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USDA and Navy kickoff biofuels agreement

The USDA and the US Navy kicked off their plan Tuesday to encourage the development of biofuels to power the Navy fleet. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan says, “If we power a naval fleet with renewable fuels, we’ll build an industry right here at home that not only moves us closer to energy independence but benefits rural areas and puts Americans to work in the process.”

Merrigan is in Hawaii with Navy officials for the first of several energy forums to look at ways of increasing the production of biofuels. The forums follow the Memorandum of Understanding signed in February by the USDA and Department of the Navy. Merrigan says, “We’re really grateful to the state of Hawaii for giving us this first opportunity to put this agreement on the ground. But we also know we’ll be doing similar work in states across the country. Corn and soybeans raised in the Heartland, biomass produced in western or my own New England states part of the country as well as other new innovative approaches in states throughout the country can help fuel the Great Green Fleet that the Department of Navy has envisioned.”

As part of the plan, half of the Navy’s total energy consumption for ships, aircraft, other vehicles and shore installations will come from alternative sources by the year 2020.

AUDIO: Kathleen Merrigan and Jackalyne Pfannenstiel (10 min., MP3)