REUTERS — The U.S. Department of Agriculture will spend up to $400,000 to adjust a federal greenhouse gas emissions model to ensure that aviation fuel made from corn-based ethanol is eligible for hefty subsidies, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.
“We’re working on the modeling to make sure that there’s a broad array of feedstocks that can qualify, including ethanol,” he said at a conference hosted by biofuels lobby group Growth Energy.
Vilsack’s comments are his latest effort to calm a biofuel industry concerned it will be left out of the multibillion-dollar market for sustainable aviation fuel that airlines and the administration of President Joe Biden see as key to reducing transportation emissions.
A decision on the modeling issue is expected from the Treasury Department in December.
