A Texas refinery that supplies green fuel to U.S. airlines has been purchasing animal fat from cattle raised on illegally cleared lands in the Amazon rainforest, according to a Reuters review of government tracking data, interviews and eyewitness accounts.

Louisiana-based Diamond Green Diesel, a joint-venture between biofuels producer Darling Ingredients and petroleum refiner Valero Energy, has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into a refinery in Port Arthur, Texas that turns cattle fat - called tallow - into a cleaner alternative to petroleum-based jet fuel and diesel. Diamond Green Diesel is a major player in the U.S. sustainable fuels market. It has collected over $3 billion in U.S. tax credits for producing biofuels since 2022, according to filings.

But interviews and document

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