US EPA grants 14 biofuel exemptions to small refineries

The Environmental Protection Agency announced on Friday that it had approved 14 requests for exemptions from the biofuel blend mandates of the United States, while denying two. These decisions have cleared the backlog of requests for exemptions that the EPA had accumulated under the administration of former president Joe Biden. The EPA approved 140 petitions this year in part or full, and only 28 were denied. This leaves just a few from previous years that are still under review.

The Renewable Fuel Standard requires refiners to add billions of gallons a year of ethanol or other biofuels to the fuel pool of the United States.

Small refiners may be exempted from the requirements if they can show that these obligations will cause them significant financial difficulties.

The waivers are a source of friction between oil refiners, who want to avoid expensive blending obligations, and biofuel supporters concerned about their market.

Two refineries received 100% exemptions and 12 others were given 50% exemptions.

The agency has 15 applications pending, 12 of which are for 2025 and three others for prior years. (Reporting and editing by Paul Simao; Richard Valdmanis)

(source: Reuters)