5) monitor the status of impending IRS blender tax credits.
Program participants can also gain access to a software program that provides real-time RIN management. In addition, Alternative Fuels Council staff will perform EPA-required quarterly reporting, as well as end-of-year third-party CPA audits.
“Complying with the Renewable Fuel Standard requires fuel retailers to navigate a series of complex requirements that demand a significant amount of time and a high level of accuracy,” says NATSO’s president and CEO, Lisa Mullings. “As the number of fuel retailers entering the biodiesel and alternative fuels market continues to expand, it was clear that our industry needed to streamline and simplify this process for our members so that they can more effectively allocate staff and resources to running their businesses.”
The Alternative Fuels Council, which was established in June, previously unveiled a Biodiesel Fuel Quality Plan designed to help those who blend, market and distribute biodiesel blends ensure the final product that they sell to consumers meets a minimum standard of quality.
