EPA Releases Proposed GHG Emissions Standards for Airplanes
July 22, 2020
Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rule that would establish greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards for engines that are used in subsonic jet and turboprop airplanes exceeding a certain maximum takeoff weight. The proposed standards would only apply to new type design airplanes and in-production airplanes, and are consistent with the airplane carbon dioxide (CO2) standards adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2017. According to EPA, development and adoption of these proposed emission standards is critical for allowing U.S. airplane manufacturers to seek the appropriate certification from FAA rather than from a foreign civil aviation authority.
Background. In 2016, EPA issued findings that GHG emissions from certain types of aircraft engines contribute to air pollution that endangers public health and welfare under the terms of the Clean Air Act. This determination obligated EPA to propose and adopt GHG emissions standards for certain airplane engines. The proposed action, if finalized, would fulfill the agency's obligations under the Clean Air Act in addition to bringing the United States in line with ICAO standards.
Proposed Standards. Under the proposed rule, EPA would adopt the ICAO CO2 metric, which measures fuel efficiency, as the means by which manufacturers demonstrate compliance with the GHG emission standards. Manufacturers would be obligated to measure fuel efficiency at certain test points to determine if the airplane/engine was within the proposed standard. In addition to the current annual reporting requirement for engine emissions, EPA is also proposing to require manufacturers to annually report the number of airplanes produced, airplane characteristics, and test parameters. Upon adoption of any proposed standards, FAA would need to complete a subsequent rulemaking to enforce the standards.
What's Next? EPA's proposed rule has not been published in the Federal Register yet, but the public and industry stakeholders will have 60 days to respond after publication. EPA indicated that the agency will hold a public hearing on the standards, with the specific date and time to be announced in a future notice. AAAE will be reviewing the proposal, in conjunction with its Environmental Services Committee, to determine if submitting comments would be appropriate.
Resources on Proposed Rule. AAAE has prepared and compiled resources to help educate and familiarize members with the details of the proposed rule.
• EPA's proposed rule on airplane GHG emission standards (pre-publication version)
• EPA's Fact Sheet on the proposed standards
• EPA's Technical Support Document (TSD) for the proposed standards
If you have any questions or comments, please contact Justin Barkowski at justin.barkowski@aaae.org.
Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rule that would establish greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards for engines that are used in subsonic jet and turboprop airplanes exceeding a certain maximum takeoff weight. The proposed standards would only apply to new type design airplanes and in-production airplanes, and are consistent with the airplane carbon dioxide (CO2) standards adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2017. According to EPA, development and adoption of these proposed emission standards is critical for allowing U.S. airplane manufacturers to seek the appropriate certification from FAA rather than from a foreign civil aviation authority.
Background. In 2016, EPA issued findings that GHG emissions from certain types of aircraft engines contribute to air pollution that endangers public health and welfare under the terms of the Clean Air Act. This determination obligated EPA to propose and adopt GHG emissions standards for certain airplane engines. The proposed action, if finalized, would fulfill the agency's obligations under the Clean Air Act in addition to bringing the United States in line with ICAO standards.
Proposed Standards. Under the proposed rule, EPA would adopt the ICAO CO2 metric, which measures fuel efficiency, as the means by which manufacturers demonstrate compliance with the GHG emission standards. Manufacturers would be obligated to measure fuel efficiency at certain test points to determine if the airplane/engine was within the proposed standard. In addition to the current annual reporting requirement for engine emissions, EPA is also proposing to require manufacturers to annually report the number of airplanes produced, airplane characteristics, and test parameters. Upon adoption of any proposed standards, FAA would need to complete a subsequent rulemaking to enforce the standards.
What's Next? EPA's proposed rule has not been published in the Federal Register yet, but the public and industry stakeholders will have 60 days to respond after publication. EPA indicated that the agency will hold a public hearing on the standards, with the specific date and time to be announced in a future notice. AAAE will be reviewing the proposal, in conjunction with its Environmental Services Committee, to determine if submitting comments would be appropriate.
Resources on Proposed Rule. AAAE has prepared and compiled resources to help educate and familiarize members with the details of the proposed rule.
• EPA's proposed rule on airplane GHG emission standards (pre-publication version)
• EPA's Fact Sheet on the proposed standards
• EPA's Technical Support Document (TSD) for the proposed standards
If you have any questions or comments, please contact Justin Barkowski at justin.barkowski@aaae.org.
