As the lead Democrat on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, I believe in investing in innovative projects to build stronger, greener infrastructure.

Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded a total of $38 million towards four projects in Washington state aimed at accelerating the production and use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and low-emission aviation technologies. The funding comes from the FAA's Fueling Aviation's Sustainable Transition (FAST) grant initiative, which was established by the Inflation Reduction Act.

The $38 million from the FAA will help Washington move toward a sustainable future by funding projects such as:

• $26.76 million for the BP Cherry Point Refinery in Whatcom County to increase SAF production and blending,
• $4.23 million for ZeroAvia in Everett to support the design, build, and testing of hydrogen fuel cell-powered propulsion system technologies,
• $4.5 million for APiJET in Seattle to enhance a ground-based software tool for airlines that recommends fuel optimized routings, and
• $2.59 million for Boeing to support its efforts to improve the measurement of fuel quality in an airplane fuel tank.

Investing in sustainable aviation fuels and greener technologies is an important step toward reducing aviation emissions and creating more jobs. Congress must continue to partner with innovative companies to ensure the United States remains the global leader in cleaner, greener, and safer aviation.

More soon,

Rick