US EPA looks to extend refinery biofuels deadlines
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it would propose to extend deadlines for refiners to prove compliance with biofuel laws.
However, the EPA said it would not decide on pending waiver requests submitted by the industry.
The agency’s proposal represented mixed news for refiners hit by slumping energy demand during COVID-19 and want to sidestep regulatory costs associated with biofuel blending policy, Reuters reported.
It also marks one of the last actions from President Donald Trump’s EPA before he hands over to Joe Biden.
The agency said it was proposing to extend the compliance deadline for 2019 biofuel blending obligations to November 30 and an associated deadline for submission of attest engagement reports to June 1, 2022.
The EPA is also proposing to extend the 2020 deadlines to January 31, 2022, and June 1, 2022.
Refiners must hand in credits to the EPA each year to prove they complied with their annual biofuel blending obligations for the previous year.
“While we don’t agree that EPA needs to wait as long as it is proposing, particularly for the 2020 compliance year, we do agree with EPA that the outgoing administration should refrain from any further action on the pending small refinery petitions,” said Geoff Cooper, president of the Renewable Fuels Association.
However, the EPA said it would not decide on pending waiver requests submitted by the industry.
The agency’s proposal represented mixed news for refiners hit by slumping energy demand during COVID-19 and want to sidestep regulatory costs associated with biofuel blending policy, Reuters reported.
It also marks one of the last actions from President Donald Trump’s EPA before he hands over to Joe Biden.
The agency said it was proposing to extend the compliance deadline for 2019 biofuel blending obligations to November 30 and an associated deadline for submission of attest engagement reports to June 1, 2022.
The EPA is also proposing to extend the 2020 deadlines to January 31, 2022, and June 1, 2022.
Refiners must hand in credits to the EPA each year to prove they complied with their annual biofuel blending obligations for the previous year.
“While we don’t agree that EPA needs to wait as long as it is proposing, particularly for the 2020 compliance year, we do agree with EPA that the outgoing administration should refrain from any further action on the pending small refinery petitions,” said Geoff Cooper, president of the Renewable Fuels Association.
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