US EPA issues decisions on 6 SRE petitions under Renewable Fuel Standard program

U.S. EPA announced its decisions Aug. 3 on six individual small-refinery exemption (SRE) petitions from four refineries seeking an exemption from their Renewable Fuel Standard obligations for the 2023 and 2024 compliance years.

In consultation with the U.S. DOE, EPA said it reviewed all the information submitted by each individual refinery in support of its petition.

“After careful consideration of all statutory factors and the information submitted by the refineries, EPA is granting full (100 percent) exemptions to one petition, granting partial (50 percent) exemptions to two petitions, denying zero petitions, and determining three petitions to be ineligible,” the agency stated.

EPA added that its final actions on the pending SRE petitions “are based on the legal and factual analysis presented herein, after consulting with DOE, and considering the DOE Small Refinery Study and ‘other economic factors.’”

This document also explains how EPA will implement SRE decisions when an exemption is granted.

Emily Skor, CEO of the biofuel trade association Growth Energy, commented on the decision.

“Small refineries should only be granted exemptions when they can demonstrate that the RFS has caused them true disproportionate economic harm,” she said. “We continue to closely evaluate these decisions to ensure they do not undermine investments made in biofuels, agriculture and our rural economy because of the RFS. Today’s decision highlights the critical importance of SRE reallocation in any future [renewable volume obligations (RVOs)].”

The full decision can be accessed here.