The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its final decision on six outstanding petitions for Small Refinery Exemptions (SRE) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program on August 3, 2026.

Exemption Outcomes and Hardship Valuations

The agency reviewed detailed economic data and consulted with the Department of Energy to evaluate claims of disproportionate economic hardship. The EPA granted a full (100 percent) exemption to one petition, partial (50 percent) exemptions to two petitions, and determined three petitions to be ineligible.

As a result, a total of 160 million Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) are officially exempted from compliance obligations for the 2024 compliance year.