Letter to the editor: Renewable jet fuel credit will cost Pa. families

Pennsylvania families can expect higher emissions and higher costs if Congress continues to support a tax credit for renewable jet fuel.

That’s because the special tax credit for jet fuel would effectively eliminate the tax benefits for other clean fuels such as biodiesel and renewable diesel.

Since here in Pennsylvania, we have a 2% biodiesel mandate, the price of diesel fuel will quickly rise.

If Congress favors one fuel over another, the impacts on the air we breathe will be detrimental. Biofuels have been reducing diesel emissions for more than a decade. In California, renewable diesel and biodiesel removed more than 18 million tons of carbon dioxide between 2011 and 2019.

The cost of the special jet fuel tax credit also will be transferred to Pennsylvania families — they’ll find themselves paying more to heat their homes in the winter.

Higher fuel prices also will lead to an increase in the price of consumer goods because 80% of deliveries to American communities are made by truck. Pennsylvanians will pay more for everyday necessities, like food and medication.

To ensure the transportation industry maintains access to renewable diesel and biodiesel, equal tax treatment with other fuels is critical. Tax parity will ensure we do not reverse progress in reducing the carbon footprint of the transportation sector.

We need Sen. Bob Casey to push back against this flawed proposal and work with his colleagues in Congress to extend the biodiesel tax credit at parity today to protect families and keep emissions low in communities.

Gerald Danniel

Scranton

The writer is chief operating officer of Onvo.