Section 80.1444 - Alternative RIN retirement schedule for small refineries(a)Applicability. The provisions of this section apply to the following compliance years:(b)Eligibility. Any obligated party that has a refinery that meets the definition of small refinery in § 80.1401 for the applicable compliance year in paragraph (a) of this section (hereinafter the "applicable compliance year") is eligible to use the provisions of this section for each small refinery it operates (hereinafter the "small refinery").(c)Treatment of RVOs.(1) In lieu of retiring sufficient RINs under § 80.1427(a) to demonstrate compliance with the small refinery's RVOs for the applicable compliance year by the applicable compliance deadline, the obligated party must meet all the requirements of this section and all other applicable requirements of this subpart.(2) If the obligated party does not meet all of the requirements in this section, the obligated party is subject to the requirements of § 80.1427(a) .(d)Individual facility compliance.(1) If the obligated party carries a deficit into the applicable compliance year from the previous compliance year, the obligated party must comply with its RVOs for each refinery it operates on an individual basis (as specified in § 80.1406(c) ) for both the previous compliance year and the applicable compliance year.(2) If the obligated party does not carry a deficit into the applicable compliance year from the previous compliance year, the obligated party must comply with its RVOs for each refinery it operates on an individual basis (as specified in § 80.1406(c) ) for the applicable compliance year.(e)Compliance report submission and notification. The obligated party must do all the following by the annual compliance reporting deadline specified in § 80.1451(f)(1)(i) for the applicable compliance year (hereinafter the "applicable compliance deadline"):(1) Submit an annual compliance report for the small refinery for the applicable compliance year.(2) Notify EPA in a letter signed by the responsible corporate officer (RCO) or RCO delegate, as specified at 40 CFR 1090.800(d) , of its intent to use the provisions of this section for the small refinery.(f)Alternative RIN retirement schedule. The obligated party must retire sufficient RINs to satisfy the minimum percentages of each and every RVO for the applicable compliance year (as determined under § 80.1407(a) ) according to the following RIN retirement schedule: (1) For the 2020 compliance year: Table 1 to Paragraph (f)(1)-2020 Compliance Year RIN Retirement Schedule
Minimum 2020
RVOs percentage
RIN retirement | Deadline |
| 20 | February 1, 2023. |
| 40 | May 1, 2023. |
| 60 | August 1, 2023. |
| 80 | November 1, 2023. |
| 100 | February 1, 2024. |
(g)RIN vintages and retirements.(1) The obligated party may retire for compliance any valid RINs at the time of retirement towards the small refinery's RVOs for the applicable compliance year and is exempt from the requirements in § 80.1427(a)(6)(i) .(2) The obligated party must not retire for compliance any prior-year RINs for the small refinery's RVOs after the applicable compliance deadline.(h)Deficit carry-forward for subsequent compliance years. The obligated party may not carry forward any deficit under § 80.1427(b) for the small refinery for compliance years after the applicable compliance year until it has retired sufficient RINs to satisfy each and every RVO for the applicable compliance year in its entirety.(i)Forms and procedures. The obligated party must submit annual compliance reports and retire RINs under this section using forms and procedures specified by EPA under §§ 80.1451(j) and 80.1452(d) . 87 FR 54166 , Sept. 2, 2022