Representatives Mike Flood (R-NE) and Nikki Budzinski (D-IL) this week introduced the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Accuracy Act of 2023, a bipartisan bill to bring integrity to the standards required to meet the definition of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The legislation enjoys broad support among SAF stakeholders, including farm and biofuels organizations. “Recognizing the importance of using the most robust and accurate lifecycle GHG model, this legislation would ensure America’s farmers and renewable fuel producers are able to contribute to the future growth of domestic SAF production,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “We thank Reps. Flood and Budzinski for working together on this important legislation that is critical to the advancement of SAF production and use.”

The bill specifies that the Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory’s GREET model is an allowable methodology for determining SAF lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. A companion Senate bill was introduced in June. RFA has long argued that the Argonne GREET model is scientifically superior to other lifecycle GHG methodologies, including the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) model. RFA remains concerned that the ICAO model relies on outdated and inaccurate information that could result in severely constraining the supply of qualifying feedstocks for SAF.

The legislation has a Senate companion bill led by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA).