Today, the Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Producers Group together with the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and the Low Carbon Fuels Coalition (LCFC) issued the following statement commending Alaska Airlines’ support for including sustainable aviation fuels on an opt-in basis in Washington’s proposed Clean Fuels Program: “Alaska Airlines’ support of Washington’s low carbon fuel legislation signals that transportation companies who look to the future are embracing renewable fuel policy. Alaska is the dominant carrier at the rapidly expanding Sea-Tac Airport and has been at the forefront of utilizing sustainable aviation fuel to lower carbon emissions. Standing with Governor Inslee, Climate Solutions, the American Lung Association, and the Auto Alliance, the aviation industry is working to decarbonize the skies.” As well as ushering in a new generation of sustainable aviation fuels, biotechnology is generating green breakthroughs in all modes of transportation. The SAF Producer Group is made up of the world's leading producers and developers of sustainable aviation fuels, including Fulcrum, Gevo, Neste, Red Rock, Velocys and World Energy. In November 2019, BIO and the LCFC announced a joint initiative to drive adoption of renewable fuel policies in states, such as the legislation introduced by Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon. The transportation sector leads all others in greenhouse gas emissions and clean fuel programs are a proven driver in decarbonizing transportation. Since implementing its comparable low carbon fuel standard in 2011, California has prevented over 50 million tons of carbon pollution from being emitted. The state’s program has also increased the clean fuels market by $2.8 billion, benefiting largely rural communities where the feedstocks are grown, and biofuels are produced.  For more information on the Low Carbon Fuels Coalition, visit lcfcoalition.com.

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) released the following statement in response to House passage of the revised USMCA: “The revised USMCA was a huge missed opportunity to create a positive framework for a dynamic and leading sector of the 21st century American economy. As we negotiate trade agreements, we should be creating strong foundations for the vibrant and vital industries of the future. And there is no industry more central to that future than biotechnology. The agreement gets it right on agricultural innovation, but by bowing to domestic politics, it falls far short when it comes to ensuring that America’s biopharmaceutical scientists and researchers remain the leaders in the development of innovative new cures and treatments. “One of the top priorities of President Trump has been to end foreign free riding on American innovation, ideas and ingenuity. In caving to politics, the Administration and Speaker Pelosi negotiated away one of the most important tools to end this behavior by eliminating enhanced intellectual property standards for American biopharmaceutical breakthroughs. “The goal of any trade agreement should be to raise the standards of our trading partners to meet those of the United States. By scrapping the biologics provisions, this agreement fails to achieve this central principle of negotiations.   Even more disturbing is the fact that Canada and Mexico had actually agreed to these stronger provisions in the original agreement, only to have them rejected by our own government. “For this reason, the USMCA should not be a model for future trade agreements when it comes to protecting medical innovation. Indeed, as we look ahead to future trade agreements with countries like China, the need for enhanced intellectual property protections for American biomedical innovation will be even more essential.  “While USMCA failed to promote biopharmaceutical innovation and to protect good American jobs, it made…