Klobuchar long-time advocate in Congress for aviation biofuel

MINNESOTA - U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the following statement on the launch of the Minnesota SAF Hub. Established through the GREATER MSP Partnership, this coalition made up of companies including Bank of America, Delta Air Lines, Ecolab, and Xcel Energy have come together to form the first large-scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) Hub in the U.S. committed to scaling SAF production to replace conventional jet fuel. The partnership will help produce affordable, low-carbon SAF in Minnesota by processing, refining, and blending to be used at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP).

“Homegrown sustainable aviation fuel is not only an economic generator for communities across the state, it’s also an important tool to help us reduce our carbon footprint. The work of this partnership will help expand access to biofuels for Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, making aviation more sustainable and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. It will also support farmers, producers, and good-paying jobs across rural America.”

SAF is made from renewable biomass and waste resources and has the potential to deliver the performance jet fuel with a carbon footprint at least 50 percent lower than traditional fuel. At MSP International Airport, 17 commercial carriers consume 400 million gallons of jet fuel each year. MSP is committed to achieving 10 percent SAF in its U.S. operations by 2030.

Klobuchar has long supported legislation to make higher blends more readily available. 

In June 2023, Klobuchar joined Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) in introducing the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Accuracy Act, comprehensive bipartisan legislation to identify the standards required to meet the definition of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

In June 2021, Klobuchar announced the introduction of a new package of bipartisan bills to expand the availability of low-carbon renewable fuels, incentivize the use of higher blends of biofuels, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

In 2021, Klobuchar and Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to create a renewable fuel infrastructure grant program and streamline regulatory requirements to help fuel retailers sell higher blends of ethanol.

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