Zeldin: EPA working to clear backlog of SRE petitions
U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin testifies before the House Committee on Appropriations.
May 16, 2025
BY Erin Voegele
U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin on May 15 told members of the House Appropriations Committee that the agency is working as quickly as it can to take action on the backlog of Renewable Fuel Standard small refinery exemption (SRE) petitions.
Zeldin was questioned on the issue of SREs during a hearing held to consider the EPA’s proposed fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget proposal.
Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, noted that more than 130 SRE petitions are pending with the EPA. While under statute, the EPA is required to act on such petitions with 90 days of filing, many of the pending SRE petitions were filed years ago.
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Zeldin confirmed the EPA sees SREs as a “very important” issue and indicated the agency is working to clear the backlog of SRE petitions. “Actually, none of these [petitions] were getting approved at all in the last administration,” he said. “So, we want to get caught up. We want to get caught up as quickly as we can and we’re hearing from members of Congress who share that concern.”
A full replay of the hearing is available on the House Appropriations committee website.
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