# Growth Energy Files Federal Lawsuit Against EPA on Small Refinery Exemptions

> Growth Energy filed a petition in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals challenging EPA's failure to address small refinery exemptions in its 2019 renewable volume obligation rulemaking. The group argues EPA did not make up the lost renewable gallons from those exemptions, which it says violates the statute requiring annual RVOs be met.

- Date: 2019-02-04 · published 2019-02-04T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: policy · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/60463-growth-energy-files-federal-lawsuit-against-epa-on-small-refinery-exemptions
- Commodities: [Soybean Oil](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SBO.md), [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md)

## Why it matters

Unaddressed small refinery exemptions reduce required biofuel blending, weakening demand for soybean oil and corn-based ethanol feedstock; a court challenge could force EPA to restore volumes, which would be supportive for soy oil and corn.

## Read by commodity

- SBO: bullish ▲
- CORN: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| SBO | 2020-01-01 | [Tenth Circuit Court Strikes Down EPA Small Refinery Exemptions](https://feedsoft.ai/events/54951-tenth-circuit-court-strikes-down-epa-small-refinery-exemptions.md) | -0.6% | -11.2% |
| SBO | 2025-09-16 | [EPA Proposes Renewable Fuel Standards Supplemental Rule, Addresses Small Refinery Exemptions \| US EPA](https://feedsoft.ai/events/15087-epa-proposes-renewable-fuel-standards-supplemental-rule-addresses-small.md) | -4.3% | -2.4% |
| SBO | 2019-11-28 | [National Biodiesel Board urges EPA to account for small refinery exemptions - Biofuels International Magazine](https://feedsoft.ai/events/55927-national-biodiesel-board-urges-epa-to-account-for-small-refinery-exemptions.md) | -0.3% | +14.4% |
| SBO | 2026-09-04 | [EPA Small Refinery Exemptions Impact Ag Markets: OSU’s Todd Hubbs on Biofuels, Wheat Basis, and Harvest Strategy - Oklahoma Farm Report](https://feedsoft.ai/events/17531-epa-small-refinery-exemptions-impact-ag-markets-osu-s-todd-hubbs-on-biofuels.md) | -1.7% | -6.1% |
| SBO | 2019-11-29 | [Growth Energy to EPA - deliver a real fix - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/55933-growth-energy-to-epa-deliver-a-real-fix-brownfield-ag-news.md) | -0.3% | +14.4% |
| CORN | 2020-01-01 | [Tenth Circuit Court Strikes Down EPA Small Refinery Exemptions](https://feedsoft.ai/events/54951-tenth-circuit-court-strikes-down-epa-small-refinery-exemptions.md) | -0.6% | -0.2% |
| CORN | 2025-09-16 | [EPA Proposes Renewable Fuel Standards Supplemental Rule, Addresses Small Refinery Exemptions \| US EPA](https://feedsoft.ai/events/15087-epa-proposes-renewable-fuel-standards-supplemental-rule-addresses-small.md) | -0.3% | -2.6% |
| CORN | 2019-11-28 | [National Biodiesel Board urges EPA to account for small refinery exemptions - Biofuels International Magazine](https://feedsoft.ai/events/55927-national-biodiesel-board-urges-epa-to-account-for-small-refinery-exemptions.md) | +1.1% | +3.4% |

## Sources

- growthenergy.org: https://growthenergy.org/2019/02/04/growth-energy-files-federal-lawsuit-against-epa-on-small-refinery-exemptions/

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.