News Releases from Headquarters›Air and Radiation (OAR)
EPA Updates RFS Website to Improve Transparency
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program website to increase transparency surrounding the program. The updated website includes new data and information for both stakeholders and the public.
“For the first time, EPA is providing new information to the public on small refinery exemptions and RIN trading,” said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Increasing transparency will improve implementation of the RFS and provide stakeholders and the regulated community the certainty and clarity they need to make important business and compliance decisions.”
“In our corn-growing community, the RFS program is one of the top issues people are talking about. We hear concerns about lack of transparency around the issuance of small refinery waivers and we are hopeful these changes will put everyone on a level playing field to receive the information at the same time,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. “Farmers stay on top of every bit of news that comes out about the RFS and their industry, so providing them with more information is a priority. Adding timely updates to EPA’s website will be important to USDA’s customers, the people of American agriculture. We have had a great working relationship with Acting EPA Administrator Wheeler and we are pleased to continue it with this progress on RFS information.”
The data will provide important information for renewable fuel producers, fuel refiners, importers, and marketers that can be used as they make business and compliance decisions. In posting the data, EPA will ensure the protection of confidential business information.
New information includes:
The number of small refinery exemption petitions received, approved, and denied for each compliance year;
The weekly average price of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) traded; and
The weekly volume of RINs traded.
The Agency has been working to upgrade online systems to provide easy access to the most up-to-date information. These technical upgrades to the website serve to improve transparency in the Agency’s implementation of the statute.
Moving forward, EPA intends to coordinate small refinery hardship decisions with website updates such that the recipients of waivers and the broader market receive the same information at the same time. The Agency will also update information on RIN prices and trading volumes on a monthly basis.
The updated RFS website includes interactive and dynamic features that allow users to customize display of RIN information, feedstock type, and producer attributes.
The data are available here: https://www.epa.gov/fuels-registration-reporting-and-compliance-help/public-data-renewable-fuel-standard
***WEBSITE DEMO***
Credentialed press can RSVP to press@epa.gov to participate in a demonstration of the updated website on September 20, 2018 at 1:00 PM. There will be no Q&A session.
WHAT: RFS Website Update Demo
WHEN: Thursday, September 20
1:00 PM
Please RSVP to press@epa.gov for further information.