Sponsors (6)
The bill aims to grow domestic sustainable aviation fuel production—creating new markets, rural jobs, and emissions reductions—while trading off fiscal costs, potential USDA resource reallocation, and significant land‑use and market risks unless strong sustainability safeguards and small-producer protections are enforced.
Farmers, foresters, and rural communities gain new market demand and revenue by supplying SAF feedstocks, supporting rural job creation and local economic development.
Producers, energy firms, and certifiers get clearer statutory eligibility and more predictable certification pathways by adding SAF to the biofuel definition and using established lifecycle methods (ICAO CORSIA / GREET, ASTM), lowering market uncertainty.
Travelers, communities, and the public benefit from lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions if deployed SAF meets the bill's standards, contributing to cleaner aviation and public-health/climate benefits.
Low-income consumers, rural residents, and ecosystems face higher risks of land‑use change, reduced food acreage, local food-price increases, and ecological harm if SAF feedstock expansion lacks strong sustainability safeguards.
Farmers, other USDA program beneficiaries, and rural areas could lose access to existing USDA resources if programs are re-prioritized toward SAF, shifting funds away from other agricultural priorities and farm programs.
Taxpayers could bear higher federal costs because expanding and subsidizing SAF commercialization, incentives, or infrastructure will likely require additional federal spending or reallocated program funds.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Adds SAF to USDA bioenergy program authorities, defines SAF/eligibility and GHG criteria, and directs USDA to lead SAF development and commercialization.
Adds sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) into existing USDA bioenergy program authorities by defining SAF, setting eligibility and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction criteria, and directing the Secretary of Agriculture to coordinate USDA activities to develop, commercialize, and expand SAF markets. The bill updates statutory definitions, makes SAF an eligible item under relevant USDA rural energy and bioenergy programs, and emphasizes using agriculture and forestry resources to support SAF production and rural economic development.
Introduced January 16, 2025 by Jerry Moran · Last progress January 16, 2025