In what is described as a last-minute move by the Trump administration, three oil refineries were granted exemptions from biofuel-blending mandates.
Reports did not identify the three refineries but Oklahoma’s Wynnewood Refining Company is one of two firms whose appeals of earlier denials will be heard sometime this year by the U.S. Supreme Court.
It’s known that two of the waivers granted by the Environmental Protection Agency fall under the 2019 mandate under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The third waiver was to a refinery that had previously been denied a 2018 exemption.
Reports indicated the waivers will exempt the unnamed refineries from blending at least 1.1 billion gallons of biofuels into their mix.
At least 65 other requests are pending and 15 of them are for 2020.
The 11th hour waivers angered biofuel advocates who wanted the EPA to wait until the Supreme Court ruled on the challenge by the Wynnewood Refining Company and HollyFrontier, operator of refineries in Tulsa, Wyoming and Utah. HollyFrontier’s challenge applies to the two refineries in Utah and Wyoming.
Kurt Kovarik, vice president for federal affairs at the National Biodiesel Board was among those upset with the waivers.
“This disappointing action further undermines the integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard program by destroying demand for additional gallons of biofuel,” he said in a statement.
Source: Bloomberg/Reuters