Addressing individuals at Georgetown University, Obama summarized his plan to replace oil with biofuels. He specifically tasked the Department of Energy (DOE), the Navy and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) with this endeavor.

“The Air Force is aiming to get half of its domestic jet fuel from alternative sources by 2016,” Obama remarked in the speech. “And I’m directing the Navy and the Department of Energy and Agriculture to work with the private sector to create advanced biofuels that can power not just fighter jets, but also trucks and commercial airliners.”

ATA President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio believes this agenda is a step in the right direction. “We applaud President Obama's leadership in furthering America's energy security by directing accelerated production of commercially viable biofuels for use in aircraft,” he said in a statement. “ATA and our members remain firm supporters of a comprehensive national energy policy that increases U.S. energy security, is climate-friendly, and results in more predictable and stable energy supply and costs.”

Working with the DOE and USDA to develop biofuels also holds promise for the ATA, Calio says. “This will build on our work with the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative — a coalition that ATA co-leads with the Federal Aviation Administration — the Strategic Alliance for Alternative Fuels initiative with the U.S. military, and our Farm-to-Fly program with USDA and Boeing to accelerate the availability of commercially viable, environmentally preferred alternative jet fuels.”