EPA: Additional small refinery petitions filed for 2017, 2018

The U.S. EPA has released updated data on small refinery waivers filed under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The new data shows that additional petitions were filed for 2017 and 2018 compliance years over the past month.

As of Oct. 10, EPA data shows the agency has received 15 petitions seeking small refinery waivers for the 2018 compliance year, up from 11 petitions that had been filed as of Sept. 19. According to the EPA, all 15 petitions are still pending.

For compliance year 2017, EPA has now received 36 small refinery petitions, up from the 34 petitions it had received as of Sept. 19. The agency has approved 29 petitions to date, with no new compliance year 2017 petitions approved between Sept. 19 and Oct. 10. There are currently seven compliance year 2017 petitions pending, up from the five that were pending as of Sept. 19. The 29 petitions approved to date have exempted approximately 1.46 billion renewable identification numbers (RINs), or approximately 12.62 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel from meeting the RFS blending targets.

For compliance years 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, there was no change in small refinery petitions between Sept. 19 and Oct. 10.

The data shows EPA received 20 small refinery petitions for the compliance year 2016, with 19 approved to date and one petition still pending. The 19 approved petitions for compliance year 2016 have exempted approximately 790 million RINs, or 7.84 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel from meeting RFS blending targets.

For compliance year 2015, the agency received 14 petitions, and approved seven. The seven approved petitions exempted approximately 290 million RINs, or 3.07 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel from meeting RFS blending targets.

For compliance year 2014, the EPA received 13 small refinery petitions. Eight were approved. Those eight petitions exempted 210 million RINs, or 2.3 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel from meeting RFS blending targets.

For compliance year 2013, the EPA received 16 petitions and approved eight. The eight approved petitions exempted 190 million RINs, or approximately 1.98 billlion gallons of gasoline and diesel from meeting RFS blending targets.

The EPA is expected to update data on small refinery hardships waivers monthly, with the next update expected to be released in mid-November.