Small Refinery Exemption Clarification Act introduced in Congress

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Small Refinery Exemption Clarification Act introduced in Congress

Legislation to help ensure the small refinery exemption program is transparent and predictable has been introduced in Congress.

 Minnesota Democrat Angie Craig and Iowa Republican Randy Feenstra say the SRE Clarification Act they introduced would clarify that only oil refineries that have been continuously receiving waivers since 2011 would be eligible for extensions from renewable fuel blending requirement exemptions.

Craig tells Brownfield the bill is in response to the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Holly Frontier case.

“Randy and I got together to basically provide a legislative fix. If the legislative language isn’t clear, let’s get together and make it clear.”

She says in the past few years the small refinery exemption program has skirted congressional oversight and prioritized the interests of Big Oil over family farmers.

“So this would clarify exactly who is eligible for those extensions and hopefully meet the very specific legislative language, so that these court rulings stop ruling against ethanol producers.”

Feenstra says the biofuels industry is an important driver of economic growth, which is why Congress must erase ambiguities that allow oil refiners to take shortcuts when it comes to blending requirements.

The Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, National Corn Growers Association, and National Farmers Union support the Small Refinery Exemption Clarification Act.

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