US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

26 U.S.C. § 179C

Election to expense certain refineries

(a)

Treatment as expenses

A taxpayer may elect to treat 50 percent of the cost of any qualified refinery property as an expense which is not chargeable to capital account. Any cost so treated shall be allowed as a deduction for the taxable year in which the qualified refinery property is placed in service.

(b)

Election

(1)

In general

An election under this section for any taxable year shall be made on the taxpayer’s return of the tax imposed by this chapter for the taxable year. Such election shall be made in such manner as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe.

(2)

Election irrevocable

Any election made under this section may not be revoked except with the consent of the Secretary.

(c)

Qualified refinery property

(1)

In general

The term “qualified refinery property” means any portion of a qualified refinery—
(A)
the original use of which commences with the taxpayer,
(B)
which is placed in service by the taxpayer after the date of the enactment of this section and before ,
(C)
in the case any portion of a qualified refinery (other than a qualified refinery which is separate from any existing refinery), which meets the requirements of subsection (e),
(D)
which meets all applicable environmental laws in effect on the date such portion was placed in service,
(E)
no written binding contract for the construction of which was in effect on or before , and
(F)
(i)
the construction of which is subject to a written binding construction contract entered into before ,
(ii)
which is placed in service before , or
(iii)
in the case of self-constructed property, the construction of which began after , and before .
(2)

Special rule for sale-leasebacks

For purposes of paragraph (1)(A), if property is—
(A)
originally placed in service after the date of the enactment of this section by a person, and
(B)
sold and leased back by such person within 3 months after the date such property was originally placed in service,
such property shall be treated as originally placed in service not earlier than the date on which such property is used under the leaseback referred to in subparagraph (B).
(3)

Effect of waiver under Clean Air Act

A waiver under the Clean Air Act shall not be taken into account in determining whether the requirements of paragraph (1)(D) are met.

(d)

Qualified refinery

For purposes of this section, the term “qualified refinery” means any refinery located in the United States which is designed to serve the primary purpose of processing liquid fuel from crude oil or qualified fuels (as defined in section 45K(c)), or directly from shale or tar sands.

(e)

Production capacity

The requirements of this subsection are met if the portion of the qualified refinery—
(1)
enables the existing qualified refinery to increase total volume output (determined without regard to asphalt or lube oil) by 5 percent or more on an average daily basis, or
(2)
enables the existing qualified refinery to process shale, tar sands, or qualified fuels (as defined in section 45K(c)) at a rate which is equal to or greater than 25 percent of the total throughput of such qualified refinery on an average daily basis.
(f)

Ineligible refinery property

No deduction shall be allowed under subsection (a) for any qualified refinery property—
(1)
the primary purpose of which is for use as a topping plant, asphalt plant, lube oil facility, crude or product terminal, or blending facility, or
(2)
which is built solely to comply with consent decrees or projects mandated by Federal, State, or local governments.
(g)

Election to allocate deduction to cooperative owner

(1)

In general

If—
(A)
a taxpayer to which subsection (a) applies is an organization to which part I of subchapter T applies, and
(B)
one or more persons directly holding an ownership interest in the taxpayer are organizations to which part I of subchapter T apply,
the taxpayer may elect to allocate all or a portion of the deduction allowable under subsection (a) to such persons. Such allocation shall be equal to the person’s ratable share of the total amount allocated, determined on the basis of the person’s ownership interest in the taxpayer. The taxable income of the taxpayer shall not be reduced under section 1382 by reason of any amount to which the preceding sentence applies.
(2)

Form and effect of election

An election under paragraph (1) for any taxable year shall be made on a timely filed return for such year. Such election, once made, shall be irrevocable for such taxable year.

(3)

Written notice to owners

If any portion of the deduction available under subsection (a) is allocated to owners under paragraph (1), the cooperative shall provide any owner receiving an allocation written notice of the amount of the allocation. Such notice shall be provided before the date on which the return described in paragraph (2) is due.

(h)

Reporting

No deduction shall be allowed under subsection (a) to any taxpayer for any taxable year unless such taxpayer files with the Secretary a report containing such information with respect to the operation of the refineries of the taxpayer as the Secretary shall require.

Pub. L. 109–58, title XIII, § 1323(a)119 Stat. 1013Pub. L. 110–343, div. B, title II, § 209(a)122 Stat. 3840(Added , , ; amended , (b), , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 109–58The date of the enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (c)(1)(B), (2)(A), is the date of enactment of , which was approved .

act July 14, 1955, ch. 36069 Stat. 322section 7401 of Title 42The Clean Air Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(3), is , , which is classified generally to chapter 85 (§ 7401 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Amendments

Pub. L. 110–343, § 209(a)(1)2008—Subsec. (c)(1)(B). , substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 110–343, § 209(a)(2)Subsec. (c)(1)(F). , substituted “” for “” wherever appearing.

Pub. L. 110–343, § 209(b)(1)Subsec. (d). , inserted “, or directly from shale or tar sands” after “(as defined in section 45K(c))”.

Pub. L. 110–343, § 209(b)(2)Subsec. (e)(2). , inserted “shale, tar sands, or” before “qualified fuels”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2008 Amendment

Pub. L. 110–343, div. B, title II, § 209(c)122 Stat. 3840

“The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall apply to property placed in service after the date of the enactment of this Act [].”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date

Pub. L. 109–58, title XIII, § 1323(c)119 Stat. 1015

“The amendments made by this section [enacting this section and amending sections 263, 312, and 1245 of this title] shall apply to properties placed in service after the date of the enactment of this Act [].”
, , , provided that: