EPA sends biofuels volumes targets to White House for review: sources

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sent blending targets for the country's renewable fuels program to the White House for review ahead of a fast-approaching June 1 deadline for publicly releasing its proposal, according to industry sources. The EPA has sent proposed volume requirements for 2014, 2015 and 2016 to the White House Office of Management and Budget, the sources said. The OMB had not yet indicated on its website that it had received the RFS documents. An EPA spokeswoman declined to comment. The EPA agreed to a June 1 deadline to issue targets for 2015 as part of a lawsuit settlement agreement with two oil industry groups over delays in the agency's target-setting. The agency also said it would propose 2016 volumes by June 1 and that it planned to re-propose 2014 requirements. (Reporting by Chris Prentice in New York and Ayesha Rascoe in Washington; Editing by Christian Plumb)