WHEREAS, Virginia has 66 public-use airports, nine of which are commercial service; and
WHEREAS, Virginia is centrally located on the eastern seaboard, making it an ideal location for the distribution of sustainable aviation fuel to other East Coast states; and
WHEREAS, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the United States aviation industry has increased consumption of sustainable aviation fuel by 243 percent over the past two years; and
WHEREAS, sustainable aviation fuel is a fuel made of sustainable biomass feedstocks; and
WHEREAS, sustainable aviation fuel reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to fossil jet fuel; and
WHEREAS, sustainable aviation fuel can be made from sustainable biomass feedstocks such as corn, oilseeds, sugarcane, agricultural residues, used cooking oil, forest residuals, and others; and
WHEREAS, Virginia is one of the country's leading producers of the sustainable biomass feedstocks; and
WHEREAS, other states are competing for the significant economic development opportunities created by sustainable aviation fuel; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Commonwealth of Virginia is encouraged to take all practical steps to increase the use of sustainable aviation fuel in the Commonwealth, regionally, and nationally. Therefore, the Secretary of Transportation, Department of Aviation, Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources, Department of Energy, and Virginia Economic Development Partnership are encouraged to consider ways to facilitate the Commonwealth's efforts to ensure that Virginia is a national leader in the development and use of sustainable aviation fuel, and should, as part of this effort, work with Virginia producers to use, to the maximum extent possible, Virginia sustainable biomass feedstocks as a source for sustainable aviation fuel; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to the Director of the Department of Aviation, requesting that the Director further disseminate copies of this resolution to the Department of Aviation's respective constituents so that they may be apprised of the sense of the Virginia House of Delegates in this matter.