NBAA, business-aviation stakeholders join in support of EPA action to increase SAF production

The National Business Aviation Association recently joined with three other associations to voice the business-aviation community’s strong support for comments submitted by the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Coalition on proposed revisions to the U.S. EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard volumes and policies to enhance production, investment and market opportunities for SAF in the U.S. 

In an Aug. 8 letter to EPA Secretary Lee Zeldin, stakeholders emphasized the need to prioritize SAF development pathways and production as part of the agency’s RFS program for 2026 and 2027 and in other related programs. 

“The business-aviation sector is an incubator for American innovation, securing U.S. global aviation leadership while propelling industry commitment to improved efficiency,” the letter stated. “The business-aviation industry has continually invested in the development of innovative products, procedures and policies, including development and proliferation of [SAF].” 

Stewart D’Leon, NBAA’s director of environmental and technical operations, cited the groups’ support to “correct the structural disadvantage” between production of renewable jet fuel and renewable diesel.  

The EPA has proposed assigning both fuels a renewable identification number (RIN)  equivalence of 1.6 to incentivize greater production capacity for SAF, according to D’Leon. 

“This is another mechanism by which our industry can signal to producers that we want more SAF,” he added. “It places these opportunities on the same playing field.” 

Click here to read the full letter to EPA.  

With new SAF production facilities due to come online soon, signatories also encouraged the EPA and the Trump administration to stimulate additional private-sector investment in renewable fuels production, embrace additional feedstocks consistent with the section 45Z clean fuel production credit and remove bureaucratic barriers to incentivize domestic SAF production. 

“SAF is an American innovation benefiting U.S. farmers, fuel producers and communities across the nation,” the letter continued. “American innovators in our private sector have developed novel ways to convert crops, plants, biomass, captured gases, waste, and even recycled cooking oil into jet fuel. Combining conventional jet fuel with SAF allows America’s aviation industry to meet growing demand, enhance domestic energy security and create market opportunities for American industries.” 

The letter further supports the SAF Coalition’s recommendations to create pathways for renewable jet fuel derived from corn ethanol and renewable biomass, biogenic gases and other gases of nonbiological origin, and other measures to stimulate SAF production. 

“This letter demonstrates how the entire aviation community has come together to support this technology,” D’Leon added. “These suggestions are another avenue toward helping to mainstream this fuel and to achieve our industry’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.” 

Other signatories to the letter are the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the National Air Transportation Association and Vertical Aviation International.