The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved a 6% increase in the level of biofuels that producers must blend with gasoline and diesel in 2017 that falls significantly short of amount required by the Renewable Fuel Standard by 2022.

Producers must blend 19.28 billion gallons of renewable fuel that includes cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, and advanced biofuel. Producers must blend 311 million gallons, 2 billion gallons, and 4.28 billion gallons respectively.

The Renewable Fuel Standard passed in 2005 and expanded in 2007 sets a goal of 36 billion gallons by 2022.

The EPA also approved 2.1 billion gallons of biomass-based diesel for 2018.

"Renewable fuel volumes continue to increase across the board compared to 2016 levels," said Janet McCabe, the EPA's acting assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation. "These final standards will boost production, providing for ambitious yet achievable growth of biofuels in the transportation sector. By implementing the program enacted by Congress, we are expanding the nation’s renewable fuels sector while reducing our reliance on imported oil."

Read more from the EPA here.