The Supreme Court (SCOTUS) on June 25 overturned a lower court ruling that had found that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could only grant a small refinery exemption to companies that had received such an exemption every year since 2013. The Supreme Court found that, according to the statute that created the RFS, EPA has a wider latitude to grant small refinery exemptions, including for refineries that had not received such an exemption for many years.
06-28-2021The Supreme Court could rule as early as June 25 on the legality of the Trump Administration’s aggressive approach to issuing small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). If the ruling doesn’t come by then, it will come at some point between now and early to mid-July. The Court’s decision takes place against the backdrop of discussions within the Biden Administration surrounding how to prevent prices for renewable identification numbers from reaching exceedingly high levels. These discussions appear to be driven primarily by efforts to assist a Delaware refinery that has a longstanding relationship with the President and his allies in Congress.
06-23-2021The Supreme Court is expected to rule as soon as this week on its review of a 10th Circuit case that struck down the Trump Administration's aggressive approach to issuing "small refinery […]
06-08-2021The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reportedly will announce its plans for responding to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that invalidated three small refinery waivers that exempt them from their obligations […]
03-04-2020The Trump Administration is expected to pare the number of small refinery waivers that exempt refiners from their obligations to acquire Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard, Bloomberg […]
02-26-2020The NATSO Board of Directors approved its Priority Legislative and Regulatory Issues for 2020-2021 at its February Board Meeting held during the NATSO Connect 2020, in Denver, Colorado. NATSO’s core legislative priorities continue to focus on both transportation and fuel policy.
02-14-2020The Final Rule also includes the Agency’s plan for “reallocating” gallons of renewable fuel that are waived pursuant to the “Small Refinery Exemption” Program.
12-19-2019The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should obligate itself to align the volume of renewable fuel it waives under its "small" refinery exemption program with volume it reallocates to other obligated […]
12-02-2019NATSO member Beth Westemeyer, Director of Business Development for Anew Travel and Fuel Centers, the retail arm of Zeeland Farm Services in Zeeland, Mich., testified Oct. 30 at the Environmental […]
11-01-2019On August 30, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision in a lawsuit brought by the merchant refining community that sought to require EPA to change the so-called “point of obligation” under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The court’s opinion in the case, which was first filed more than two-and-a-half years ago, is noteworthy for its implications on current policy debates over the future of the RFS.
09-03-2019