Minnesota lawmakers hear pitch to build sustainable aviation fuel industry at MSP, tout jobs and farmland markets

Minnesota officials, airlines and farm groups told the House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee on Wednesday that the state has a narrow opportunity to build a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry anchored at Minneapolis‑Saint Paul International Airport but will need continued state incentives, clear sustainability rules and faster permitting to scale production.

"The Wallace Lanigan administration is extremely excited about the opportunities that SAF presents for our agricultural, forestry, and clean energy sectors here in Minnesota," said Andrea Vawbel, deputy commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Vawbel told the committee the 2023 state SAF tax credit was intended to stack with federal Inflation Reduction Act incentives and that the state had supported the program at about $11,600,000 in its budget.

Committee members were told SAF is already certified for use in modern aircraft and can be blended with conventional jet fuel. Delta Airlines and a statewide public‑private partnership called the Minnesota SAF Hub described plans to use Minnesota feedstocks — from used cooking oil to corn, winter camelina and wood residues — to produce low‑carbon jet fuel that can be delivered into the airport’s existing fuel system.

"SAF will make up about 60% of our efforts to get to our net‑zero goal," Jeff Davin of Delta Airlines said, describing SAF as the industry’s primary near‑term lever to cut in‑flight emissions.…