II 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4481 

To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 

update the modeling used for lifecycle greenhouse gas assessments for 

corn-based ethanol and biodiesel, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 6, 2020 

Mr. THUNE (for himself, Mr. ROUNDS, Mr. GRASSLEY, and Ms. ERNST) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works 

A BILL 

To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to update the modeling used for lifecycle 

greenhouse gas assessments for corn-based ethanol and 

biodiesel, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Adopt the Greenhouse 

5 Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Trans6 portation Model Act’’ or the ‘‘Adopt GREET Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF ADMINISTRATOR. 

2 In this Act, the term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad3 ministrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. 

4 SEC. 3. LIFECYCLE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM 

5 CORN-BASED ETHANOL. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), not 

7 later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 

8 and every 5 years thereafter, the Administrator shall up9 date the methodology used by the Environmental Protec10 tion Agency in lifecycle analyses with respect to green11 house gas emissions that result from corn-based ethanol. 

12 (b) REQUIREMENTS.— 

13 (1) FIRST UPDATE.—In carrying out the first 

14 update required under subsection (a), the Adminis15 trator shall adopt— 

16 (A) the most recent Greenhouse gases, 

17 Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Trans18 portation model (commonly referred to as the 

19 ‘‘GREET model’’) developed by Argonne Na20 tional Laboratory; or 

21 (B) the methodology described in the study 

22 by the Office of the Chief Economist of the De23 partment of Agriculture entitled ‘‘The green24 house gas benefits of corn ethanol–assessing re25 cent evidence’’ and published on March 25, 

26 2019. 


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1 (2) SUBSEQUENT UPDATES.—In carrying out 

2 the second and each subsequent update required 

3 under subsection (a), the Administrator shall— 

4 (A) as necessary, adopt, review, or update 

5 a methodology determined to be appropriate by 

6 the Administrator; or 

7 (B) adopt a methodology described in sub8 paragraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1). 

9 (c) REPORT.—If the Administrator fails to carry out 

10 subsection (b)(2) before the applicable deadline described 

11 in subsection (a), the Administrator shall submit to the 

12 Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, En13 ergy and Natural Resources, and Environment and Public 

14 Works of the Senate and the Committees on Agriculture, 

15 Energy and Commerce, and Science, Space, and Tech16 nology of the House of Representatives a report describing 

17 the reasons for the failure to carry out subsection (b)(2), 

18 which may include a determination by the Administrator 

19 that the methodology adopted or updated in a previous 

20 update under subsection (a) remains the most current 

21 methodology based on available data, research, and tech22 nology. 


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1 SEC. 4. LIFECYCLE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM 

2 BIODIESEL. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), not 

4 later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 

5 and every 5 years thereafter, the Administrator shall up6 date the methodology used by the Environmental Protec7 tion Agency in lifecycle analyses with respect to green8 house gas emissions that result from biodiesel. 

9 (b) REQUIREMENTS.— 

10 (1) FIRST UPDATE.—In carrying out the first 

11 update required under subsection (a), the Adminis12 trator shall adopt the most recent Greenhouse gases, 

13 Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transpor14 tation model (commonly referred to as the ‘‘GREET 

15 model’’) developed by Argonne National Laboratory. 

16 (2) SUBSEQUENT UPDATES.—In carrying out 

17 the second and each subsequent update required 

18 under subsection (a), the Administrator shall— 

19 (A) as necessary, adopt, review, or update 

20 a methodology determined to be appropriate by 

21 the Administrator; or 

22 (B) adopt the methodology described in 

23 paragraph (1). 

24 (c) REPORT.—If the Administrator fails to carry out 

25 subsection (b)(2) before the applicable deadline described 

26 in subsection (a), the Administrator shall submit to the 


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1 Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, En2 ergy and Natural Resources, and Environment and Public 

3 Works of the Senate and the Committees on Agriculture, 

4 Energy and Commerce, and Science, Space, and Tech5 nology of the House of Representatives a report describing 

6 the reasons for the failure to carry out subsection (b)(2), 

7 which may include a determination by the Administrator 

8 that the methodology adopted or updated in a previous 

9 update under subsection (a) remains the most current 

10 methodology based on available data, research, and tech11 nology. 

Æ 


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