The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released refreshed data on Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs), showing 16 waiver petitions had been filed for the 2019 compliance year as of Nov. 21. The 2019 SRE total is up six from the agency’s previous report.
So far, all 16 petitions remain pending and there are no petitions pending for any earlier compliance years.
For 2018, EPA granted 31 of 42 SRE petitions it received, while in 2017 it granted the largest number ever at 35 of the 37 total petitions it received.
Biofuel proponents remain focused on EPA’s granting of SREs and whether it follows through on a promise to accurately account for exempted volumes when setting renewable volume obligations (RVOs) in coming compliance years.
Many biofuel groups voiced concern last week after EPA released its final rule for 2020 biofuel and 2021 biodiesel RVOs. EPA’s rule retained language relying on Department of Energy (DOE) SRE recommendations when accounting for the waivers.
In the past the agency has not always followed DOE’s suggestions, particularly in situations calling for only partial exemptions. While the agency said it is “committed to following the DOE recommendations” going forward, many biofuel proponents remain skeptical.
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