What This Bill Does
This bill amends an existing federal aviation law to create a Sustainable Aviation Fuel Working Group. The working group will research and develop sustainable aviation fuel, which is fuel made from renewable sources rather than petroleum. The group will identify what research and development work is needed to make sustainable aviation fuel cost-competitive and safe compared to regular jet fuel.
Who It Affects
The Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, sustainable aviation fuel producers, biorefinery companies, aircraft engine manufacturers, agriculture research universities, and the governments of Canada and Mexico.
Key Provisions
• The Federal Aviation Administration must establish a Sustainable Aviation Fuel Working Group that includes representatives from multiple government agencies, fuel producers, manufacturers and international partners (Sec. 920(a) and (b))
• The working group must include at least 4 sustainable aviation fuel producers that represent 4 different approved fuel production methods (Sec. 920(b)(6))
• Within 1 year, the working group must submit a report to Congress identifying research and development needs required to make sustainable aviation fuel cost-competitive and equivalent in safety to petroleum-based jet fuel while improving sustainability and energy supply security (Sec. 920(c))
What Changes
A new section is added to the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 establishing the working group and requiring the report to Congress.
Important Definitions
The bill does not provide explicit definitions of sustainable aviation fuel or other key terms.
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 909
To amend the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 to establish
a Sustainable Aviation Fuel Working Group, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 9, 2023
Mr. FEENSTRA (for himself, Mr. BOST, Mr. FLOOD, Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS,
and Mr. NUNN of Iowa) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
A BILL
To amend the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012
to establish a Sustainable Aviation Fuel Working Group,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Biojet Fuel Research
4
Act’’.
5
SEC. 2. SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL WORKING GROUP.
6
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title IX of the FAA Moderniza-
7
tion and Reform Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–95) is
8
amended by adding at the end the following:
9
VerDate Sep 11 2014
02:32 Mar 04, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H909.IH
H909
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2
•HR 909 IH
‘‘SEC. 920. SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL WORKING GROUP.
1
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administration of the
2
Federal Aviation Administration shall establish a Sustain-
3
able Aviation Fuel Working Group, in this section referred
4
to as the ‘Working Group’.
5
‘‘(b) MEMBERSHIP.—In establishing the Working
6
Group, the Administrator shall appoint members rep-
7
resenting the following:
8
‘‘(1) The Bioenergy Technologies Office of the
9
Department of Energy.
10
‘‘(2) The Department of Agriculture.
11
‘‘(3) The commercial aviation alternative fuels
12
initiative.
13
‘‘(4) The Federal Aviation Administration.
14
‘‘(5) The national labs.
15
‘‘(6) At least 4 current or future sustainable
16
aviation fuel producers representing 4 of the cur-
17
rently approved ASTM D7566 sustainable aviation
18
fuel production pathways.
19
‘‘(7) A biorefinery.
20
‘‘(8) An engine original equipment manufac-
21
turer.
22
‘‘(9) Agriculture research universities.
23
‘‘(10) Canada.
24
‘‘(11) Mexico.
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
02:32 Mar 04, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H909.IH
H909
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3
•HR 909 IH
‘‘(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date
1
of enactment of this section, the Working Group shall sub-
2
mit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
3
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
4
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a
5
report that identifies the research and development needs
6
for each partner and cross-fertilization program across
7
Federal agencies necessary for cost-competitive and equiv-
8
alent safety compared to petroleum-based jet fuel, while
9
offering improved sustainability and energy supply secu-
10
rity for aviation.’’.
11
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents
12
in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by inserting after
13
the item relating to section 919 the following:
14
‘‘Sec. 920. Sustainable Aviation Fuel Working Group.’’.
Æ
VerDate Sep 11 2014
02:32 Mar 04, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H909.IH
H909
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS