EPA Grants Major Small Refinery Exemptions
The agency approved 29 of 34 petitions and said it will propose reallocation by the end of October to restore waived renewable-fuel obligations.
- On Monday, the EPA announced decisions on 34 petitions from small refineries, granting full exemptions to 18 refineries and partial exemptions to 11, covering about 1.76 billion ethanol-equivalent gallons of renewable fuel credits.
- The Renewable Fuel Standard requires oil companies to use biofuels or obtain credits; the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers argues these requirements create significant costs, estimating annual compliance could approach $70 billion.
- Iowa produced 4.6 billion gallons of ethanol in 2025, accounting for about 28% of U.S. production. Iowa Renewable Fuel Association executive director Monte Shaw warned the exemptions could reduce demand for corn and soybeans.
- To preserve renewable fuel demand, the EPA plans to add waived requirements back into 2026 and 2027 renewable-fuel obligations, intending to propose the reallocation by the end of October.
- Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, called the decision a significant improvement, urging future administrations to follow the reallocation precedent; the debate echoes 2019 when the EPA issued 85 retroactive exemptions covering 2016 through 2018.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Grassley says EPA actions on ethanol recognize the importance of biofuels
The EPA has approved waivers for 29 small oil refineries, so they do not have to blend ethanol into gasoline — the highest level since 2017. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig calls the decision “unfortunate and unjustified.” Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he lobbied the Trump Administration to minimize the impact of those exemptions for […]
EPA Grants Small Refinery Exemptions Impacting Biofuel Demand and Arkansas Soybeans
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved exemptions for 29 small refineries from portions of the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, a move that could affect demand for biofuels tied to major Arkansas crops such as soybeans. EPA announced Monday, August 31st, that it approved 18 [...]
EPA Grants Most Small Refinery Exemption Requests
(NAFB.com) – EPA has granted most of the small refinery exemption requests it considered for the 2025 Renewable Fuel Standard compliance year. The agency announced decisions Monday on 34 petitions from individual refineries seeking relief from their
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