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EPA Issues Emergency Fuel Waiver to Address Midwest Shortage

By Jennifer A. Dlouhy
A driver prepares to pump gas at a Sunoco gas station in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. Gasoline prices have fallen for 60 consecutive days, the longest streak of declines in more than a year, letting American drivers pass on savings at the pump to consumer retailers during the US economy's all-important holiday season. Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg (Al Drago/Bloomberg)

(Bloomberg) -- The EPA issued an emergency waiver of fuel rules in four Midwest states to address shortages tied to a power outage at an Exxon Mobil Corp. refinery in Joliet, Illinois.

  • The order waives Reid vapor pressure and reformulated gasoline requirements in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin through Aug. 20
  • The move follows a request by governors and after EPA said it had concluded, along with the Energy Department, that it is “necessary and appropriate to take action to minimize or prevent disruption of an adequate supply of gasoline to consumers”
  • Refinery that serves the Chicago area continues to work “hard” to resume operations since undergoing an emergency shutdown in mid-July, spokeswoman Lauren Kight said in an email
    • Co. won’t speculate on how long operations may be suspended
  • NOTE: A tornado hit transmission lines serving the facility on July 15, triggering the outage
  • NOTE: Gasoline prices in Chicago have rebounded to the highest since November 2022

 

--With assistance from Lucia Kassai.

(Updates with Exxon Mobil statement on status of refinery in third bullet point.)

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