Fueling Up

As the Pentagon fights a Senate provision that would cut back Navy alternative fuels efforts, a business group has compiled a report claiming the military could generate major economic activity and jobs -- $10 billion or more of the former and 14,000 of the latter, to be specific:

The military’s biofuels initiatives could do more than just power jet planes, aircraft carriers and armored vehicles – they could also help power the economy, according to a new report from Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2).

The E2 report will be unveiled during a live, phone-based news conference at 11 a.m. EST Wednesday (Nov. 14, 2012), on the heels of Veteran’s Day.

Environmental Entrepeneurs bills itself as "a national community of business leaders who promote sound environmental policy that builds economic prosperity."

Among the speakers at Wednesday's event will be retired Vice Adm. Dennis McGinn, president of the American Council on Renewable Energy.

More from the group's statement:

Congress is about to take up the National Defense Authorization Act, which in current versions would prohibit the DoD from moving forward with its plans and desires to increase its use of biofuels. Citing national security concerns, the Navy and Air Force want to replace 50 percent of their fuel supplies with non-petroleum biofuels by 2020.

Just as military innovation and leadership transformed our nation’s economy in sectors ranging from aviation to communication to computers, the military’s biofuels expansion could provide a major boost to the economy and job creation, and help transform the nation’s energy, airline and agriculture industries.