Aviation association reacts to EPA’s proposed regulation

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) reacted Wednesday to an announcement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intimating that the agency plans to regulate carbon emissions from commercial aircraft under the Clean Air Act.

The EPA released its findings in an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking showing the global warming contributions of commercial aircraft, a first step to introducing regulation on the industry due to its effect on human health.

In response, the NBAA raised concerns based on the proportion of global transportation emissions made up of those from aircraft. The association also pointed out that the industry has been working towards reducing carbon emissions on its own.

"Over the past several decades, the [aviation] industry has enormously improved fuel efficiency, and continues to do so, through the development of new technologies, the promotion of flight procedures that reduce emissions, and ongoing research and testing of alternate fuels,” NPPA President and CEO Edward Bolen said. “We will make these points very clearly in our comments to the EPA."

The NBAA plans to file comments with the agency after a thorough review of the notice to see how the regulations would impact the industry.