EPA notes 40 petitions have been received, but
their data now shows that one exemption petition has been declared
ineligible or withdrawn.
Meanwhile, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., has
requested the EPA acting Inspector General Charles Sheehan investigate
the increased use of the small refiner exemptions.
"Recent document disclosures reveal that the EPA
misled members of Congress, industry and the public in regard to the
agency's motivations and justifications for its SRE policy," the letter
stated. "This deception by EPA political appointees may indicate
improper motives and conflicts of interest and it warrants a thorough
review by the EPA OIG."