WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor applauded the introduction of the Small Refinery Exemption Clarification Act of 2021 by U.S. Reps. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.). The legislation comes just days after the Supreme Court issued a decision on the meaning of “extension” for small refinery exemptions (SREs) and seeks to clarify the original congressional intent behind the small refinery exemption program.
“The Small Refinery Exemption Clarification Act seeks to clarify who is eligible, under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) SRE program, ” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “The RFS was always intended to spur increased blending of low-carbon biofuels into our domestic fuel supply every year. We firmly believe that refiners have had 16 years to adjust their operations to comply with the RFS, and that EPA’s SRE authority was meant to steer them toward compliance rather than provide a never-ending excuse to avoiding their blending obligations.
“Legislation like this will help stabilize demand in our industry, so we can continue to produce low-carbon biofuels, provide clean energy jobs in rural areas, and achieve our nation’s climate reduction goals. We are grateful to Representatives Randy Feenstra and Angie Craig for continuing to push to restore integrity to a program run amuck.”
For years, Growth Energy has raised the alarm on the abuse of SREs, and is currently involved in SRE litigation to restore integrity to the program.
Growth Energy also strongly supports and advocates for the House and Senate versions of the RFS Integrity Act, H.R. 1113 and S. 1792 respectively, bills which would add deadlines for refinery SRE petitions so EPA can properly account for them in future year RVOs. The legislation would also improve transparency in the SRE process by requiring petitioners to publicly disclose basic identification information.
In addition, Growth Energy supported several letters led by Democrat and Republican members in both chambers who wrote the White House, EPA, and USDA on the market implications of SRE authority abuse.