Senators express concern over ban on DoD biofuels initiatives

In a move that suggests the US Senate could reject Republican efforts to undermine the Department of Defense's (DoD's) biofuels initiatives, 37 Democratic senators and 1 Republican went on record on 16 November in opposition to two legislative provisions that would effectively prohibit the Pentagon from investing in or using biofuels.

The Democratic-controlled Senate Armed Services Committee surprised the Pentagon and political insiders in May when the committee narrowly approved amendments to the Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that severely restricts the DoD's access to biofuel markets as well as its ability to support a domestic, commercial-scale biofuels industry.

In doing so, the Senate committee joined with the Republican-controlled House Armed Services Committee in expressing concern about the high cost of the Pentagon's green fuel initiatives.

The biofuel restrictions were included as amendments to the NDAA in votes that were swung by the absence of Senator Susan Collins, a moderate Republican who usually votes with committee Democrats in support of renewable energy measures. Senator Collins was the lone Republican signatory to the 16 November letter.