cover letter

Dear PI-588 Respondent,

The Department of Energy (DOE) has determined that the following refinery(s) under your authority meet the qualifications for possible extension of the exemption from compliance under the new Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) program: Refinery Name(s). As a result, your company has been selected to participate in the DOE “Small Refinery Exemption,” survey PI-588. Section 211(o)(9)(A)(ii) of the Clean Air Act, as amended by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005), requires that the DOE conduct a study for the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency assessing whether compliance with the new RFS2 would impose a “disproportionate economic hardship” on small refineries.

Your cooperation in completing this optional, one-time survey will assist in the determination of disproportionate economic hardship. Since qualification for exemption will be determined on a case by case basis for each refinery, please complete and submit a separate survey form for EACH individual refinery listed. Please rename your survey form file (PI-588-survey-form.xls) by adding the name of the city where the refinery is located when submitting to avoid confusion. We request that the PI588 survey form be returned to DOE by October 25, 2010 for consideration.

Please read the attached instructional document, PI-588-survey-instructions.pdf, CAREFULLY as it contains important information regarding each data field including unit(s) of measure. Note that some of the fields ask for data in a different unit of measure than you may be accustomed to reporting on the EIA-810 or other surveys. Also, refer to the PI-588 survey instructions for a description of the authority of the DOE to collect information and a statement describing confidentiality of the information collected.

The Small Refinery Exemption survey must be submitted electronically. Please follow the attached instructional document, PI-588 posting instructions.pdf, which explains the process for secure, electronic posting of the survey. Your initial username is the email address to which the survey was delivered; the initial password is !#password. As noted in the posting instructions, please change your password after your initial log-in.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Pete Whitman, 202-586-1010, [email protected]. Please keep a copy of your completed survey for your files.

Thank you for your cooperation in this important endeavor.

Sincerely,

Carmen Difiglio

Deputy Assistant Secretary

Office of Policy and International Affairs