The Fuel STAR Act of 2026 proposes significant reforms to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) under the Clean Air Act, aiming to provide relief to fuel refiners and promote certain ethanol blends. A key provision caps the applicable volume for renewable fuel, excluding advanced biofuel, to not exceed the projected annual domestic consumption of ethanol blended fuel as reported by the Energy Information Administration. This measure seeks to align the ethanol mandate with actual consumption forecasts. The bill also introduces changes to compliance credits, known as Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) . It extends the duration for certain credits generated between 2020 and 2022, allowing them to be used for up to five subsequent calendar years, albeit with a 20% annual usage limit. Furthermore, the legislation explicitly prohibits the Administrator from imposing requirements to use electric credits, often referred to as "e-RINs," in RFS compliance. Substantial modifications are made to the process for granting small refinery exemptions (SREs) from RFS requirements. The bill establishes a new category of small refineries, those processing under 10,000 barrels per day and starting production after 2007, that are automatically deemed eligible for hardship exemptions. It also revises the economic factors considered for SREs, including the impact on holding company revenue, efficiency gains, risk of refinery closure, and state regulatory environments. To streamline the SRE process, the bill mandates that if the Administrator fails to provide a legal basis for denying an SRE petition within 90 days, the petition is considered granted. Moreover, the Administrator is required to grant an SRE if the Department of Energy's "disproportionate impacts index" or "viability index" for the refinery is at or above one. Crucially, if an SRE is granted, the renewable fuel obligation of that small refinery cannot be reallocated to other refineries, preventing increased burdens on them. Finally, the legislation addresses the year-round sale of E15 , a fuel blend containing 10 to 15 percent denatured anhydrous ethanol. It amends the Clean Air Act to ensure that the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) limitation for E15 is the same as that for E10. This change removes a regulatory barrier, thereby facilitating the broader, year-round availability of E15 in the market.