Oil refineries are asking the EPA for more small refinery exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard. According to the agency, 52 new petitions have been received. This time, the requests are retroactive, ranging from 2011-2018. In response, biofuel supporters said these are gap year waiver petitions; oil refineries are trying to get around a Tenth Circuit Court decision from earlier this year that set a precedent on limiting small refinery waivers. The Renewable Fuels Association also said if the EPA approves all of the waivers, it would amount to two billion gallons of ethanol waived. The National Biodiesel Board called on the EPA to immediately reject the petitions.
