49 U.S.C. § 44520 — Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment

(a) In General.— The Administrator must keep running the Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment (called "the Center" here).

(b) Responsibilities.— The Center must: (1) focus research on (A) helping develop, qualify, and certify aviation fuel made from alternative and renewable sources — like biomass, next-generation feedstocks, alcohols, organic acids, hydrogen, chemicals made from living things, and gaseous carbon — for commercial aircraft; (B) helping explain how to safely use alternative aviation fuels in commercial aircraft that also use electric propulsion systems; (C) reducing how much aircraft noise and pollution affects nearby communities; (D) informing decisions that support U.S. leadership on international aviation environmental issues, including setting domestic and international standards; and (E) improving and growing scientific understanding of civil aviation noise and pollution and their effects, and supporting better modeling tools; (2) look into new technology and other innovations to cut noise, emissions, and fuel burned by commercial aircraft; and (3) support teamwork with other federal agencies, industry, research institutions, and other relevant groups, to speed up research, development, testing, evaluation, and demonstration work, and to help the U.S. stay sustainable and competitive in aviation.

(c) Grant Authority.— The Administrator must carry out the Center's work using grants or other methods the Administrator decides fit, following section 44513, including through agreements and coordination with other federal agencies.

(d) Participation.— (1) Participation of educational and research institutions.— In doing the work described in subsection (b), the Center must, as appropriate, include: (A) colleges, universities, and research institutions that already have research, development, and testing facilities and that work with private-sector partners; (B) other federal agencies; (C) groups with experience across the alternative fuels supply chain — research, developing and producing feedstock, small-scale development, testing, and evaluating technology tied to making, processing, producing, and transporting alternative aviation fuel; and (D) groups with experience in new technology that cuts noise, emissions, and fuel burn in commercial aircraft. (2) Use of NASA facilities.— Working with NASA's Administrator, the Center must consider using — and paying for the use of — existing aeronautics research facilities at the Langley Research Center, the NASA John H. Glenn Center at the Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility, and other appropriate NASA facilities.