EPA Moves To Limit Airline Emissions

Stephen Pope

Thursday, June 11, 2015 at 09:48 PM ET

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Photo: BriYYZ via Creative Commons

Key Takeaways:

The EPA has initiated the formal process to regulate emissions from U.S. commercial aircraft, identifying the airline industry as a significant contributor to global warming.
An "endangerment finding" under the Clean Air Act was issued as a precursor to future regulations on heat-trapping emissions from airplane exhaust.
Specific emission reductions are not yet defined, as the U.S. is collaborating with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to develop worldwide standards.
These future rules will apply to next-generation airliners and target greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane, with ICAO expected to propose standards by next February.

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The Environmental Protection Agency yesterday began the formal process of regulating the emissions of U.S. aircraft, saying the airline industry is one of the biggest remaining contributors to global warming.

The EPA issued what’s known as an “endangerment finding” under the Clean Air Act as a precursor to regulations to limit heat-trapping emissions from airplane exhaust. The agency will collect public comments on the proposal for 60 days ahead of a scheduled hearing on August 11.