Congressman Carter, Flood Lead Bipartisan Coalition to Introduce the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Information Act

Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) and Congressman Mike Flood (R-NE) introduced the bipartisan Sustainable Aviation Fuel Information Act. This bill directs the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) to include Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on their weekly and monthly reports, consistent with other fuel types that the agency regularly tracks.

SAF is alternative jet fuel made from renewable and waste feedstocks that can reduce aviation greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 94%, depending on the feedstock. SAF is a "drop-in fuel,” so it is compatible with existing engines and fueling infrastructure and can be made from several feedstocks, including agricultural waste, forestry residues, algae, and recycled cooking oils, among other ingredients.

“Aviation currently represents approximately 10 percent of our nation’s transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions,” said Rep. Carter. “Without coordinated action between government and industry, these emissions will continue to increase as more people and goods fly through our skies. Sustainable aviation fuel is an exciting, new green fuel with a proven record of success. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to ensure America is on track to meet the growing demand for cleaner transportation and healthier communities. I'm committed to supporting innovative, eco-friendly aviation solutions like this.”

In July, the EIA stated that, “production capacity of SAF in the United States could increase from around 2,000 barrels per day (b/d) to nearly 30,000 b/d in 2024 if all announced capacity additions come online.” Globally, SAF production is expected to reach over 495 million gallons in 2024 – well over double global production in 2023.

“Nebraska is the second largest producer of biofuels in the nation and we’re constantly working to grow our bioeconomy,” said Rep. Flood. “Sustainable Aviation Fuel is an incredible growth opportunity that can help expand the biofuels industry and our rural economy. This commonsense legislation directs the EIA to start including SAF in data sets they publish, allowing stakeholders and industry to better understand how production is developing. Thank you to my colleagues, especially Congressman Carter, for stepping up and pushing to help include SAF in key reports as the industry takes off.”

“Farmers need new market opportunities to sustain success. We are excited about the prospect Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) presents for Louisiana farmers to contribute to our domestic fuel supply through crop production,” said Louisiana Farm Bureau President Richard Fontenot. “This is in addition to the safe and sustainable food supply we already provide. Congressman Carter's proactive legislation to get SAF on the map, in terms of accurate and unbiased data reporting, should help further build out framework for this rapidly developing technology and the market it offers. This would not only benefit our farmers, but all of Louisiana through job growth here at home. We greatly appreciate he and his colleagues’ foresight on this issue.”

“The Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Information Act is a tactful, practical solution that aligns with our commitment to growing our state’s all-of-the-above energy portfolio,” said Michael Hecht, President and CEO of GNO, Inc. “With promising Sustainable Aviation Fuel projects already underway in the Greater New Orleans region, this bill helps to ensure that our energy and aviation industries remain competitive on the global stage. We applaud Congressman Carter for his leadership and commitment to innovation and transparency.”

“Sustainable aviation fuel is a big opportunity for American bioethanol producers and our farmer partners. Reporting SAF production and including this data in EIA's regular reports is a simple step that will help the entire industry track its progress and identify investment opportunities. We’re grateful to Rep. Flood and Rep. Carter for introducing this bill, and for taking steps to secure America’s position as a leader in SAF production,” said Emily Skor, Growth Energy CEO.

“As we work to speed up the development and deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), real-time production and supply updates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration will offer crucial insights. These updates will play a key role in effectively scaling up SAF across the country,” said Alison Graab, The Executive Director for the SAF Coalition.

“Transparent and timely market data are critically important to help the nascent SAF industry get off the ground. This legislation would ensure SAF producers and users have the information they need to make informed decisions and smart investments. The Renewable Fuels Association thanks Reps. Flood and Carter for their leadership on this issue and we strongly support their legislation,” said Jared Mullendore, Policy Counsel and Director of Government Affairs for the Renewable Fuels Association.

Background

The growth of SAF production and use is a major opportunity for lowering the aviation industry’s carbon footprint. Worldwide, aviation accounts for 2% of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and 12% of all CO2 emissions from transportation. The international aviation industry has set an aspirational goal to reach net zero carbon by 2050. SAF presents the best near-term opportunity to meet these goals.

The Biden Administration’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge, announced in 2021, set a goal 3 billion gallons of domestic SAF consumption in 2030 and 35 billion gallons in 2050. This straightforward, bipartisan bill would provide stakeholders with important information relating to SAF production, imports, and feedstocks.

The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Information Act has 5 original cosponsors including Reps. Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Don Bacon (R-NE), Dina Titus (D-NV), and Hillary Scholten (D-MI) and is endorsed by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, the Renewable Fuels Association, National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, the SAF Coalition, Greater New Orleans Inc., American Sugar Cane League, National Corn Growers Association, Growth Energy, Renewable Fuels Nebraska, the Nebraska Soybean Association, and the Nebraska Corn Growers Association.

Read the full text of the bill here.