EPA waives summer restrictions on gasoline in Michigan

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — The EPA has waived gasoline emission requirements in Michigan to mitigate the impacts of a supply disruption caused by a refinery shutdown in July.

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan announced Thursday that the agency’s requirements for Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin to sell low-emission gasoline during the summer months have been waived due to an “extreme and unusual fuel supply circumstance” caused by the unanticipated closure of a prominent gas supplier in the Midwest.

The ExxonMobil Joliet Refinery in Illinois unexpectedly shut down on July 15 due to severe weather, interfering with gasoline supply and distribution in Michigan. Additionally, hurricane season could potentially impact additional gasoline transportation from other regions like the Gulf.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday requesting an emergency fuel waiver to prioritize fuel access and distribution ahead of the 2024 hurricane season—which is predicted to be severe.

“Today, I’m taking action to help protect Michiganders from fuel supply disruptions,” said Whitmer. “With hurricane season in full swing and a refinery outage in Illinois, we must ensure we’re taking all the steps necessary to proactively protect Michiganders’ access to fuel for their cars, homes, and businesses without delay.”

This, according to Whitmer and the EPA, will increase the supply of fuel in the state and mitigate price fluctuations amidst the refinery outage.

Other emission requirements still apply.

This comes a day after the introduction of House Bill 5897 , another effort to mitigate gasoline price spikes. If passed, the bill would prohibit excessive pricing for gasoline during periods of market disruption.

See an excerpt from Whitmer’s letter to the federal government below:

Michigan requests that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issue a waiver regarding reformulated gasoline regulations in Michigan. With a refinery in the region being offline due to unforeseen circumstances . . . precautionary measures must be taken to contain fuel supply disruptions and potential cost increases across the region.

My administration has been in close communication with officials in Illinois and other Midwest states since the ExxonMobil Joliet Refinery lost power and went offline on July 15 due to severe weather. . . .

I respectfully ask that you consider this request, as it has the potential to prevent fuel supply disruptions and reduce or eliminate the potential impact on residents in Michigan and across the Midwest.

Letter from Gretchen Whitmer to the EPA, Aug. 1, 2024

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