8 new small refinery waivers filed with US EPA in past month

As of Dec. 18, the EPA has received 22 petitions seeking small refinery waivers for the 2018 compliance year, up from 15 petitions that had been filed as of Nov. 10. All 22 petitions are still pending.

For the 2017 compliance year, the EPA has received 37 small refinery petitions, up from the 36 it had received as of Nov. 10. To date, the agency has approved 29 petitions, with seven currently pending and one declared ineligible or withdrawn. The 29 petitions approved to date have exempted approximately 1.46 billion renewable identification numbers (RINs), or approximately 13.62 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel from meeting the RFS blending targets.

No changes were indicated for compliances years 2013-’16.

For compliance year 2016, the EPA has received 20 small refinery petitions, with 19 approved to date and one still pending. The 19 approved petitions 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 EPA received 14 petitions. The agency approved seven petitions and denied eight. One petition was declared ineligible or withdrawn. The seven approved petitions have exempted approximately 290 million RINs, or 3.07 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel from meeting RFS blending targets.

The EPA received 13 small refinery petitions for compliance year 2014. The agency approved eight petitions, but denied the remaining five. The eight approved petitions exempted 210 million RINs, or approximately 2.3 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel from meeting RFS blending targets.

For the 2013 compliance year, EPA received 16 petitions. The agency approved eight and denied seven. One petition was declared ineligible or withdrawn. The eight approved petitions exempted 190 million RINs, or approximately 1.98 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel form meeting RFS blending obligations.

The EPA is expected to update data on small refinery hardship waivers monthly, with the next updated expected to be released mid-January.