Goldberg Opines on Fed's Road Map for Sustainable Aviation Fuel in Bloomberg Law

10.28.2022

Stinson LLP Partner Roy Goldberg authored an article for Bloomberg Law detailing the efficacy of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) road map and its impact on the nation's transportation industries.

In "Federal Road Map for Sustainable Aviation Needs Teeth," Goldberg opines on the practical limitations inherent in the road map, and, in particular, on the lack of government mandates and industry requirements for action that is needed to achieve the partial biofuel utilization target for 2030, and the complete replacement of carbon fuel in 2050.

"An escalating climate crisis, advances in alternative fuel technologies, and a more favorable political environment have ushered in new initiatives to reduce and ultimately eliminate the use of carbon fuels to operate commercial aircraft," Goldberg writes. "The ultimate goal is to develop sustainable aviation fuel and similar bio-fuel precursors of sufficient quantity."

However, the lack of mandates or timetables in the SAF road map will limit its practical impact. "Unfortunately, the recently issued grand challenge road map will require substantially more horsepower in the form of government mandates and enforcement mechanisms," Goldberg explains. "The road map's lack of specific commands makes the document more of a wish list than a blueprint for tangible results."

Goldberg emphasizes that industry stakeholders with an interest in realizing the stated SAF goal of reducing carbon fuels in commercial aircraft should consider a legislative push to add some much-needed weight to the road map's end goal. Otherwise, "Without teeth, the road map seems like a defanged tiger, destined to collect dust on a bookshelf rather than a recipe for realizing biofuel goals for the aviation sector."

Goldberg focuses his practice on commercial and regulatory matters with an emphasis on the transportation industry. He helps airlines and other aviation industry entities in regulatory challenges, manufacturers and importers in trade disputes, argues appeals, defends patent holders, and represents companies before arbitration panels throughout the United States and Europe.

Read the full guest column.