Federal Appeals Court Rules Against EPA Fuel Program Restrictions

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s denials of small refineries seeking exemptions to a renewable fuel program was vacated on Aug. 14 by a federal appeals court, which found the agency misinterpreted the law that outlines how to handle exemption applications. The treatment by the agency, or the EPA, of the exemption applications “was contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious” a unanimous panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said in its ruling. The EPA did not respond to a request for comment. The agency was directed by Congress as part of updates to the Clean Air Act to implement a Renewable Fuel Standard program. The program requires oil refineries to add ethanol and other renewable fuels to the nation’s energy supply by blending the fuels into gas or buying credits....