Small Refinery Exemption (SRE)

Congress designed the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) with an explicit directive for EPA to maintain relief lifelines for small refineries.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - AFPM issued the following statement on small refinery exemption filings for previous years.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – AFPM President and CEO Chet Thompson today issued the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s decision not to appeal the 10th Circuit ruling that would effectively end the small refinery relief program established by Congress under the Renewable Fuel Standard.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, AFPM President and CEO Chet Thompson issued the following statement on EPA's review of small refinery exemptions.

Ethanol demand is higher than ever while waivers have helped contain RFS compliance costs.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, AFPM issued the following statement on the final RFS volumes announced for 2020 and EPA’s related decision on its supplemental proposal.

In the final days before EPA issues the 2020 volumes for the federal biofuel mandate and makes a ruling on the supplemental proposal offered in October, it’s critical to acknowledge that all available data shows there are no “lost gallons” of ethanol that need to be reallocated as part of these announcements.

From top officials at the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency to the pages of Forbes and official hearings in the Heartland, Americans are weighing in to dispel the myth of corn ethanol demand destruction and on the EPA’s proposal to increase the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which is currently under consideration. 

As we progress through 2019, one thing that has remained consistent is that U.S. ethanol consumption and blending are higher this year than they have ever been — a sign that small-refinery hardship waivers exempting some qualified facilities from Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending obligations have not destroyed demand for ethanol.