The Trump administration's move to reject biofuel mandate waivers sought by small refineries covered 54 petitions for the 2011-18 compliance years, according to new data released Sept. 17 by the Environmental Protection Agency.
EPA is still considering 17 requests for retroactive waivers for 2011-18 compliance, 29 requests for waivers of 2019 blending mandates and four requests for 2020 waivers.
The new details did not move Renewable Identification Numbers prices Sept. 17.
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a letter to refiners released Sept. 14 that they had failed to prove they experienced disproportionate economic hardship from the biofuel blending mandate or provide any new data since their requests were originally reviewed.
The Renewable Fuel Standard allows refineries that process less than 75,000 b/d of crude to petition for an exemption, which gets reviewed by the Department of Energy and the EPA.
Biofuel producers and farm-state senators have complained for years about the Trump administration's widespread granting of the waivers, arguing they have eroded billions of gallons in biofuel blending demand required by the RFS. The recent denials were seen as an election-year move to shore up support for President Donald Trump in the Midwest and for Senator Joni Ernst, Republican-Iowa.
After backlash from the oil side, the White House is now reportedly considering an aid package for refiners.
