Republican Senators urge the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider denial of Small Refinery Exemptions
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Lummis joined her Republican colleagues in a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Reagan to reconsider its proposed blanket denial of small refinery exemptions (SRE) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program.
“We are puzzled by the action EPA took in these proposals, including the unprecedented and drastic step to propose a blanket denial of all 65 outstanding small refinery hardship petitions at a time of increasing gasoline prices and several small refinery closures around the nation,” the senators wrote. “The current proposal neglects not only its own economic impacts, but negates the intent of Congress in deliberately amending the Clean Air Act to allow for exemptions for small refiners that suffer disproportionate economic hardship from compliance with the RFS.”
“Small refineries employ thousands across Wyoming, and ancillary industries employ thousands more. Without this exemption, smaller refineries cannot compete with the larger ones,” Senator Lummis said. “This will cost thousands of jobs and raise prices for families in Wyoming. This is a tone-deaf decision that is unfortunately becoming all too familiar to the people of Wyoming. I hope the EPA will consider reversing their decision.”
There are four operational oil refineries in Wyoming, and each operate within the parameters of the small refinery exemption. All will be negatively impacted by this decision. Last year, the HollyFrontier refinery in Cheyenne transitioned to a renewable diesel, costing nearly 200 jobs. Prior to its transition, it produced 52,000 barrels of oil per day. The loss of its SRE was a major factor in the decision to transition.
To read the letter, click here.
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