The Environmental Protection Agency approved 31 refinery exemptions today, while denying six.
Since early 2018, EPA granted 53 Renewable Fuel Standard waivers to oil companies, totaling 2.61 billion ethanol-equivalent gallons of renewable fuel.
Under EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard program, a small refinery may be granted a temporary exemption from its annual Renewable Volume Obligations if it can demonstrate that compliance with the RVOs would cause the refinery to suffer disproportionate economic hardship. EPA evaluates submissions to determine whether an exemption may be granted, based on information presented by the petitioning refinery and on the statutory and regulatory requirements for exemption.
The National Corn Growers Association called on President Trump to rein in the EPA.
“Waivers reduce demand for ethanol, lower the value of our crop and undermine the president’s support for America’s farmers,” said National Corn Growers Association President Lynn Chrisp. “Waivers benefit big oil at the expense of corn farmers who, between losing export markets abroad and ethanol markets at home, are losing patience.
“Mr. President, you proudly stand with farmers, but your EPA isn’t following through. You can step up for farmers today by reining in RFS waivers. Farmers expect the RFS to be kept whole by accounting for waived gallons and bringing more transparency to EPA’s secret process.”
