U.S. EPA denies retroactive biofuel blending waivers

NEW YORK, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The Trump administration has denied retroactive biofuel blending waivers that would have exempted oil refiners from requirements to blend biofuels into their fuel mix, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Monday.

Oil refiners had applied for the exemptions after an appeals court earlier this year cast doubt on the waiver program. The move is a win for biofuel advocates that say the waivers hurt demand for their products, though the oil industry refutes that.

Since March, 17 small refineries in 14 states submitted 68 petitions asking the EPA to reconsider exemption denials for past compliance years, or grant exemptions for years in which refineries had not sought them.

"These small refineries did not demonstrate disproportionate economic hardship from compliance with the RFS program for those RFS compliance years," EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a memo.

Under the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard, refiners must blend billions of gallons of biofuels into their fuel, or buy tradable credits from those that do. Refiners can also seek an exemption if they can prove financial harm from the requirements. (Reporting by Stephanie Kelly; Editing by Dan Grebler)

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