As the 2025 legislative session in Sacramento gets ready to wind down this week, elected leaders have the opportunity to maintain the East Bay’s leadership in energy innovation by enacting policies that expand the production and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This is particularly important for some of the East Bay refineries that have made considerable investments in SAF in recent years with the intent of keeping these facilities operating, reducing reliance on imported fuels, and supplying a cleaner product the world increasingly demands.
Fortunately, our region has the infrastructure and workforce to lead this transition. East Bay refineries, pipelines, and industrial facilities are already staffed by skilled men and women who know how to maximize the promise of this renewable fuel. To help preserve these clean energy investments in our facilities and workers, we hope that state leaders will consider taking the following actions:
- Create direct production incentives: Grants and tax credits will help facilities hire, train, and retain workers at union wages.
- Support long-term purchase agreements: Locking in demand at airports like OAK and SFO will give companies the certainty they need to invest and grow and ensure predictability and sustainability of SAF supply.
Protecting Jobs & Innovating for the Future
The East Bay already supports more than 150,000 advanced manufacturing and clean tech jobs, contributing over $40 billion to California’s economy each year. By supporting SAF, the state can build on this foundation. Converting to cleaner burning and more sustainably sourced fuels and investing in the workers in this industry is not abstract climate policy, but a concrete step to sustain thousands of quality jobs in the East Bay while producing cleaner fuels for the future. Additionally, SAF expansion offers opportunities in engineering, logistics, agriculture, and construction—delivering growth across communities throughout the region.
The East Bay region has consistently led the way in innovating toward a better future. Now is the time for our policymakers to act, ensuring the region continues to lead on climate, jobs, and on energy security — proving that strong industries and strong communities go hand in hand in building a resilient future.