XML 35 R23.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.25.2
Commitments and Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2025
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies
We are a party to various litigation and legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business which we believe, based on advice of counsel, will not either individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

During 2017 and 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) granted the Cheyenne, Wyoming refinery (the “Cheyenne Refinery”) and the refinery in Woods Cross, Utah (the “Woods Cross Refinery”) each a one-year small refinery exemption from the Renewable Fuel Standard (“RFS”) program requirements for the 2016 and 2018 compliance years. As a result, the Cheyenne Refinery’s and Woods Cross Refinery’s gasoline and diesel production were not subject to the renewable volume obligation for the respective years. Upon each exemption granted, we increased our inventory of RINs and reduced our Cost of sales. On April 7, 2022, the EPA issued a decision reversing the grant of small refinery exemptions for our Woods Cross Refinery and Cheyenne Refinery for the 2018 compliance year. On June 3, 2022, the EPA issued a decision reversing the grant of small refinery exemptions for our Woods Cross Refinery and Cheyenne Refinery for the 2016 compliance year and denying small refinery exemption petitions for our Woods Cross Refinery and Cheyenne Refinery for the 2019 and 2020 compliance years.

Certain of our subsidiaries pursued legal challenges to the EPA’s decisions to deny small refinery exemptions for the 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020 compliance years. The first lawsuit, filed against the EPA on May 6, 2022, before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit (the “DC Circuit”), sought to have the EPA’s reversal of our 2018 small refinery exemption petitions overturned. The second lawsuit, filed against the EPA on August 5, 2022, before the DC Circuit, sought to have the EPA’s reversal of our 2016 small refinery exemption petitions overturned and to have the EPA’s denial of our 2019 and 2020 small refinery exemption petitions reversed.

In addition, pursuant to the June 2022 and April 2022 decisions, respectively, the EPA established an alternative compliance demonstration to not impose any obligations on small refineries that had exemptions reversed for the 2016 and 2018 compliance years. On June 24, 2022, Growth Energy filed two lawsuits in the DC Circuit against the EPA, challenging the alternative compliance demonstration for the 2016 and 2018 compliance years. On July 25, 2022, certain of our subsidiaries intervened on behalf of the EPA to aid the defense of the EPA’s alternative compliance demonstration decision.

On July 26, 2024, the DC Circuit issued a favorable decision vacating the EPA’s denial of all of our small refinery exemption petitions, finding the denial to be unlawful. The DC Circuit remanded the small refinery exemption petitions to the EPA for new determination. The DC Circuit also upheld the alternative compliance demonstration and denied Growth Energy’s challenge.

It is too early to determine the final impact of the DC Circuit’s decisions. We are unable to estimate the costs we may incur, if any, at this time.
Navajo
HF Sinclair Navajo Refining LLC (“HFS Navajo”) was engaged in discussions with, and responded to document requests from, the EPA, the United States Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) and the New Mexico Environment Department (“NMED”) (collectively, the “Navajo Matter Government Agencies”) regarding HFS Navajo’s compliance with the Clean Air Act (“CAA”) and underlying regulations, and similar New Mexico laws and regulations, at its Artesia and Lovington, New Mexico refineries. The discussions included the following topics: (a) alleged noncompliance with CAA’s National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (“NESHAP”) and New Source Performance Standards (“NSPS”) at the Artesia refinery, which were set forth in a Notice of Violation (“May 2020 NOV”) issued by the EPA in May 2020; (b) a Post Inspection Notice issued in June 2020 by the NMED, alleging noncompliance issues similar to those alleged by the EPA in its May 2020 NOV as well as alleged noncompliance with the State Implementation Plan (“SIP”) and the Title V permit operating programs; (c) an information request issued in September 2020 by the EPA, pursuant to CAA Section 114, related to benzene fenceline monitoring, flare fuel gas, leak detection and repair, storage vessels and tanks, and other information regarding the Artesia refinery; (d) an information request issued by the EPA in May 2021, pursuant to CAA Section 114, requesting additional information and testing related to certain tanks at the Artesia refinery; and (e) informal information requests related to, among other things, the Artesia refinery’s wastewater treatment plant, oil water separators and heat exchangers. In April 2022, June 2023 and August 2023, the EPA alleged additional CAA noncompliance at the Artesia refinery beyond the allegations in the May 2020 NOV, including alleged noncompliance with NESHAP, NSPS, SIP, Title V and other requirements.

Beginning in the spring of 2021, HFS Navajo and the Navajo Matter Government Agencies began monthly meetings to discuss potential injunctive relief measures to address the alleged noncompliance at the Artesia refinery. In September 2021 and August 2023, the EPA presented to HFS Navajo potential claims for alleged noncompliance with a 2002 consent decree. In September 2024, the Navajo Matter Government Agencies presented to HFS Navajo a proposed penalty demand for the alleged noncompliance at the Artesia refinery.

On January 17, 2025, HFS Navajo reached a settlement agreement with the EPA, DOJ, and the NMED, and a new consent decree was entered with the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico on May 5, 2025 (the “2025 Consent Decree”) resolving alleged CAA and New Mexico Air Quality Control Act violations as well as alleged violations of the 2002 consent decree at the Artesia refinery.

Under the 2025 Consent Decree, HFS Navajo must pay the sum of $34 million as a civil penalty to the United States and the State of New Mexico according to the following schedule: (1) $10 million to the United States, and $10 million to the State of New Mexico within 30 days after the effective date of the 2025 Consent Decree; which was paid as of June 30, 2025, and (2) $7 million to the United States and $7 million to the State of New Mexico, with interest, by January 31, 2026. Separately, on January 29, 2025, HFS Navajo paid stipulated penalties in the amount of $1 million, divided equally between the United States and the State of New Mexico, resolving alleged noncompliance under the 2002 Consent Decree. Finally, HFS Navajo must implement injunctive relief and mitigation measures at an estimated cost of $137 million, including capital investments, at the Artesia refinery, certain of which measures have already been implemented as of the date of filing this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the remainder of which must be completed by various deadlines, ending in 2031.