Lawmakers in the US Senate and House of Representatives dropped the bid to prevent the US military from being able to develop or buy biofuels, ScienceInsider reports. The program had drawn criticisms from some politicians for being too expensive. Some advanced biofuels, ScienceInsider notes, cost the military up to $26 per gallon.
The restrictions to the biofuel program were incorporated as part of House version of the defense budget, but were not in the Senate version. The compromised version of the bill is expected to be passed by both houses and head to White House later this week.
Supports of the military biofuel program argue that, with the military as a major, and possibly long-term, buyer, the price of fuel will come down, and that such a program helps reduce dependence on foreign sources of energy.