The issue of small refiner exemptions (SREs) continues as a focal point in Washington and in farm country. Reuters reported that President Donald Trump “ordered cabinet members on Monday to stem the tide of rising anger in Iowa and other Farm Bill states” over the EPA granting of SREs.
The report said Trump’s order came after a two-hour meeting at the White House Monday that involved representatives from USDA, EPA and the Energy Department.
EPA last week announced that it had granted 31 SREs of the 40 that had been submitted for the 2018 compliance year at that time, with six rejected and three either withdrawn or declared ineligible. Since then, EPA data now shows two more SRE requests are pending for the 2018 compliance year, bringing the total requested to 42.
The announcement last week prompted several lawmakers to criticize the administration’s action which reports indicated were due to Trump’s own orders to EPA to announce the SREs. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, denounced the action. “They screwed us when they issued 31 waivers compared to less than 10 waivers during all of the Obama years,” Grassley told reporters.
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