Sustainability
The “Made In America” tax plan, part of the Biden Administration’s infrastructure package, the “American Jobs Plan,” includes a performance-based SAF blender’s tax credit, “enabling the decarbonization of a key portion of the U.S. transportation sector.”
Representatives Brad Schneider (D-IL), Dan Kildee (D-MI) and Julia Brownley (D-CA) and have introduced legislation, the Sustainable Skies Act, creating this new tax credit specifically aimed at incentivizing the production and use of SAF.
Under the proposal, aviation fuels that achieve a 50% or greater reduction in lifecycle GHG emissions as compared to conventional jet fuel would be eligible to receive a tax credit ranging from $1.50/gallon up to $2.00/gallon for fuels that achieve a 100% GHG emissions reduction.
Advanced Air Mobility
Advanced air mobility (AAM) represents exciting new technology that has the potential to open new air transportation opportunities, and move people between and within urban, suburban, and rural areas more efficiently. Now is the time to invest in these new technologies and infrastructure, including takeoff and landing facilities, known as vertiports, that will bring AAM operations directly to communities and leverage existing multimodal facilities and transit hubs.
A $25 million annual authorization of a new DOT competitive grant program would support planning and capital costs for AAM infrastructure. State, local and tribal governments, including U.S. territories, transit agencies, port authorities, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and other political subdivisions of state and local governments would be eligible to apply for grant funds.
Workforce Development
With tens of thousands of pilots, technicians, and cabin crew reaching retirement age in the next decade, the U.S. is facing an unprecedented shortage of aviation personnel.
Recently, Chairman Rick Larsen (D-WA), Congressman Don Young (R-AK), and Congresswoman Angie Craig (D-MN) introduced H.R. 3310, the Promoting Service in Transportation Act, and Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Senator Cortez Masto (D-NV) introduced its companion bill, S. 1681, in the U.S. Senate. The bill would authorize the Department of Transportation to create public service announcements in broadcast, print and digital media to promote career opportunities and improve diversity in our nation’s transportation workforce, including aviation. The resulting greater awareness of good, high paying career opportunities provides tools to successfully recruit the next generation transportation workforce.
In addition, Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) recently introduced the National Center for the Advancement of Aviation Act of 2021, which would establish the National Center for the Advancement of Aviation as a federally chartered entity to serve as a national independent forum. The Center would facilitate collaboration and cooperation between aviation and aerospace stakeholders for the purpose of supporting and promoting civil and military aviation and aerospace in order to address the demands and challenges associated with ensuring a safe and vibrant national aviation system.
