A senate RESOLUTION

TO ENCOURAGE THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO TAKE ALL PRACTICAL STEPS TO INCREASE THE USE OF SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL IN THE STATE, REGIONALLY, AND NATIONALLY.

Whereas, the commercial aviation industry, made up of airlines, airports, and makers of aircraft and engines, has for decades sought operational and fuel efficiencies including building more aerodynamic and lighter aircraft, optimizing flight planning, and using advanced technologies; and

Whereas, in 2021, the commercial aviation industry committed to transitioning from conventional kerosene jet fuel to sustainable aviation fuel with the goal to significantly reduce carbon emissions by 2050; and

Whereas, sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, is an alternative fuel made from non-petroleum feedstocks such as forest residuals, corn, oilseeds, sugarcane, agricultural residues, used cooking oil, municipal waste, and others; and

Whereas, commercial flights are currently permitted to fly with a blend of SAF and conventional fossil-based kerosene at levels up to fifty percent with a goal of one hundred percent SAF in the future; and

Whereas, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization, over three hundred sixty thousand commercial flights have used SAF at forty-six different airports largely concentrated in the United States and Europe; and

Whereas, according to the International Air Transport Association, global SAF production was estimated to have been between approximately eighty and one hundred twenty million gallons in 2022, covering less than half a percent of total jet fuel demand; and

Whereas, according to the United States Government Accountability Office, the United States aviation industry has increased consumption of sustainable aviation fuel by two hundred forty-three percent over the past two years; and

Whereas, South Carolina has six commercial use airports and is situated between two of the largest and busiest airports in the United States; and

Whereas, South Carolina's largest economic sector is agribusiness, which includes both agriculture and forestry industries; and

Whereas, other states are competing for the significant economic development opportunities created by sustainable aviation fuel; and

Whereas, the Department of Commerce, the Forestry Commission, the Department of Agriculture, and other agencies as applicable are encouraged to consider ways to facilitate efforts to ensure that South Carolina is a regional and national competitor in the development and use of sustainable aviation fuel, and should, as part of this effort, work with South Carolina producers to use South Carolina sustainable biomass feedstocks as a source for sustainable aviation fuel.  Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, encourage the State of South Carolina to take all practical steps to increase the use of sustainable aviation fuel in the State, regionally, and nationally.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to all applicable agency heads so that they may be apprised of the sense of the South Carolina Senate in this matter.

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